Easy 4th of July Decorations

Don't splurge on expensive store-bought outdoor Fourth of July decorations; decorating your front porch on a budget is easy, even if you don't have a red or blue front door! We love the way the white wreath (perfect for other holidays, too!) ties together the simple DIY rocket accents in the plants.

Fans help guests stay cool on a hot day, but they can also double as DIY 4th of July decorations. Find tinted fans at a local crafts store, or dip-dye plain white fans in red and blue dyes. Then hang fans on a length of twine above your bar and add a spread of patriotic cocktails. Plus, our free printables make it so easy to set up the bar area!

Turn ordinary picnic items into adorable Fourth of July decor with simple paper accents. We love the way these fun words and phrases turn ordinary ice cream cones into festive Fourth of July desserts. Simply print onto plain paper and cut to fit your ice cream cone. Secure with a small drop of glue.

Red, white, and blue lanterns become bubbly America-theme decorations over your dining table. Use a long piece of sturdy string and tie each of the lanterns onto it. Fold the string in half before hanging to create a layered look. If you're preparing for a star-spangled soiree, our free printable checklist will help you make sure you have everything you need.

Buy It: Blue and White Paper Lanterns, $13.49, Amazon

Give your lawn the star-spangled treatment for a 4th of July party. Focus the stars near the entrance to your yard for a dramatic welcome. To make, cut a star shape from a piece of cardboard. Place the stencil on the lawn and spray the grass lightly with water. Leaving the stencil in place, use a flour sifter to lightly fill the shape with flour. Remove the stencil and repeat.

Share your patriotic sentiments with guests by labeling oversize buckets with vinyl letters (find them at office supply or crafts stores). Fill the buckets with ice to keep beverages cool during a hot 4th of July barbeque, or use them to hold boxes of sparklers.

A bright Fourth of July banner is a quick decor fix for any kind of Independence Day gathering. Our free printable makes it easy to hang for a patriotic celebration—just print, cut and string! If you like the ease of printable decorations, try printing and coloring our free 4th of July coloring pages and hang them as signs.

Make the flag the star of your 4th of July decorating with this easy centerpiece. Tuck an American flag around the edges of a clear glass vase. Then fill with your favorite red, white, and blue 4th of July flowers. A base of fresh, juicy fruit doubles as a serving platter and adds pretty color.

Paper rockets blast off from a shiny sand-filled bucket in this fun Fourth of July craft. To make each rocket, roll scrapbooking paper into a tube and secure with glue. For the nose cone, cut a slit to the center of a paper circle; overlap ends and adhere together using glue. Glue a ribbon strip inside the rocket to resemble a fuse, and glue a long dowel inside the tube to support the rocket.

A simple flag banner is always a classic Fourth of July decoration, perfect for any style of gathering! Purchase or print out small paper flags, and use clips or clothespins to attach the flags to a long piece of twine or ribbon.

Buy It: American String Pennants, $6.95, Amazon

Make a bright and fun Fourth of July pinwheel wreath in just minutes! Make small paper pinwheels from double-sided scrapbook paper, then use glue to attach the pinwheels to an embroidery hoop. Hang the finished wreath on the front door, or use it as a festive piece of wall decor.

Dress up sparklers and set them out as table decorations. Our free printable tags are fun additions to this Fourth of July staple; just print, cut and attach to the sparklers. We love the way they look mixed in with red and blue confetti!

Make digging into the 4th of July feast a touch sweeter by decorating plain wooden utensils with red and blue ink stamps to adorn the handles of each utensil with stars, stripes, and other patriotic designs.

Make a colorful container for carting treats to the fireworks display. Cover unused paint cans (available at hardware stores) with red, white, and/or blue scrapbooking paper, and supply the kids with stickers and markers to personalize their cans. Line the inside of the can with a large plastic bag before filling with homemade snack mix or another easy finger-food.

This Fourth of July bandana wreath is simple to make, and it's pretty inexpensive. Plus it's easy for the kids to help, so you can keep them busy while you prepare for your big patriotic bash.

About 300 miniature flags make up this eye-catching centerpiece. It's easier to make than you might think. Just wrap a foam wreath form in crepe paper, then insert flags until the wreath is covered for this simple 4th of July centerpiece.

Spice up recycled containers (oatmeal containers work well) with scrapbooking paper to make simple utensil holders. Cut paper to size, and use a glue stick to adhere to the outside of each container. Purchase a small amount of chalkboard paint to make easy labels.

Editor's Tip: Short on time? Scrapbooking and crafts stores often carry premade chalkboard labels.

Add a little pizzazz to your treats table with festive toothpicks. Look for premade picks at a grocery or crafts store. Or make your own by printing shapes on cardstock, cutting them out, and taping to the tops of toothpicks. These little red, white, and blue flags are also great for differentiating your patriotic desserts this holiday.

Buy It: 4th of July Cupcake Toppers, $12.99, Amazon

Add patriotic pops of color to your 4th of July bash. Fill painted pots with red, white, and blue summer flowers, and line them up on your front stoop or deck.

