Dollar Tree Christmas Hacks: Transform Your Chicago Home on a Budget

Between work, commutes, and the general hustle of city life, keeping your Chicago home clean and festive can feel like a monumental task. If you’re dreaming of a beautiful, organized space but are short on time, these budget-friendly holiday decorating tips are for you. And remember, when you need a hand with the everyday cleaning, you can always rely on professional home cleaning to keep your place sparkling.

Create a High-End Look for Less

You don’t need a designer budget to achieve a magazine-worthy holiday setup. One of the easiest ways to elevate your space is with a stunning DIY hurricane vase centerpiece, inspired by a classic Ralph Lauren look.

The Ralph Lauren Hurricane Vase Dupe

Instead of spending hundreds on a single vase, you can create a beautiful duplicate with a few Dollar Tree finds. Here’s how:

• Grab one vase and two candlesticks (one taller, one shorter).
• Use a strong adhesive (Dollar Tree’s version of E6000 works perfectly) to glue the vase on top of the taller candlestick.
• Cut down the second candlestick to place inside the vase for a layered effect.

This simple project proves you don’t need a full deep cleaning help to make your home feel luxurious—just a few clever touches.

Deck Your Halls (And Everything Else) Affordably

Dollar Tree has seriously stepped up its holiday game, offering beautiful wrapping paper, ribbons, and lights that rival big-box stores. For a truly polished look, don’t just focus on the tree.

Banister & Greenery Tips

• Secure Garlands: Use zip ties to fasten garlands to your banister. They’re sturdy and can be reused year after year.
• Hide the zip ties with Dollar Tree berries or bows for a lush, finished appearance.
• Add Festive Scents: Tuck Balsam Fir scent sticks into your greenery. For just $1.50, they’re a fraction of the cost of similar products elsewhere.

Keeping your decor organized and dust-free is easier when you start with a clean slate. Consider a quick apartment cleaning before you start decorating to make the process even more enjoyable.

Dollar Tree Christmas Trees: A Full Guide

From miniature village trees to a stunning 6-foot centerpiece, Dollar Tree has an option for every space in your home.

Mini & Tabletop Trees

Those tiny, battery-operated trees are perfect for a Christmas village or even as unique ornaments. Try placing a mini tree inside a clear ornament with a bit of fake snow for a whimsical touch.

For small spaces, the classic Dollar Tree tabletop tree is a winner. My favorite hack? Buy two or three, spread out the branches, and zip-tie them together to create a gorgeous door swag—a unique alternative to a traditional wreath.

The 6-Foot Christmas Tree

This is Dollar Tree’s star player this year. Available in both green and white, this tree is a significant savings compared to virtually the same tree at Walmart.

• Lighting Secret: Use battery-pack lights! Wrap one set around the center pole to create a glow from within, then add another set to the branches.
• Decorating for Depth: Don’t just hang ornaments on the tips of the branches. Place them inside the tree to create layers and fullness. Dollar Tree’s icicles and snowflakes are your best friends for this.
• Ribbon Magic: Use zip ties to attach beautiful Dollar Tree ribbon and create cascading bows that add professional-looking depth without the cost.

Once the holidays are over and the pine needles have settled, a thorough cleaning service near me can help you reset your space for the new year.

Easy & Whimsical DIY Ornaments

Personalize your tree with simple, beautiful crafts. One of my favorites uses Dollar Tree’s mini picture frames and clear ornaments.

• Buy nine mini frames and a pack of scrapbook paper (with over 400 pieces, it’s less than $10).
• Cut the paper to fit inside the frames and the clear ornaments.
• For a vintage effect, carefully singe the edges of the paper. Please be safe and do this in a well-ventilated area away from any smoke alarms!
• Use a skewer to tuck the singed paper into the clear ornaments. Leave the backs off the frames so light can shine through when they’re on the tree.

These DIY projects are a fun way to spend an afternoon, leaving you free to schedule a cleaning for the more tedious tasks.

Your Holiday Sanctuary Awaits

Creating a beautiful, festive home doesn’t have to be expensive or overwhelming. With these Dollar Tree hacks, you can achieve a holiday look that feels both personal and polished. And if the thought of pre-holiday or post-party cleaning is stressing you out, you’re not alone. That’s where a trusted Chicago cleaning company can make all the difference. With fast cleaning services, it’s easier than ever to get your space cleaned and enjoy the season.

