How to furnish your home on a budget? It seems like an impossible task, but it’s not. With these tips and tricks, you can save money while still having plenty of style in your living space.
If you are looking to furnish your home on a budget, there are many ways. One way is to use what you already have.
It’s no secret that decorating a home can be costly, whether you’ve just moved into a new home or are updating your current one. It’s no surprise that the prices of dining furniture, lounge furniture, and bedroom furniture may rapidly mount up—not to mention the cost of all the décor items that will fill the nooks and crannies. It’s a lot, to be sure.
However, decorating your home does not have to be a headache-inducing or anxiety-inducing experience. It may be a rather smooth, painless, and even pleasant procedure. I swear to God. Today, I’m going to provide my top tips for outfitting your house on a budget (no migraines required). If you have any further suggestions, please share it in the comments section!
Make a To-Do List
This may seem to be a simple concept (and it is), but it is one of the most important stages in the whole process. Make a list of everything you want, sort it by buying priority, and figure out how much each item will cost or how much you’re willing to put away for it.
Having this information on hand will assist you in segmenting your purchases. When there will always be space for improvisation or changing your mind when inspiration strikes, having this basic list to use as a reference will help you remain on budget and avoid being distracted by every item of décor that catches your eye while shopping.
Prepare ahead of time
Many individuals go over budget when it comes to decorating because they wait until the last minute to buy things. If you decide to purchase a new couch before the end of the week, for example, you are unlikely to do it at the most advantageous moment, and you may not receive the most value for your money.
Keep your list handy and keep an eye out for each item when you’re out and about (even if it’s something you won’t need for months). When you find something you want, scribble it down and put it in your back pocket until the moment is right—which might be when the item goes on sale, which brings me to my next suggestion.
Make the Most of Annual Sales
While our world’s consumerist mentality (and the many deals that come with it) may be irritating at times, treating yearly sales as an opportunity to purchase items that are already on our wish lists is a more deliberate approach. And, contrary to popular belief, determining the best time of year to purchase for particular items is a science.
NerdWallet has a good summary of what items to purchase when in this post. Do you need a new mattress? September (particularly around Labor Day weekend…and the same applies for appliances) is your best chance. Do you need new furniture? Black Friday, Labor Day, and Memorial Day are all excellent shopping days. Are you looking for patio furniture? It’s best to get it in October, when the weather starts to change. Patience is a virtue, and it can lead to a fantastic (actually fantastic) bargain in the long term.
Go Slowly
It’s a marathon, not a sprint, to bring a place to life. Slow down. When you’re in the mood to buy new furniture, the thrill of the process and the need to fill a room with all of the pieces you want may lead you to hurry through the process, rapidly accruing purchases that exceed your budget.
Remember that you don’t have to complete your area right away. You can live (and, yes, entertain) in a partially finished room. In the long term, a space that has been decorated carefully and methodically will seem far more like a reflection of you than one that has been thrown together in a matter of weeks. The wait will be worthwhile, as it is with most things in life.
Remember that you don’t have to complete your area right away… In the long term, a space that has been decorated carefully and methodically will seem far more like a reflection of you than one that has been thrown together in a matter of weeks. The wait will be worthwhile, as it is with most things in life.
Colleen Eversman of 2ndtruth took this photo.
Don’t Rule Out Do-It-Yourself
I am certain that we all have more DIY abilities than we give ourselves credit for at first. If you have your heart set on a piece of furniture but can’t find it in your price range when shopping, try making it yourself. Options abound for ways to bring unique items to life, whether you construct it from the ground up, modify a budget-friendly piece (from IKEA or elsewhere), or refresh old furniture. This DIY bench (seen above) is one of my favorite projects that I’ve completed, and it’s still in our house today.
Eye-Training
Figuring out how to train your eye is a big part of learning how to decorate. While you may not be able to put together a complete room’s décor on the first attempt, with experience, you will be able to do so.
Allow everything—and I mean everything—to act as a source of inspiration while searching for furnishings. Take a look around a local antique shop or internet retailers—even if they’re a bit more expensive than you’d like—and write down what you like. Expose yourself to fascinating or one-of-a-kind pieces of art. As you go, focus down what it is about each item that appeals to you, and you’ll be able to better define your unique style.
Allow everything—and I mean everything—to act as a source of inspiration while searching for furniture items. You’ll learn to quickly spot excellent items at less costly shops if you expose yourself to unusual and fascinating pieces, even if they’re out of your price range.
You’ll learn to quickly spot excellent items at less costly shops if you expose yourself to unusual and fascinating pieces, even if they’re out of your price range. It takes time to master this talent, but once you do, it will assist you decide what items to bring into your house.
Secondhand Stores
It’s no secret that I like thrift store shopping. I could spend hours exploring thrift and vintage shops since I find the whole process so satisfying and exciting for my creative brain. And there’s another advantage to this little pastime of mine: buying secondhand is (often) a great way to get a great bargain.
Secondhand shopping also enables you to discover one-of-a-kind items that may help give your home a distinct, attractive appearance. For example, I like purchasing high-quality frames at Goodwill (regardless of what’s inside) and filling them with digital copies of images I buy on Etsy that are scaled to suit each frame. It’s a really straightforward procedure that’s also aesthetically appealing.
Check out this post on how to thrift like a pro and this article on how to thrift home décor for additional secondhand shopping advice.
Utilize your imagination.
When it comes to decorating your house, keep in mind that there are no restrictions. Designing a place is a much more subjective process than most people realize, and it should be. Your home’s design should represent your personality—your likes and dislikes, as well as the things that motivate you.
As a coffee table, combine two side tables. As nightstands, use two stools. Make a bench out of a long piece of wood propped up on concrete blocks. Remember that it’s perfectly OK (and even encouraged) to go outside the box when selecting furnishings.
When you’re looking for a certain piece of furniture and can’t seem to locate it, think outside the box. As a coffee table, combine two side tables. As nightstands, use two stools or chairs. Make a bench out of a long piece of wood propped up on concrete blocks. Remember that it’s perfectly OK (and even encouraged) to go outside the box when selecting furnishings.
Melissa Oholendt shot this photo for The Everygirl.
Change Your Attitude
This final one may be the most crucial of all: Try not to have preconceived notions about how the finished product should appear, and don’t compare your area to others’. Embrace the items you enjoy as you go—buying things that are reflections of you and your own taste can do wonders for the space over time.
When you’re not bound by the “rules” you believe you have to follow, you may trust your instincts about what looks well together naturally, and pleasant accidents can happen. When you’re less concerned with how your house compares to others’, you’ll be able to design a place that reflects your personality while staying within your budget.
Make a strategy, trust your instincts, and be inventive. Believe that your place will come together over time, and try to enjoy yourself while doing it. And with that, I wish you all the best in your future home adventures. People, have fun decorating.
The how to furnish a flat on a budget is an article that describes how to furnish your home for less money.
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