Swirling red, white, and blue pinwheels mimic the fireworks you'll see later in the day. These decorations are perfect for lining a walkway or filling a tall vessel. They also make great DIY party favors! Our free pinwheel pattern makes it so easy to create these decorations.

Don't limit your Fourth of July decorations to your home or backyard! We love the way a few simple stars transform an ordinary bicycle into a fun, patriotic display. Simply cut stars from colorful cardstock and weave them through the spokes of your bike. Secure with a strip of tape. Perfect for a Fourth of July parade, or just a ride around the neighborhood!

Give your picnic table a 4th of July makeover with patriotic table decorations. A runner of neatly pressed bandannas in hues of blue and white looks fresh, especially when paired with pretty floral centerpieces.

Upgrade your 4th of July summer dinner table with patriotic place settings. Attach one end of a 12-inch piece of festive striped ribbon to the flat side of a D ring; secure with glue. Layer a box of sparklers on top of a dinner napkin, and wrap with your ribbon loop.

Wrap small flags around water bottles for an incredibly simple way to add 4th of July spirit. Plastic or fabric flags work best—paper flags will wither as the water condenses.

Top your July 4th tablescape with a few patriotic decorations—like these homemade candleholders and vases. Make these centerpieces your own with red, white, and blue patterned paper. Simply attach to the clear vessels using adhesive.

Add July 4th flair to your chairs with cloth napkin slipcovers. To make, fold a napkin in half and iron to crease. Cut four pieces of ribbon; glue one inside each napkin corner. Tie to close. Hot-glue or stitch red cording to spell "4th," and you're done!

Editor's Tip: Use any cording scraps to add firework bursts to your chair covers.

A collection of blue bottles and drinking glasses makes a charming 4th of July centerpiece, especially when filled with red, white, and blue flags or flowers. Tie the look together with a colorful table runner and fresh berry pie!

For unique DIY 4th of July decorations, spray-paint matching antiques or thrift store finds with metallic red, white, or blue paint. Pair them with American flags and color-coordinated flowers for a table setting that's ready in no time!

Show your American pride with these colorful letters. Buy plain wooden letters (available at crafts stores) and get creative with red, white, and blue acrylic paint. Mix and match solid colors with stars and stripes.

Editor's Tip: Looking to save these for years to come? Coat the letters with polyurethane for durability.

Illuminate the outdoors with festive Fourth of July decorations. Search for fireworks-pattern lanterns, or create your own with stencil designs atop 12-inch white paper lanterns. Once you've mastered the technique, try making a fireworks cake roll!

Editor's Tip: Unfold the lantern a day in advance to stretch it out for easier decorating.

Get your red, white, and blue on at the dinner table this year—even plain buckets can get dressed up for the 4th of July! Use sticker labels or make your own with fun sayings like Yum! or Enjoy! Attach a label to the front of each bucket. Fill the buckets with whole fresh fruits, or use them to display delicious strawberry dessert recipes.

Create a fun and easy 4th of July table setting with purchased miniature American flags. Just wrap each flag around a table napkin, pin in place, and your party place setting is ready.

Make your own 4th of July flags! Purchase wooden skewers and a spool of flag ribbon at your local crafts store. Wrap a 3-inch length of ribbon around the top of each skewer; secure with tape.

Add bunting to your porch to welcome guests this 4th of July. Buy several yards of patriotic-pattern fabric (determine length based on where the bunting will hang). Starting at one end, gather the fabric about every 24 inches and secure the gathers using red, white, or blue yarn. Use the same color of yarn to attach the patriotic bunting to a porch rail.

Turn a plain table into something special for your 4th of July celebration. To make, apply double-stick tape to the table edge to hold a crepe paper streamer in place.

Editor's Tip: Pleat the streamer by pinching the top of it all around the table. If necessary, secure the pleats with tape.

Transform red-white-and-blue striped paper lanterns into 4th of July centerpieces for your table. Just slip each lantern over a clear glass, and tuck a handful of white blooms inside.

Editor's Tip: A solid background—such as a blue table runner—will make these decorations pop.

Paper fans help guests keep cool at outdoor summer parties. These darling ones add patriotic flair to any event. Insert sturdy straws or dowels between the ends of opened mini decorative paper fans. Glue a circle of firework-pattern paper to the center.

Editor's Tip: Find fans at a local party supply store; look for fans that are intended to hang by a string.

Your 4th of July decorating ideas don't have to be complicated. This fun centerpiece takes just minutes to pull together. Fill a clear Mason jar with fresh red, white, or blue flowers, and add a miniature American flag to finish.

This rustic welcome wreath adds instant patriotic charm to your front door. Wrap rope around a lifesaving ring or wreath base using hot glue to secure. Then add a few American flags for a touch of U.S. decor.

For any gathering that includes a meal, consider adding this fun 4th of July serving idea for each guest as part of your decor. These lemon boats are too cute for words—make one for each place at the table, or set them out at the drink station. Guests can use the lemons to squeeze into their beverages, and they'll love the red and blue touch!