Welcome back to Do It on a Dime. Dollar Tree has trees, a $20 tree that is 6 feet tall. And you are going to get to see some of my favorite tips and tricks. We’ve got ornaments. We’ve got DIYs. Stay tuned. I review every tree Dollar Tree sells and all the prices beat Walmart. Plus, DIY is so easy you could do them with your eyes closed. Have you seen these Christmas bells at Dollar Tree? So, you know, these are much more expensive at Walmart and they don’t even come with the embellishments. Grab one of these $150 light packs. You can put these through the inside of the bell. They’ll glow under the tree. There’s so many ideas in this video, no matter your style. Actually, this could be our Christmas tree topper rather than having a star. Yes. All the DIYs and decor in this video are inspired by the Nutcracker ballet and the two worlds. The classic elegance of the Christmas party that Clara and her family attend and the dreamlike whimsy of the land of sweets. But the clock hasn’t struck midnight yet when the Nutcrackers start dancing. First, we’re going a traditional Ralph Lauren look. Now, if you saw my last video, I dressed this entire table using Dollar Tree finds. At the beginning of the Nutcracker Ballet, Clara and her family arrive at her uncle’s home for a dinner party, and this really reminded me of that, this gorgeous Ralph Lauren look. But to put this over the edge, it needed the Ralph Lauren hurricane vases. Now, this is all over Pinterest. When you search Ralph Lauren tablescape, this is the vase that comes up. And y’all, this retails for a cool $595. No way. We are going to DIY it from Dollar Tree. You need a vase and two Dollar Tree candlesticks, one taller and one shorter. Now, I liked this one because it mimicked the shape and proportions of the Ralph Lauren look. Then you grab this fix all adhesive. This is Dollar Tree E6000. And you’re going to glue the face on top of your tall candlesticks. Then cut down a candlestick and you can put this inside of the vase with another smaller candlestick. Up close, this looks great. You could do this with thrifted finds, too. But here is our inspiration and our Dollar Tree dupe. I think this came out great, but I’d love to know what you think below. I’ve got so much to share, so let’s get to it. Remember in my last video, these sound responsive lights and this Ralph Lauren style traditional wrapping paper? Dollar Tree stepped it up this year. All of their wrapping paper is beautiful. The most traditional way to wrap is without a bag. And this beautiful tartan style wrapping paper with a velvet bow. It makes me think of the gift Clara received from her uncle of the Nutcracker. This is one of the most practical finds this year at Dollar Tree. When it comes to your gre and tree, those lights you see on that tree are from Dollar Tree. And all of the ribbon that I purchased is also from Dollar Tree. And it’s worth mentioning Dollar Spot at Target has velvet ornaments. I know we’ve all been kind of sad that Dollar Tree raised their prices, but all of these are a buck at the Target Dollar Spot. I consider that just like a Dollar Tree. I zip tie all my garlands to the banister, and I use these from year to year. And then I can drape in some of my Dollar Tree finds that were super affordable for your faux trees and greenery. If you want the beautiful Christmas tree scent, I highly recommend these Balsam Fur scent sticks. These are a buck 50 and they are so much savings compared to the Walmart sensical version. I stick this right into my greenery. I cover the zip ties with the Dollar Tree berries and that’s going to give it a lush look. I put a rubber band around the Dollar Tree bow that I made. I zip tied the battery pack of the light strands into the garland so it was inconspicuous. This totally reminds me of Clara coming to her uncle’s house ready for a party. But no party is complete without the tree and I’m taking you through every treat that Dollar Tree sells. But we’re going to start with the smallest, the front of the store in the cobblestone corner. Every year the Dollar Tree Christmas village is amazing. These miniature trees nestle perfectly in any village. I really like these because they’re battery operated, so they glow from within. They’re so classic and beautiful. And I like to buy some of the mini trees and glue them into the clear ornaments. Dollar Tree brings these back every year. I just put a bit of fake snow inside and these make really fun ornaments. They’re awesome to make with the kids. So whimsical and beautiful little trees. You can also spray paint the cobblestone village homes. And I just used some puffy paint on these to make it look like gingerbread. This is one of my favorite crafts. I made these last year and I’m bringing them back out this year. I think they’re going to look so beautiful with my classic Christmas look. And now we’re going to level up our trees to the next size, which is the tabletop Christmas tree. Now, this Dollar Tree has carried for close to a decade. It’s their classic tree, and I like to sit this one out just like some of my larger ones. They’re really great in tiny areas, but my favorite way to use them is to buy two to three, spread out the branches, and zip tie together. This makes a really cool swag that you can add embellishments to and put on the back of the door as an alternative to a wreath. Up next, we have a $6 4 foot Christmas tree. Now, this is not my favorite tree from Dollar Tree. I’ve bought it in the past. It’s pretty cheap. It doesn’t come with any lights on it, but when you’re in store, I want you to look for the 3 and 1/2 ft pre-lit trees. Walmart can’t even touch this price. They are only $10 and Walmart charges 30. Y’all, this is brand new as of last year, but my first year buying it, and I love this one. This tree is $10, but this is a great price for what you’re getting. It’s