Today’s question is from Rebecca:
I am wondering if and how your readers budget for decorating. Meaning, how do you work it into the budget?
I don’t mean anything extravagant. I am just wondering about simple things like candles, picture frames, new sheets, etc. Our budget is dialed in so tightly that there really isn’t any wiggle room, so I am curious as to how others pay for those “extras”. Any suggestions or ideas?
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All these suggestions are fine.
I have a $50 a month house budget, as it’s a priority for me. That’s probably high for some people, but it covers needs and wants, so if I break a dish (happens a LOT), that comes out of that too. I’ve been able to do pretty well on that and I’m pretty picky. Good resources are Target, rummage sales in your area, and IKEA if you live near one. Read a few good DIY blogs (such as Young House Love or the Nester) for some classy projects that will make your home come together cohesively. I do put things on craigs list or ebay when I can to get something larger or more $$. Also, let me encourage to not only buy frames, candles, and whatever, but invest in good furniture for super cheap. If you have the good “bones” of nice furniture, rugs, etc. the rest will not be as necessary. And I’ve seen some quality items on craigslist for under 100.
I get in the mail every couple of months a $10 off a $10.01 or more purchase from Kohls and JCP. Normally, near the same time. Then you can stack those with a % off code. Look for clearance sheets, esp jcp outlet areas. You usually can get an item for less than a buck after all the codes. It’s a nice treat and helps to get sheets.
Another idea is to take a few minutes to check out the thrift stores (Salvation Army or Goodwill). They sometimes have brand new sheets, super cheap or a photo frame etc. It’s hit or miss but takes a few minutes to save lots.
I’m not much of a decorator, and don’t care for crafts. Instead we have bright and/or bold paint on our walls, and kids’ toys everywhere else! There are a few nice prints my husband had when we got married, and I’ve picked up a few more at yardsales.
But to answer the question: We have a “home” budget category for big stuff like furniture, appliances, home repairs, new roof, new vacuum. Obviously, some of that is more critical (and boring), than furniture, so I’ve been contemplating separating it out. Then we also have an “other” category, where I put the small stuff, if there is any.
When we moved last year, we realized that aside from some small things and family photos we had nothing to put on the walls of our house. I got creative and drew a few little pictures to slide in large photo frames. I also pulled out a rug/bedspread that had been made by an aunt and given to my mother a million years ago and hung it on the wall (on a quilt hanger that we got at a thrift store for a few dollars). The biggest problem was finding things for the living room. I went to Hobby Lobby and bought a few things in the scratch and dent section for $20 total and put them together on one wall to look like a nicer ‘set’ from a nicer store.
Also, I do a ton of scavenging at Goodwill, thrift stores, yard sales, etc. Sometimes you can find just the perfect thing for a dollar or two. You have to look carefully.
As far as sheets and stuff go, I check Target, Walmart, Kmart etc in the clearance aisles. In Jan/Feb you find all of the flannel sets marked down to under $10. In the late fall you can find all of the ‘back to school’ patterned stuff marked down as well. I routinely buy sheets for $7 or less. They might not be super high thread counts, but when they start feeling worn out, I donate/repurpose them and pull out another cheap set.
Also, check various crafting blogs. I’ve seen some pretty nifty DIY projects that repurpose things around the house and end up costing no more than a few dollars and some time.
I read decor blogs…spend way too much time following them, actually. You get some clever, inexpensive ideas. Sheets – I look for on clearance. They also have better deals at stores like Marshalls, etc.
For the past two years I have been married I have asked my inlaws to buy/make me home decor items every birthday/christmas. This year Christmas I got Bedroom curtains and this year birthday I got throw pillows and a large wall mirror. Plus as a baby shower gift I asked them to decorate the baby room (:
Great question! We are on what seems like the world’s tightest budget. I have x amount of cash for transportation (gas & bus fare), x amount for food, and x amount for EVERYTHING ELSE – clothing, household supplies, diapers, everything. Whatever is left over in the “everything else” category at the end of the week goes in an envelope for larger purchases, garage sales, less necessary things, or a really expensive week (you know, two sick kids and we ran out of toilet paper). I make it a game to see how much of my week’s cash I can save.
