Decorate Your Home on a Budget
Ever wonder how some people get some really good deals on their home décor? Some people rely on coupons or wait for those sales, but sometimes you just want to get your project done. I found several ways you can save money and still decorate your home on a budget. Some of these options may be available to you if you live in a larger city while others may not. However, it doesn’t hurt to ask for discounts in stores.
Military Discounts at Retail Stores
Many retail stores such as Home Depot, Lowe’s, JoAnn Fabrics and Kirkland’s have year-round discounts for military families. Others have discounts at certain times of year like Veteran’s Day. Take advantage of those places to get discounts off some decorative items such as wainscoting, art and more.
Habitat For Humanity ReStore
This store is a great way to pick up some tile, furniture and other household items you may want to look at before redesigning a space. They have some great finds but you have to keep an eye out because inventory is constantly changing.
Retail Store Apps
Kirkland’s is one store where you can download the app, Spin to Win, on your smart phone and spin the wheel to win a coupon. Only one spin per day is allowed but you can 10-15% off your entire purchase. This adds up when you are on a budget.
Sign up for Newsletters/Coupons from Retail Stores
If you get on an email list at a retail store, you can get coupons sent to your email or tips on the latest sale from places such as Michael’s or Bed Bath and Beyond.
Holiday Sales for Larger Furniture Pieces
If you can wait and need to get some bigger furniture, wait for some holiday sales such as 4th of July sales, Labor Day sales and others to get discounts on furniture. Sometimes it is better to wait if it is something they always keep in stock.
Estate or Garage Sales
You may have a local listing of estate sales in your newspaper or online. You can find some great things at an estate sale and even sometimes at a garage sale. When people advertise for a moving sale, you may be able to score some other decorative items or furniture they are trying to unload.
Thrift/Consignment Stores for Accessories
Surprisingly, you can find a lot of great pieces at these types of stores. If you are willing to take the time and look, someone else’s trash may be your next treasure. If you need some small side tables, you can sometimes find some good pieces. Need a mirror or frame? You can find these accessories too. I even found some fabric remnants at Goodwill that you can use to reupholster some chair pads.
Paint it
Once you find the item you want at a garage sale, estate sale or thrift store, you can always update it with some paint to give it a more modern look or to fit with your décor. Sometimes you are looking for a great little side table but it doesn’t come in the color you want. Just paint it!
You can also find some discount paint at the paint desk at Lowes or Home Depot. These are paints returned by customers because it wasn’t the color they wanted. However, it may be just the one you need.
Painting a wall is also one of the cheapest ways to give new life to a room too. Use a piece of art or a rug to help you decide your color palette to decorate the room.
Flowers from the garden
If you have a green thumb and you have some flowering plants, use them to add some color to a foyer or kitchen table. If you don’t have pretty blooms but have beautiful foliage such as ferns and big leafy stems, spray paint that foliage onto a canvas piece to make an art project you can hang on the walls.
Home Magazines
Magazines such as Better Homes and Gardens or HGTV Magazine have great ideas with decorating tips and will sometimes list where they bought the items. This will help you decide if you want to save up for that “must have” item to decorate your room.
Reupholster
If your couch or chair still has some life left in it, but you don’t care for the color or fabric, get it reupholstered. This can save you from having to buy a new couch. A new color in a room will help update the look of your room and save you money on your decorating budget.
Online Stores
Places such as Wayfair and Overstock only sell items online at reduced prices. Start here if you want to get an idea of costs. Sometimes all you need is an inspiration to decorate a room and these sites have all sorts of ideas to your decorative juices flowing.
Reuse Items Around the Home
Just because you always had those throw pillows in your bedroom doesn’t mean you can’t use them in your living room. Or if you had a little table in the office that would work better in the foyer, switch it up. Just by moving things around your home gives new life to a space.
Tile or counter remnants
Again if you are redoing a small kitchen/bathroom and you want that granite or marble, go to a granite or tile showroom. They will have remnants left over from other projects that you can use. A friend of mine got her small kitchen done for a fraction of the price just by asking for any remnants and having them cut the slab to size.
In the end, your home reflects your style and there are many ways you can decorate your home and still stay on a budget.