7 Genius Ways To Transform Dollar Tree Pool Noodles Into Gorgeous Fall Decor

Decorating for fall is one of the easiest ways to welcome the changing seasons, but it can get expensive fast. A few pumpkins here, a couple mums there, and suddenly you've spent way more than you'd planned before the year's biggest spending season has yet to arrive. With Halloween costumes, Thanksgiving dinners, and Christmas presents top of mind, plenty of us are trying to stretch our decorating budget as far as possible. Thankfully, you don't need to splurge on a bunch of expensive new decor or fancy craft supplies to make your home look festive this autumn. Dollar Tree has plenty of inexpensive items that can be transformed into gorgeous fall decor, but nothing can make a bigger statement than the humble pool noodle.

Cheap, lightweight, and easy to manipulate, the foam material is incredibly useful. Clever DIYers have shared dozens of their fall decorating ideas on social media, using pool noodles to create everything from wreaths to water fountains. So we rounded up seven genius ways to transform and embellish pool noodles into pieces that look way more expensive than they actually are. The best part of these craft projects is that most of them can be completed by combining basic supplies you already have, like zip-ties, packing tape, or hot glue, with inexpensive seasonal items you can easily pick up during your next trip trip to Dollar Tree.

When you're hosting a party to celebrate the fall season in style, setting a beautiful table is one of the easiest ways to make a good impression on your guests. If spending a fortune on flowers isn't in the budget, design a centerpiece using a Dollar Tree pool noodle instead. To make it, cut a pool noodle in half before securing it around wooden pillar candle holders using a few zip ties. Next, insert tall faux grasses to give your centerpiece height before adding more assorted faux flowers and seasonal picks. Use hot glue as needed.

Dollar Tree has a huge assortment of floral supplies like the $5 fall-themed door swag, which can be deconstructed into more faux flowers than you'd be able to buy individually for that price. To liven up the dead space under your kitchen or laundry room cabinets, use several Command Strips to secure a pool noodle directly underneath before sticking floral picks into the foam to cover it. If you want to add a little light as the days get shorter, wrap your pool noodle with a strand of inexpensive LED lights before attaching it under your cabinets.

Many of the best Dollar Tree pool noodle hacks require one or more full length pieces, but there's an adorable way to use up all of your leftovers this fall. Thanks to its hollow core, it's extremely easy to transform shorter lengths into apples or gourds using ribbon or chunky yarn. Starting with one end inside the pool noodle, wrap ribbon around the sides and through the center until the pool noodle is completely covered. After using a little hot glue to secure the other end, consider repurposing a wine cork painted brown or green as a stem. 

While those DIY floral garden arches are a showstopping way to decorate your front porch this fall, some of us prefer something more understated. Fortunately you can use Dollar Tree pool noodles to create a small floral fountain that's surprisingly easy to assemble. Fill a planter with pool noodles cut to size around an upside-down planter, which will serve as a pedestal. After putting a faux floral pick or two in the center of each pool noodle, position a bowl filled with water on top of the pedestal before making it gurgle with the addition of a solar fountain.

Combining Dollar Tree pool noodles with duct tape is a cost-effective way to create large wreath forms. While you could certainly cover it with ribbon, faux florals, or other decorative elements, the discount store carries a better item for adding a little spooky sparkle. The Seasonal Collection Halloween Ornaments are sold in a 5-pack for $1.50, and consist of assorted designs including creepy eyeballs, glittery orange pumpkins, spiderweb-covered purple orbs, and black witchy baubles. After removing the metal neck and cap, attach them to your pool noodle wreath form using hot glue to create a one-of-a-kind decoration.

There's just something elegant about covering an entryway table, console, or mantle with dozens of pillar candles. Unfortunately, even at Dollar Tree prices, it can be an expensive proposition. Instead, cut pool noodles into various lengths before dripping hot glue around the edges to look like melted wax. Then, spray paint them using matte black for a haunted Halloween effect, creamy white for a look that will last all year, or another color of your choice. Light them up by gluing a battery-operated find, like the TSLVIC LED Flameless Tea Lights, to the center of each one.

If you want to highlight a doorway or opening with more permanent decor, consider transforming Dollar Tree pool noodles into decorative branches. To make them, cut V shapes at the ends to form points before wrapping the noodles tightly with plastic wrap to create each branch. Combine them using heavy-duty packing tape before wrapping around the joints with more plastic wrap, which creates a bark-like texture when it crinkles. Use spray paint to color the branches before attaching them with drywall screws. Adding faux bittersweet is perfect for fall, but you can switch out seasonal garlands as desired.