I mainly shop at thrift stores and garage sales for my household & decorative items. Sometimes I wander into Hobby Lobby to check out their clearance section. They have such good prices to begin with you can really get great deals. I just bought a cupcake tray for $4 with a HobLob gift card, but that felt like a splurge. I love Homegoods too but I had to stop going there because I see too many beautiful things and it’s just too tempting. If I just stay out of the store I won’t even know what beautiful things they have that I can’t afford.
Plus I save gas by not going. 
One final thing: if you need to change out some framed art, check out graphicsfairy.blogspot.com. She posts new amazing, high-quality clip art every day. She has a couple of years of archives of all sorts of delightful images, including some that are ready to frame straight from the printer.
I go to Hobby Lobby every May when they have there 66% off sale- also repurposing things can be very fun and the feeling of accomplishment is amazing- you can also take old picture frames, spray paint them and use them to frame different fabrics. I saw this once and it is a really cool DIY http://chrisanderinkeith.blogspot.com/2009/11/diy-wall-art.html
I so understand where you are coming from! Now we have a bit more flex money, but when we were first married, there was literally not a DIME left over to spend on wants (vs. needs). So, I made grocery shopping into even more of a challenge for myself: any money that I had left-over, I was allowed to use to make our home more beautiful. (And that was on a $50/week budget for all household and grocery back then!)
I will never, ever forget the first thing I bought – a box of fake fruit, on clearance at Target for $3 and change. I was SO excited to display it in a bowl and add a little color to our house! I still have that fruit, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to throw it out.
Lucky for you, this is prime yard-sale season! I can’t tell you how many treasures I have bought at yard sales, only using my change purse! Frames are easy to find for a quarter – look for wooden ones that you can spray-paint black with $.99 spray paint from Wal-Mart for a uniform look for a wall. People are always, always selling candles at a yard sale, and I frequently see sheets for $1 a set. I know it might seem like forever to save up even $1 when you’re on a tight budget, but just give it a little time and it will happen!
Oh, one last tip – many, many times, people don’t want to lug all the junk from their yard sale back into the house. Often, it will be shoved out to the curb with a “free” sign attached. If you hop in your car around 1 or 2 on most Saturdays, follow the yard sale signs that are still up around the neighborhood and you’re bound to find at least one person giving stuff up for free. I have found lamps, tvs, frames, kitchen items, purses, and more this way! Good luck and have fun!
Our town wide yard sales are next weekend and most people in town just put the left overs by the side of the street. Its funny to see the people in very nice cars and large expensive trucks stop house to house going thru the free stuff. My kids used to beg me to go with them to the neighbors to look at the free stuff and I got several nice things that just needed a coat of black spray paint (frames, lamp bases, chunky candle sticks) to make them look brand new. Now they would rather do ANYTHING else and hate me for a week if I suggested looking at the neighbors cast offs.
The thing about sheets is that I can’t remember the last time I bought or was given sheets. Do they really wear out so you HAVE to buy them? This is not a criticism, just a question. I have not bought towels for our family (have given them for gifts) for a really long time either. I think we can be tempted to think we have to have new updated linens, when we really don’t.
Fitted sheets wear out; the fabric gets thin and sometimes tears. For whatever reason, flannel sheets seem prone to wearing out more than regular cotton.
Agreed! Especially if you wash your sheet set once a week, which is the minimum for cleanliness and allergens.
I meant *reducing allergens*!
One thing that keeps me from getting too bored is swapping out the pictures in my frames frequently. I find awesome high res stuff for free on flickr, and it costs me around $2 for prints for my three frames.
