Simple Tips to Elevate Trader Joe’s Flowers

Simple Tips to Elevate Trader Joe’s Flowers -Trader Joe’s has a beautiful assortment of flowers at great prices. I bought $27 worth of flowers and made seven flower arrangements. Inexpensive store-bought flowers don’t have to look inexpensive! Trader Joe’s always has the best selection at a fraction of the price as some stores. It’s Sunday, so it’s favorites with Mary Ann and Cindy! 

What I look for when choosing flowers

I pick a color or two and stick to flowers in those colors. 

I like to include roses if I can find the right color. Trader Joe’s even has what they label garden roses at certain times, and they look beautiful in floral arrangements, especially if you are going for a vintage flower arrangement look. 

When buying roses, I often buy a day or two ahead so the blooms are not too tight. I like the look of roses in bouquets just starting to open. 

I usually choose four to five bunches of fresh flowers. This includes at least one bunch of filler flowers or greens. 

Flowers that I typically avoid:

I love ranunculus, but I’m often disappointed when I buy them at Trader Joe’s or a grocery store. They typically come with very few stems; because they are very fragile, at least one or two stems are broken.

I also avoid tulips when I am making a mixed arrangement. Tulips are great, but droopy tulips can make the whole arrangement look tired.

Best Tips to Make Flowers Last Longer

Trader Joe’s has the most affordable flowers, but you still want them to last!

Some say adding small amounts of bleach to the water will prolong the flower’s life. I don’t have bleach in the house, so I prefer a more natural method.

I remove all leaves and foliage on the stems below the water line in whatever vases,  jars, or cups I use for my arrangements. The leaves in the water can cause harmful bacteria that will make the flower’s life shorter than necessary.

Cut all the stems at an angle with sharp scissors, and place them in a large bucket or bowl of water immediately after giving each stem a fresh cut. 

I add a little of the flower food, usually attached to the bundles wrapped in cellophane. I’m not sure it helps, but it’s better (and safer) than using teaspoons of bleach. 

Or make your own with two tablespoons of sugar with two tablespoons of white vinegar to a quart of water.

Roses are long-lasting, and I love the look of an open rose in arrangements. Some say adding an aspirin is the secret ingredient to keeping roses looking fresh longer.

Whether adding an aspirin, bleach, or a little flower food, for long-lasting flowers, always change the water every day or at least every other day! Fresh water is the best way to have them looking and smelling fresh!

DIY Centerpieces Using Yogurt Jars or Small Glasses

When I first started blogging, I made about 20 small arrangements using Ikea cups or glasses and an assortment of yellow flowers. It was for a National Charity League dinner, and the budget was very small. 

The turquoise cups were quite short, but they made the perfect little vessel for an arrangement. Everyone loved them and happily took their tiny bouquet home. 

I’m using yogurt jars a little smaller than the Ikea cups today. They are the perfect size for use as place cards on a table.   

Centerpieces Using Jars

Almond Butter Jars Make Great Vases

Another favorite vase that I love using to arrange flowers to give as a thank you or hostess gift is a simple jar. I cut the stems to the right height, added a rubber band to keep the flower stems together, and maybe added some ribbon or twine to the jar. 

Jars are great options, but you’ll want to make sure it’s not too tall, and the jar or vase opening is wide enough so that your flowers can spread out a little. Almond butter glass jars are perfect, in my opinion!

You could always use the scotch tape method if you use a very wide-opening vase. Make a grid on the vase using clear tape and arrange your flowers in the holes. While I see a lot of beautiful arrangements being made like this on TikTok, I’m not sure if it’s the best or most practical way.

Make a DIY Flower Wrap

The typical bouquets from any store have plastic cellophane, and the stems are usually very long. The first thing I do is remove all of the extra wrappings and cut the stems shorter. Then I arrange them, holding them like a bouquet to ensure I look like you.

Take a piece of kraft paper (or use the bag from Trader Joe’s) and use paint pens to make a custom design on the paper. Cut a scalloped edge on two sides, arrange the flowers with a fresh cut, and wrap up the bouquet with a bit of raffia.

Before I place it onto the paper, I like to make it look like a typical bouquet with the whole arrangement in mind. Do I have enough filler flowers, greenery, and beautiful flowers like roses? Do I have a variety of flower types in odd numbers? In a larger arrangement, I’ll usually do filler flowers in groups of three or five, and then I’ll add the larger or more significant blooms, like roses, in an odd number as well. I like a variety of flowers in one or two colors but different textures and shapes.

Seven arrangments for less than $30 using flowers from Trader Joe’s!

If you enjoyed reading Simple Tips to Elevate Trader Joe’s Flowers, you may also like:

Easy Bouquets that Start with Grocery Store Flowers

A Valentine Craft Featuring the Popular Trend: Dried Flowers

Other Sunday Favorites:

Bow Knobs

Bows are so on-trend in home design and fashion. When I happened to see these bow knobs at Crate & Barrel, I was surprised they were on sale. They would look so cute on a dresser in a girl’s room. They come in black, white, and gold. It’s a simple, inexpensive way to get in on a trend!

Closet Organization

I’m finally tackling our primary bedroom closet. I ordered these acrylic shelf dividers after seeing many people using them. They help keep sweaters from toppling when you pull a stack next to them. And the best part is they take up very little space, and in our small closet, that’s key!

I’m using paper lawn and leaf bags to sort clothing and shoes. It’s so much better than plastic trash bags that can get too heavy. Plus, these bags stand up, making it easier to fill them.

Valentine’s Day

I usually decorate a little bit for Valentine’s Day. I mix in some bare foraged branches and hang heart ornaments. Last year, I made clay heart ornaments, but this year, I ordered these from Terrain, which are so pretty!

Let’s see what Cindy and Mary Ann found this week!

Cindy Hattersley Design

Classic Casual Home