I hope you enjoyed our discussion yesterday about saving money on groceries! Thank you for all your comments. I got lots of good ideas from each of you!
Today we will be talking about how to save money on home decorating. While I certainly do not have a LOT of experience in this area, since we just moved into our first home at the end of March, I would like to share with you a few tips I have learned from my mom and on my own.
1) Shop around
I know I talked about this yesterday, but it applies to home decorating as well! Be willing to shop around at many different stores in order to find good deals and things that you love. Some of my favorite places to shop for home decor are: Ross, Big Lots, Tuesday Morning, T. J. Maxx, Michael’s, Target, Wal-mart, and, of course, second-hand stores. If you are looking for something in particular (a throw pillow to match your living room, for example), you might have to look around at many places before you find one you love that is also a good deal. Be patient! I have found that I am more likely to just “happen upon” something when I’m not “hunting” for it!
2) Shop used
Don’t be afraid to buy things second-hand for your home. Shop craigslist for furniture and many other household items. Go to yardsales, shop at Goodwill or the DAV store, and visit consignment and antique stores. Again, this takes time, but you might find something that you love so much more than something you could find at a “big box” store. It’s fun filling your home with “one of a kind” items!
3) Make things yourself
My mom has always modeled this for me, and I am learning to do this as well. Some things to try are art (read about that here and here), decorative accents (like these), pillows, wreaths, and curtains. You’d also be surprised what you can do with a can of paint (try spray paint or small sample paint cans from Lowe’s). You can paint baskets, other vessels, shelves, boxes, and, of course, furniture. Don’t pass up an ugly coffee table on craigslist when you can paint it and completely transform it!
4) Find inspiration… and DIY
I posted about this once before. Browse catalogs, magazines, blogs, and your favorite stores for inspiration in home decor. You don’t need to spend tons of money to recreate it yourself! Pray for creativity so that you can stretch your family’s finances in order to make your house a home.
5) Use what you have
Re-purpose things you already have! Sometimes you might be tired of a bedspread (or chair or shelf…) in one room, but love it when you move it to another. Don’t get in a “rut” with your decorating; if you’re tired of a piece (art, whatever), try moving it to another room and see if you like it better there. I recently decorated our guest bedroom primarily with things I already had or was given.
That’s all I have for now!
How do you save money on home decorating? Let’s share ideas with one another!
Coming Thursday… Frugal & Fabulous: Saving Money on Gift-Giving