IKEA is a great & inexpensive store to check out for housewares of all kinds. They have many more modern, sleek styles (which i love). I would save change,plus any money received for a birthday gifts, etc. for months & find a day or weekend & make a trip to the nearest IKEA. Their stores are HUGE & they have all sorts of really cool stuff. You can check them out online (www.ikea.com i think) They used to have a catalog they would mail out upon request that details most of their things so you can look ahead of time & plan your trip.
I LOVE filling my home with beautiful things for my family and never spend lots of money. I visit thrift stores frequently and make lots of things myself. Spray paint can be your best friend! I’ve spray painted tables, picture frames, candle holders…you name it, I’ve spray painted it. I’ve gotten almost all of our larger items, like furniture, from Craigslist or at yardsales. I also always find great deals at Target on the clearance end caps. Freecycle is a great place for things for your home.
Family heirlooms are also a great thing to fill your home with–maybe your mother or grandmother have some great pieces stowed away in their attic or basement–you could offer to ‘store’ it in your home on display until they need it
Even if I had tons of money to spend on decorating my home, I would still do it this way–thirfting and making things yourself bring so much more personality into your home than over priced things from more expensive stores. A little creativity can make the smallest amount of money go a long way when it comes to decorating your home.
I try to keep my grocery budget and eating out budget pretty tight, but any extra money we save using coupons is mine to use at the end of the week goes to my decorating budget! Major purchases (i.e. furniture), are saved for usually from in a separate account (not much, but a little bit each month), and then small purchases – like accessories just come from extra grocery funds.
My best deal EVER on paint? I found 2 gallons of matching green paint in the “mess-up” bins at Home Depot, that happened to exactly match my litte girl’s comforter. (They were $5 each). At the checkout, the register printed a $5 rebate form for Behr paint – so my daughter and I giggled all the way home about our free paint!!!
(She’s only 8, but she was pretty excited with me!)
I have found some really fun, interesting items for decorating at our Habitat for Humanity ReStore–it’s open to the public, and they are nationwide.
1.) Ask your family/in-laws. Most parents give their married children something for their anniversary and Christmas, so be open and honest when they ask you what you’d like. You can also create a registry (even if you’re already married!) at places like Wal-Mart, Target, etc. with the exact item you’d like to have.
2.) Ask family, friends, church members, anyone you feel comfortable with! Just graciously put out the word that you’d really like to have ______ and if they have something along that line they’d feel comfortable trading with you, bartering for, gifting or selling at a really reduced rate. You never know what others might have just laying around their home or taking up space in closets that they’d be willing to part with for nothing or in exchange for you doing a few odd jobs around their home, etc.
I love garage sales for decorating (and the oops table at Home Depot – get cheap paint and start mixing it to make your own color). I just posted on a bunch of garage sale finds I got this weekend to decorate ($1.50 for 3 crystal candle holders, $1 for brand new throw pillows, and more, I included pictures if you want to see how pulling them out of a garage sale and adding them in at home can make them look new). Also, being creative (we used old wrapping paper in a reused frame from our house recently for my girls room, I have framed gift bags that presents have come in when I liked them, etc). Other then that I suggest you snag all the free online daily deal credits when they become available. Those sites often offer home decor deals, and its a great way to get an item or two for only the cost of shipping usually. Best wishes
We have a savings account set up that we put money in from each paycheck. We save for things that we may only need to pay once or twice a year like home or car insurance or tuition for homeschooling. We also have other things like home maintenance in that account too. We budget about $25/month, but only use it when we need it. Things like parts for appliances, paint for touching up, candles, etc. all come out of that account. It saves us from having to worry if we really need something.
Yard Sales!! They are great for decorating especially with little things, picture frames and candles for 50 cents etc. It also helps to hit the higher end neighborhoods for yard sales. They have cute decor, they just want to get rid of for a change, so it isn’t damaged or worn out, and it’s usually cheap.
