The 5 ways I'm decorating my small rental kitchen for Christmas - without going over budget

When it comes to decorating for the festive season, it can be tricky to balance spending on new accessories with the impending knowledge of shopping for gifts and spending on Christmas activities. However, you'll still want your home to look the part for the festivities, so finding budget Christmas decor will be key.

While it's second nature to kit our living rooms and bedrooms out with seasonal decorations, a kitchen can sometimes feel harder. In a room where practicality comes first, knowing where to place decorations that won't just get in the way will make sure you can still cook with ease but also create a Christmassy aesthetic perfectly prepped for hosting.

Faced with a small rental kitchen myself (and a mini budget), I've hunted for the very best Christmas decorations that you can add to a similar space. From crockery to garlands, adding festive flair to your kitchen has never been simpler.

Where to shop for festive kitchen decor

• Habitat: Stylish Christmas decor to match any aesthetic at affordable prices
• Next: Perfect for sourcing your ideal tree and decorations
• Sostrene Grene: Scandinavian-themed Christmas decorations on a budget
• John Lewis: Classic Christmas decor for any theme
• George Home: Stacey Solomon's Christmas range with George Home is a team favourite
• Dunelm: Find all the latest trend-led Christmas decor here

1. Display a plate

Christmas crockery is one of the most fun homeware items to buy for the festive season. Whether it's a kitsch mug or themed serving platters that you'll use for hosting through the winter months, it gives your dinnerware a nod to Christmas as well as being practical.

However, finding storage for seasonal crockery can be challenging in a small rental flat. Instead of balancing plates precariously in a cabinet, why not have them double up as wall decor? This hack for hanging plates on a wall is affordable and can be done in seconds, allowing you to zhuzh up your kitchen with some on-theme Christmas wall decor.

2. Go foraging for a garland

One of the most affordable Christmas decor options will always be natural foliage. Going foraging for seasonal foliage is a fun festive activity in itself and creating your very own wreath or garland will add a homely touch to your space.

If you don't have nature on your door step or don't fancy getting crafty, there are also so many faux garland options that will fit any budget and upgrade any kitchen space. Ahead of a Christmas party I'm planning on using Command hooks to attach a garland to the wall in the kitchen - I may even add fairy lights on to add some flair for party time.

3. Swap out your tea towels

Why not lean into a kitsch Christmas theme this season? Kitchen decor must be practical as well as cute so think about which everyday items you use that could get a festive makeover.

Tea towels are one of the easiest ways to showcase the Chrimbo spirit. Any trip to a supermarket or TK Maxx will leave you with plenty of options for festive tea towels - from subtle tree prints to colourful Father Chrismtas-laden designs. The world is your oyster, but it's guaranteed to make cooking Christmas day dinner more exciting.

4. Light a festive candle

We recently wrote about the best scents for a kitchen and around the Christmas period, choosing the right scent is more important than ever before. We host more than ever around this time of year so having a beautifully smelling home is crucial to setting the mood. Plus, in a small kitchen cooking odours tend to stick around, so I'll certainly be employing some candles in my kitchen this year.

Rather than going for sweet vanilla-based scents (although delicious) sticking to herbaceous fragrances will sit subtly within a cooking space, masking any unpleasant odours but still blending in perfectly. Anything with thyme and fir undertones will add a festive touch.

5. Display knick-knacks on open shelving

Keeping kitchen worktops free from unnecessary clutter will be crucial to minimising stress when cooking (let's face it, dishing up a roast on time is sweat-inducing anyway). Instead, look to other surfaces away from the main cooking zone to decorate.

Open shelving has been a huge trend in kitchens in the last few years, providing a place to showcase your personal memorabilia in a room that has quickly become the heart of any home. Adding the occasional festive knick-knack in amongst your regular shelf styling will subtly transform your kitchen for Christmas, without you needing to deck the halls (and break your budget).

I'll be adding my favourite Sostrene Grene ceramic houses to the shelves in my kitchen next to some pop-up paper trees that come out year after year. This decor only cost me around £10 and has worked in multiple different rental properties, no matter the space.

Which Christmas kitchen decor takes your fancy?