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    Home » Front Porch Ideas

    10 Porch Decor Ideas To Score At The Flea Market

    Published by Pam Kessler | 935 words. · About 5 minutes to read this article. - 10 Comments

    Some of the best fall porch decor can be found at flea markets, festivals and estate sales. They are a great place to pick up inexpensive rustic farmhouse decor for the porch.

    Flea markets, festivals, fairs, barn sales.

    Whatever you call them, they're great places to score some cool fall porch decor.

    Really, for just about any season.

    Some of the best fall porch decor can be found at flea markets, festivals, fairs, barn sales and estate sales. They are a great place to pick up inexpensive rustic farmhouse decor for the porch.

    The thing I love about buying some of this stuff at the flea market is it is dirt cheap. If I spend only a buck or two on something, I don't care if it gets dirty or weathered by setting outside on the porch.

    Now if I spent $69.99 for something for the porch then I may care a little bit more! Or commit myself for spending so much.

    10 Fall Porch Decor Ideas To Score At The Flea Market:

    Bushel Baskets

    A tisket a tasket, a chippy bushel basket. Or something like that.

    WHENEVER I run across a bushel basket or something similar at a yard sale or estate sale I grab it. Especially the taller peach baskets which are harder to come by up here in Ohio.

    Bushel baskets are prefect to use as fall porch decor

    All these baskets are prime real estate for planting mums and other fall foliage in (see down at the bottom for my tips for "planting" in bushel baskets).

    Crocks

    Crocks are also great for putting mums in. There's nothing like a bunch of crocks filled with mums lining the steps going up to your porch.

    Crocks used as fall porch decor

    Funny side story - I have a couple 5 gallon crocks in the basement, but only three of the smaller crocks made it out of the basement for their photo shoot, because well , I forgot how heavy a large crock can be.

    I just may sell the big ones with the house if we ever move.

    Wooden Boxes And Crates

    Pretty much anything wooden, whether square or rectangular, looks good on a fall porch.

    Wooden crates and boxes are cute fall porch ideas

    Fill them with mums, Indian corn or pumpkins and you have an instant farmhouse look.

    Galvanized Pails And Tubs

    I've been running across more and more galvanized pails, maple syrup buckets and tubs at sales lately.

    Galvanized pails, buckets and tubs for fall decor

    I usually don't pay more than a few bucks for anything galvanized, even the tubs. And it doesn't bother me if they have holes in the bottom, because I rarely plant directly in the tubs.

    Farm Or Garden Tools

    I love finding an old rusty rake, hoe or pitchfork and putting it on the porch.

    Farm tools and gardening tools for front porch decor

    This is a photo of my front porch from 2015 where I used bushel baskets, galvanized pails, wooden crates and a pitchfork to create a warm welcoming front porch.

    Colorful too!

    Fall porch decor in farmhouse style

    Orange Things

    Now I know not everyone likes "color" in their fall decor, but I am orange, rust and black all the way, so just about anything that incorporates those colors are fair game for porch decor.

    Plaid Things

    Tossing a vintage plaid throw across the arm of a chair is an instant winner on the porch. Plaid pillows also work for me. Keep in mind, you don't actually have to USE these items, but they sure do cozy up the joint.

    Thermoses (duh)

    OK, I may be beating a dead horse on this one, but thermoses = drinking cocoa = Pam's happy place. So anything thermos or tailgating related works on a fall porch.

    Wagons, Wheelbarrows, Carts

    A wheelbarrow, wagon or cart on the porch or in the yard is just begging for some flowers or bales of hay. Maybe even a scarecrow to lean up against it.

    Something Quirky

    I always try to add something a little different to my fall porch decor.

    It may be a 1970's statue of an owl I found at an antique mall.

    Vintage owl statue used as part of fall porch decorations

    Or it may be an old toy truck hauling pumpkins from the nuclear power plant.

    Vintage 1950's Structo dump truck

    But quirky is pretty much synonymous with a fun fall porch in my mind.

    Tips for "planting" in a bushel basket:

    • Don't. But seriously, I don't plant directly in my baskets. If you do, your basket will not last more than one season, plus it's going to cause a huge mess on your porch when you water your mums. Bushel baskets really do not hold water, or dirt for that matter, very well, so always plant in a pot and then place the pot in the basket.
    • Technically you can just leave them in the pots straight from the garden center and plop them down in the basket, but I prefer to re-pot them in a slightly larger pot with fresh soil so they don't need as much constant fuss and watering as the pot bound ones do.
    • Before placing my pots in the baskets, I always put a plastic pot saucer underneath the pot so it can drain without constantly getting your basket wet. A wet basket can get moldy and fragile.
    • If you are planting in a tall peach basket I put a couple bricks or large stones in the bottom of the basket, followed by an empty pot placed upside down (used as a shelf), set a plastic pot saucer on top of it and then finally set my pot of mums in the planter.
    • After fall is over and it's time for the pine boughs and Christmas lights, you can plant your mum in the ground to come back next year.

    Newsflash: Jolene is the winner of the 2 Early Bird Passes to the Country Living Fair in Columbus! Congratulations!!!

    Other fall posts you may enjoy:

    Festive Fall Porch Decor Tips And Tricks

    Fall Porch Decor Farmhouse Style

    Traditional Fall Porch Decor

    Transitioning The Porch From Fall To Halloween

    « BEST DIY Fall Wreaths For Your Front Door
    How To Make Fall Outdoor Planters »
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    Comments

    1. Mirjam Madges

      September 29, 2022 at 10:09 am

      Always love your ideas. Keep it up.

      Reply
    2. Debra@CommonGround

      September 10, 2017 at 11:19 pm

      LOVE all your fun ideas, now I just need a bigger porch!

      Reply
    3. Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces

      September 08, 2017 at 1:20 am

      I love all of your finds! The porch photos are beautiful!

      Reply
    4. [email protected]

      September 08, 2017 at 1:15 am

      i love every idea you had. but i'm particularly fond of using galvanized pails.

      Reply
    5. Fonda Rush

      September 07, 2017 at 9:53 pm

      Congrats, Jolene...wave hi to my family while you're in Columbus...any direction will do!

      Pam...My wife and I hate Mums. The smell, the colors, everything...we just don't like them at all {Sam, I am!}. Thank goodness, because our "porch" is a small alcove that can't be seen from the road or even our driveway. We haven't decorated it yet, so we may or may not feel the need some day. We're focused on the inside right now, so if we don't mind, the neighbors won't mind.

      Reply
      • Pam

        September 08, 2017 at 8:15 am

        The odd thing is that I hate the smell of CUT mums!!! They remind me of a funeral parlor. I'm good with them outside, but inside not so much!

        Reply
    6. Judy K.

      September 07, 2017 at 8:37 pm

      I know that the owl is one-of-a-kind, but I want one!! I noticed in a previous fall décor post (what year I can't remember) that the owl was in a bird cage - cute. Love the quirky décor.

      Reply
      • Pam

        September 08, 2017 at 8:19 am

        He is cute! When I was at an antique mall this summer I saw a huge owl lamp. It actually looked a lot like him except the owl part was probably 3 feet tall and then it had the lamp part and shade sticking up on top of it, so it was quite the statement piece 🙂

        Reply
    7. kris @ Junk Chic Cottage

      September 07, 2017 at 8:10 pm

      Love these ideas Pam. Your porch looks so pretty. Love all the whimsy too.
      xoxo
      Kris

      Reply
    8. Debby

      September 07, 2017 at 8:05 pm

      I thought of you whenI got the current issue of CL. The Thermos had your name all over them.

      Reply

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