I stretch my household budget by buying discount gift cards. For example Khol’s is 15% off. Then you wait for a sale. You get a lot more for your money.
http://www.giftcardgranny.com/
This is a great idea when you are planning to buy something new, especially when you combine the card with a coupon or other offer. Thanks for reminding me!
We have a category in our budget called “special money.” It’s basically an allowance for grown-ups. My husband and I can each spend our special money on whatever we want. (Gifts for each other also come out of this category, which makes it more meaningful, because we’re giving up money that we could spend on ourselves.) I strongly recommend every married couple having this, even if it’s just a few dollars a month. It gives you the freedom to buy something you really want, go out to lunch with a friend, whatever, without causing any tension or wondering if it’s “ok” with your spouse.
I haven’t read all of the posts, but Freecycle is a good place to start.
Also, put the word out to your friends. I got a beautiful one year old couch for free that way. Your friends may have something they want to get rid off, and you really want. That has happened to me. I had something fabulous, thought no one would want it, so I donated it to Good Will. Turns out a week later, a friend was looking for the exact item I had. While I am glad I donated it, I would have still rather given it to her, because she is broke, and would have loved it.
Otherwise, most of my house hold decor is from gifts. I teased my Mom the other night that between the free couch and her Christmas and Birthday presents, my living room is looking great, and I love it. She decorated the costly part of my bathroom “re-vamp” (shower curtain and new towels) a few years back, as well.
The other advice I have is to repurpose what you already have. Think outside of the box, move it to another room, can you spray paint it another color? Things of that nature.
I had a bookshelf in my bedroom I almost donated. However, since flat screen tvs are so light, I was able to repurpose that into my tv stand in my living room, and got rid of the ugly clunky one I hated.
I have also used a lowboy dresser as a tv stand in the past too.
I have also noticed as I am getting older, I am getting more spartan in my decor. I absolutely have to LOVE something, or out it goes. It better serve a good function too.
DECORATORING SOLUTION FOR A TIGHT BUDGET!
I recently framed 7 photos for my dining room (using solid wood frames) for around $18, less than the price of 1 nice frame. Here’s how it did it… I went to the thrift store and bought 7 mismatched frames (3 8×10 and 4 5×7) for about $12. All the frames were solid and it good shape. I laid them out like I’d hang them to make sure the shapes corrdinated well together. Then I hit up Lowe’s for a can of spraypaint priced about $4. I painted all the frames the same color. Then I went to Michael’s for mats. Instead of photo mats I bought nice textured scrapbook paper. It was on sale 3/$1. I bought 9 sheets because I wasnt sure which ones I wanted. (I didnt have the pictures with me.) I only used 3 sheets, I’ll save the others for another project. I used some of the mats I took out of the frames as stencils and used a razor blaze to cut the paper. They turned out beautiful if I may say so myself.
Everyone else made great suggestions that I echo for specific items: the Goodwill/thrift stores, clearance, yard sales and Craiglist (for furniture). Decorating frugally is a passion of mine, my hobby. Home is a sanctuary and came be beautiful and peaceful without spending money or hiring a decorator. I think it is very possible to find things that look wonderful without spending much money and to repurpose to make a look that is your very own.
It is key to me me to have an overall vision of the room instead of just finding things randomly, here and there that I like. That way I don’t spend money on too many picture frames or candles that don’t contribute to what I really want. I don’t mean a specific theme (like seashells or fruit in the kitchen) although that can work for some people, rather a sense of what I want a finished room to look like. I make a general plan in a folder or sample board with pictures from decorating magazine (leftovers from work or the doctor’s office), paint: style (Victorian, cottage, modern, etc.), color, furniture piece we need, lamps. That part is part of the fun for me but you can just have paint samples or fabric bits together in your purse to have an idea of color and the general list and idea in your head whenever you find something.