nice and full. It’s the perfect amount of full to be able to put ornaments on. A pack of 30 ornaments from Dollar Tree is $7, making these just 23 cents a piece. And I think it turned out amazing. And this leads us into the next chapter of this video of our nutcracker theme because I had to buy the big tree that is brand new this year. This is brand new this year. Dollar Tree has a 6ft Christmas tree. Now, this comes in a bright white, which could be super cool. And this comes in a green. Virtually the same tree is at Walmart for almost $28. So, this is definitely a significant savings. And stay tuned for how I decorate. Every year, their large ornaments sell out. Now, when I’m decorating a tree, I like to have a few oversized ornaments just to give the tree some gravitas. This is a great spot to come. I bought both the green version and the white version of this tree. Let’s get to decorating. Both vintage and ballet style trees. Are you ready? These are now $1.75, but I’m only getting a couple of these to spruce in. Then, I grab some mesh. And these two things are going to be our base. You notice I have a couple of the big bulbs, and I’m going to go with a white aesthetic. These are so beautiful with the sparkle on them. Some of my favorites, these ones look like candy. Biggest things for your buck from Dollar Tree are their icicles and their snowflakes. Those battery pack lights are coming back, I’m telling you. So, my secret is when you open this tree to wrap this around the center of the tree to give it a glow from within. Then get another battery pack and you can add those lights around the branches. Two battery packs should do a nice job to light this tree. I started with the green tree for my ballet tree and I wanted a white and pink vibe. I added lots of different textures of ornaments and every single thing you see on this tree came from Dollar Tree. To me, this tree reminds me of The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. It’s just so ballerina and every last item on it is from Dollar Tree. I keep this tree in our landing upstairs. It’s my own Clara tree. It’s so beautiful next to my French chairs and it’s all from the dollar store. I’m all about incorporating vintage finds. So, this is a blanket that my grandmother knitted. So, I’m using this as a tree skirt. And the brooch on the top of the bow was actually the brooch that I had on my wedding bouquet. So, I love adding these little touches just to make it super personal. Combine vintage with new and I think it always looks great. And not only do they have the sixft trees in green, they also have them in white. These are flying off the shelves at my store. I really like this one. And what’s even better, I was a little bit nervous that this was going to be kind of cheap looking or really glittery, but this has a nice matte finish. And I think this is going to combine really well with some of the ornaments. Another favorite hack of mine is to use icicle lights to decorate your tree. Because of the draping effect on these, you can wrap them around the branches in a more intentional way. I love how this looks. Now, I’m going to add ribbon. This ribbon is $1.50. And Dollar Tree has stepped up their ribbon game. They have so many patterns. They have velvet. They have beautiful gold and I’m going to use my secret of zip ties. So, I’m going to create some really pretty bows to cascade down this tree. This is a really affordable way to give a tree depth without having to spend a lot of money. I am obsessed with this pack of ornaments from Dollar Tree. The purples are so beautiful. The golds are beautiful. And the key is you want to have them go inside the tree. When a tree is like this and it’s got like more holes in it, this is an opportunity to be able to fill it in. So you can really see inside the tree. Lots of depth, lots of layers. I remember like when I was a kid, there was this movie like Elvin and the Chipmunks movie and they were like running around inside of the tree and like on the inside branches like and all the bulbs were hanging like in within the tree and I was like, I want a tree like the elephant in the chipmunks tree. If you’ve been around for a minute, you may remember in a previous video this year. These are so cool. These little mini frames. I’m going to use these for Christmas time. See if you can guess in the comments what the DIY is, but I’m going to buy nine of these. Can you guess what I’m about to do? Let’s see if you were right. So, I got these clear ornaments and then I got the picture frames and all of these scrapbook pieces. There were over 400 of them. They were less than $10. I cut them down. And to give them an age effect, I singed the edges. And I’m watching this footage back and I’m going, Catherine, how did the smoke alarm not go off? I don’t actually know. So, I’m saying you be safe, okay? And don’t do what Catherine does. Well, I mean, do the DIYs, but just do this one in a safe way. And then I took a skewer and once the edges were singed, I put it inside. These are double-sided, so they’re going to look so cool on the tree. And in the frames, I just framed up some of the really pretty roses. I actually did this with a girlfriend of mine, so we were nice and relaxed doing it. This one definitely had sweet dreams of nutcracker vibes. And I left the backs off so the light would shine through the paper. That’s the thing about all of these DIYs. They’re simple and they’re straightforward. Anyone can do them. I actually put this in our master bedroom. I loved all the sweet little bows from the dollar spot at Target. They just gave a little extra sparkle. And all of the items came from Dollar Tree. Thumbs up. Thinking this video means you’re excited for more Christmas content from Do It on a Dime, my beautiful friend. If nobody has told you today, you are enough. All right, come here.