Turn Dollar Tree Pumpkins Into Fall Porch Decor With A Clever Pool Noodle Hack

Between pumpkin spice candles and Halloween jack-o-lanterns, autumn is an exciting time for home decorating. With this adorable fall DIY, you can repurpose a pool noodle from summer days gone by into a personalized pumpkin-themed statement piece for your porch. You'll simply use the pool toy to create a lightweight, decor-adorned letter of your initial. Then, set it against your porch steps or hang it on your front door to add some autumn charm to your entryway.

A YouTube video tutorial by the savvy craft expert Glue Guns & Roses demonstrates this easy Dollar Tree DIY to get your home ready for fall. This project is also beginner-friendly, with endless opportunities for customization, allowing for maximum fun and creativity. Plus, with any extra materials and pool noodles, you can make more affordable fall decor to create a whole porch scene. 

For this craft, you will need only a few supplies from your local Dollar Tree, starting with Foam Pool Noodles as your base for $1.25 each, a few packages of miniature Artificial Foam Pumpkins for $3 each, and a package of Mini Straw Bale for $1.25. You will also need a hot glue gun and a precision knife. You may need more or fewer supplies, depending on how you customize this craft. For example, you may choose to spell out a whole word instead of just one initial.

Begin by cutting your pool noodle in half and into smaller sections, arrange the pieces into your chosen letter, and fuse them together with hot glue. Adorn the entire surface of the letter with decorative mini pumpkins. Note that pool noodles are typically 2 to 3 inches wide, so ensure that the pumpkins are the correct size. Fill the exposed parts of the pool noodle with straw using hot glue until the whole letter is covered. 

Now that you have the basic steps, you can customize this DIY in all kinds of creative ways. One option is to replace the pool noodles with a Foam Floral Ring for $1.25 at Dollar Tree to create a wreath instead. If you're not a big pumpkin fan, you can adorn your letter decor with leaves and harvest-themed flowers. Dollar Tree has a wide selection, including multicolored Maple Leaf Fall Florals, available in stores for $1.25 each, Cottage Core Fall Mums for $1.25 per bouquet, and many more. Or, you can always embellish with dried pine cones from your backyard for a more natural look.