I budget a small amount each month for this in the regular house budget and take one or two rooms at a time, planning a roughly larger budget over months/years. Lamps from the thrift store for $5 repainted with spray paint and new wiring and clearance shades from Target cost about $20 for an amazing pair of mid-century lamps. Almost all furniture is 2nd hand.
A great source for me are church garage sales and consignment furniture stores. Also, I’ve started doing a decorating swap with family and friends. Just like a clothing swap, we take pictures of things we don’t want/need anymore and meet at one person’s house for food and fun. We bring the small things like frames and pictures to swap and look at pictures of larger items (like furniture) that we can swap. It is completely free! Hope I wasn’t too enthusiatic;). I want to encourage you that it is very possible to budget a few dollars and with a bit of planning and time to decorate frugally.
how does this swap thing work? what if 3 people want the same item? etc
At Lowes they always have markdown paint and it’s cheap. They usually have good colors too. I have painted a few accent walls in my house with “oops paint”.
These type of stores always have a markdown plant section too! Great for “decorating” your outside for cheap!
I sometimes move things around – if it was in the den, I move it to the front room and it takes on a whole different look. I’ve also repurposed things like the old crate my grandma gave when I was a kid, makes a great “fill” in piece on top the bookcase to draw your eye up and people comment on it.
I love clearance areas and try to budget a few dollars a month and set it aside like the above reader and then it is available if I’m in the need for change. Good luck
I love this question-I agree with having a “Home Improvement” addition to the budget. Granted I know it is not always easy to find extra money, but you could try taking $1-$5 out of the other budget categories. It is not a lot of money but it adds up quickly! I think that Pier One has amazing sales on fun and unique items. Also check Ebay or Craigslist or even FreeCycle- where items are actually free.Printing your pictures in black and white also add a touch of elegance to any room I think. I have SOOOOO many Yankee Candles! My mom gets tons for Christmas because she is the boss, but she hates them. So I save them to give as gifts to people I know will Love them!
We have a few budget lines this could fit under but nothing specific for decorating. My hubby and I each have a “fun money” amount we can spend on whatever we want. It’s not a lot, but that gives me the freedom to buy something that is a want that he wouldn’t otherwise think is a great idea (like candles!). Also we do have a few lines like a small “misc.” fund or “gifts” and if I have a little extra on those at the end of the month I might use them for something I’ve been wanting but not needing that everyone benefits from (like new oven mitts, kitchen towels, or other random stuff like that).
We also have a budget that is zero based, leaving no money at the end of filling up my envelopes, and home decorating sure isn’t included! In the event that I do “need” a little something, I would take it out of our fun money! Granted, I don’t think decorating is very fun, so we mostly just do without! Anything “need” wise, like sheets, towels, etc. also comes out of the “fun” money! Maybe I should change the name of that envelope to “overflow.” Ha!
My cat loves to walk along all surfaces and kick things off with his back paws — that has made me a decorating minimalist. But I have managed to keep a few (heavy) things. I like natural decorations, so I always keep my eyes open when we’re out on walks. Acorns and pine cones make great decorations in the Fall and I love large leaves in the Summer (elephant ear, hosta). We also eat a lot of fruit so I leave it out in a bowl on my dining room table rather than in the fridge. That makes for a seasonal decoration that changes weekly!
I lucked out on a valance for $2 at Goodwill recently for my daughter’s room. I was really excited about that. Here is a picture if you’re interested:
http://cookingluck.blogspot.com/2011/05/more-curtains.html
Home decorating is really important to me, so it is an item in the budget. (Actually 2– I have a “home category, which is the mortgate + a little and a shopping category, which is clothes+household stuff, including decorating). If we don’t have a home improvement/repair issue, I spend out of the home category. If we do, I move into “shopping,” but that means that I can’t spend on clothes, etc.)
Since the home stuff is important to me, that’s pretty much all I ask for for Christmas and birthdays. Now that we’ve been established for a while, I don’t need as many things, so I get to spend more on wants!
But, of course, now some of the original stuff is wearing out. (Like my 20 year old towels!) My advice is to buy the best things you can afford. Lands End Towels will go for 2o+ years before they unravel… cheap ones won’t. Penny wise, pound foolish. 
I asked for new door knobs for our 1940 house for christmas. My husband got me beautiful brass with glass knob ones. I was able to not have some ugly sweaters and pjs to wear , my husband has great taste in home decor, but has the worst taste in clothes for women.
I live in a tiny house. To keep clutter to a minimum, I try to decorate using functional items as much as possible. I’ve found that repurposing or rotating out items I already have helps a lot.
One of my recent projects was to use a wood cabinet I found on the side of road in my neighborhood. We painted it and I filled it with bulk dry goods in mason jars. To decorate the top I am slowly buying herb plants (in grocery budget) and will get colorful pots from discount stores. The cabinet looks nice in my sunny dining room and will allow me to buy bulk food and grow my own herbs. We are landscaping our tiny backyard with berry bushes (again, grocery budget) as well.
One of the ways I’ve been able to decorate is to join a website like Mypoints.com. I make online purchases anyway, so I figured, why not earn points towards a gift card without having to spend extra money? When I want to buy something from Walmart, for example, I check the price online and in the store. If the prices match, or the product is cheaper online, I purchase the product online and pick it up at the store so I’m not charged a shipping and handling fee. You receive 1 point per dollar spent at Walmart (excluding tax and shipping, though). Other stores have different point per dollar amounts, and typically 1,650 points will equal a $10 gift card (number of points needed for the gift cards varies per store). I saved up my points and recently received a $50 gift certificate for Kohls. Pair that with a clearance sale, and you can stretch that $50.
But you don’t HAVE to make online purchases. You can earn points for taking surveys, clicking on advertisements in emails they send you, signing up for news letters (that you can unsubscribe from once you earn the points!), and occasionally watching videos, etc. They send me about 5 emails a day, each worth 5 points, so that’s 25 points per day right there. And that will add up quickly. I made a separate email for sites like Mypoints since they send quite a few emails.
Garage sales and thrift stores are great for picture frames, candle holders, platters, vases, etc. I’ve purchased all of these products at thrift stores for $1 or $2 each. If you’re looking for more expensive items like new sheets and towels, mypoints.com is probably the way to go.
We use our tax return on stuff for the house or things for the outside of our house. If I have left over grocery money I put in a piggy bank and save it. Other times I ask for money for my birthday and christmas, then I use that to decorate my house. Otherwise I get hand me downs from my sister and mom!!!
This is slighlt off the subject, but how does everyone stay on budget with the current constantly going up prices? Each month last month’s budget is of no use anymore. For example this month the house insurance went up $30. a month and the county is imposing a new $35. monthly fee per month per household on 911/fire services due to high fuel prices. Each month it is somthing like that and then prices are also carried on to us at stores. I was just curious how any of you all stay on a budget when each month costs are exploding upward?
GREAT ideas… we will be moving soon & will need to redecorate our next home from scratch again… to give a new look & new feel to the rooms (aside from being in a different house!! LOL) I will repurpose things that we used in a certain room in our old house, & use them in a different room in our new house.
We don’t have any extra blow money or fun money to set aside… if I happen to be able to stock up on a few grocery items at a great price, then I may have an “extra” $5-$10 to invest… if not, the “free” resources are it ($10 off $10 at Kohl’s, Freecycle, curb picking, etc.).
We don’t get any money/gifts from parents or family for anything, so anything we want/need we buy 100% on our own. We shop Goodwill, Salvation Army, yard/garage sales, & Freecycle…. and scour the clearance shelves & racks. I have also found some really nice decor items at the $1 store every so often.
Unfortunately w/gas prices as high as they are already, this year I haven’t been able to shop even 1 yard/garage sale… it is just too much money to drive around. So after we move, I will be on the Freecycle hunt.
Some of you have inspired me to host a trade event w/other local moms once we move & get settled in. GREAT idea!!
Goodwill and spray paint!
We put a little cash aside every month in an enveloped marked “home.” It’s not much, but it helps me to have money when I find good bargains. Before we started the envelope, I’d find the perfect something (frame, lampshade, etc) at a great deal but not have any money set aside to buy it! Now we always have a little set aside for when I find a good deal. Garage sale, thrift stores, and clearance items don’t always come when you have money allocated, so we just make sure we always have money for home things.
Leanne
Cheapest way I have found is to scour the thrift stores & garage sales in my area. I usually find things at a fraction of the cost. Also, if you budget your grocery shopping and have extra leftover money save it up for a few weeks and then hit the thrift stores.
I save the wax from old candles and make new ones. You don’t need a candle mold. You can do it with paper or plastic cups, wick, and microwave. For picture frames. I go to thrift stores & yard sales (garage sales) and repaint them when I get home. For sheets, we tend to buy new ones once every 5 years or so. But our basic motto is to reuse and recycle. Or “upcycle” as some like to call it.
A few years ago when my husband lost his job, we starting going to estate sales. Depending where you live, these can be an excellent source for home decor, furniture, you name it. And often on the last day of the sale, everything is 50% off or they are giving things away. We research on-line for about 15 minutes and find 3-5 to go to that day depending on the time we have. The better estate sales are not marked with a lot of signage, so the on-line upfront research is key. I live in the suburbs north of Chicago and this area is spectacular for estate sales if you have the time to do it.
I mainly shop at yard sales (garage sales) for decorations. You can find many things like new sheets, comforters, candles, pictures, furniture, etc. Craigslist is also a really good place for used furniture. I am a big fan of antiques, because I figure if it has lasted 100 years, then it should last quite a few more year. :0)
Once you have decided what look you are going for, such as contemporary, old world, tuscan design and your color scheme, you can start looking at yard sales, thrift stores, craigslist, etc. . The finds are amazing. You can’t find everything there, but you can get many things to spruce up your home, at a mere fraction of its original cost.
I get most of my decorating stuff and furniture at garage sales. Someones old decor can be my new style. Pay attention to the type of neighborhood as the ones that are nicer, upscale homes etc have the best stuff. They also practically give it away just for the space. If you see something you might want just get it as it will be gone by the time you come back. I get lots of linens. Shower curtains if in good shape and made of fabric are great. I make curtains, tableclothes etc out of these. It is nice because most of the edges are finished. The plastic shower curtains make nice outdoor tableclothes or ground cover for a picnic. I will put a laundry basket in the trunk or back of my car to corrall all the little things and make it easier to bring in at the end of the day when I am tired. Also come back between 5-7 pm that same day and cruise around and look at all the free stuff sitting on the curb.
We have a list of things we have talked about needing/wanting. We try to prioritize it, and we look for the best deals. There have been some Christmas celebrations where we buy things for our home instead of gifts for each other. Sometimes just by skipping eating out a week or a month, you can free up some money if there is something that you really want. It’s a great practice of self-control, and it’s tough; however, when you save up and get exactly what you want, you’ll have no regrets. You won’t feel guilty every time you look at what you bought. You’ll have freedom to enjoy it.
Consider utilizing your gift budget and giving gifts to your children (if you have got them) or husband that are new sheets, picture frames, candles, etc. When I was growing up, I commonly received “basic stuff” like socks, underwear, picture frames with a photo from the past year, books and candles as birthday or Christmas presents. Especially for kids, a box with wrapping paper and tied up with a bow makes the everyday items special, and not ordinary at all!
I don’t do a ton of decorating, my style is more stark and bare…..but I have found looking at things we use in every day life, it can be nice! Use a glass canning jar and fill with lilacs in the spring to set on your table. In the fall, a bowl with pine cones or apples piled in them on the table is a great decoration. Pictures of family or relatives in thrift store frames, spray painted to all match. I often see them for .25-50.
Take pictures yourself and print them in black and white at Costco or Walgreen’s for a couple dollar’s and you would be amazed at how great they look. Large prints of famous paintings are available for cheap in poster size, and look great in a thrift store frame.
Sheets and towels……I plan in my budget in January-March for sheets. This is normally when they are marked down or on sale. I got a great sheet set for my bed for under $14, that was high quality. I am just replacing sheets for my bed, I got for my wedding 14 years ago. High quality sheets will last longer.
Ross and TJ Maxx have higher quality names for cheaper.
If you are on a really tight budget there are a couple of things you could do to be able to get those “home” items.
First, at the end of the month, you could use leftover money from any of your budgeted categories – usually grocery has the best chance of having extra cash in it.
Second, ask for a wanted item for a birthday or holiday.
Third, have a garage sale ( if you have lots of things you want to get rid of) or sell on craigslist if you only have a few items.
Then, the best way to get the most from your limited budget is to:
1. Look for sales, especially ones you can pair with coupons
2. Check out garage sales
3. Check out a local flea market/ swap meet
4. Browse craigslist and/or freecycle
5. Check your local newspaper – classified section
I have found some really nice home decor items at garage sales. People are always changing out their decor, and their trash could be your treasure! I have decorated nearly my entire home with garage sale finds and clearance sale items. I don’t spend a fortune on home decorating, so I don’t feel bad if I want to change out something. I just go looking for the next garage sale!
I’m extremely blessed in that people keep giving me things! Of course, I don’t get all of them for free.
One thing we do is trade service for second-hand items. An example:
My neighbor was getting rid of his old entertainment center to replace it with a newer one. My husband volunteered to help him put it together, in exchange for the bookshelves that came with the original unit. I’m currently using those shelves to display my china collection that had been sitting in storage since we moved because I couldn’t afford a new hutch. (We had to get rid of the old one due to carpenter ants.)
Candles are cheap at places like Dollar Tree. Get the large jar candles, and they’ll last a good long time, especially if you use a candle warmer instead of lighting the wick. (I don’t like doing this, though. The smell isn’t as strong or pleasant with the warmer.)
And finally, GET CREATIVE! Photo frames are nice, but not a necessity. You can tack them to the wall in a large collage. It makes an interesting piece for visitors to look at while you make lunch or something.
Some people have guest books in their homes. I have some dry-erase markers next to a mirror. The rule is everyone who visits has to leave something on the mirror. It can be as simple as their signature, or something else like a drawing, or a special quote, Bible verse, or message. Then after they leave, I take a photo to put on my hard drive. It keeps a record of your guests, and it lets your guests express themselves. You can leave the notes up for as long as you like, and wipe them off when you’re done.
And my favorite investment for decorating… wooden roses. I had a guy who used to come around to our office selling fresh flowers, but he also sold wooden ones painted in beautiful colors. Each dozen was $20, but they were so gorgeous! I bought 2 dozen large roses, and 3 dozen smaller ones (Which were only $10 each). I didn’t buy them all at once of course. Just here and there when I could afford them. My 3 smaller bunches were blue and purple. I twisted the stems together and placed them in a jar that came from a florist’s display my grandmother got for my birthday years ago. That sits on top of my fridge. My long stems are sitting in a vase that I got so long ago, I don’t remember when I got it. I tied a ribbon around the neck and keep the vase on my dining room table, since we only eat there on special occasions anyway. They’re beautiful, they look pretty real, and you can get a jar of rose oil to spritz on them if you wants them to smell nice. They’re a bit of an investment. but they’ll last FOREVER! And it’s so much nicer than buying real flowers that will die in a week.
Head on over to my blog to see some pictures of them. And some of my other decorating ideas.
Decorating doesn’t have to break your budget if you have a little ingenuity.
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