Guest post from Jennifer of The Intentional Mom
I love the change of seasons because it provides me with the opportunity to dress up my home in a whole new way as I accessorize with the colors and themes that each new season brings.
This past year, I found myself getting bored with the same accessories, but with a tight budget, there was just no wiggle room to allow for anything new, no matter what kind of deal I could find.
Determined to still make this happen, I decided to weed out decorations that I was tired of in hopes of selling them to earn the extra money that would allow me to turn around and buy some new and “new to me” things, too.
My plan worked like a charm!
I went to town weeding out things that I didn’t love, and if I hadn’t displayed it during the prior season, it went, too. At first it was hard, but as I got going, it was rather freeing to clear things out. I got rid of some cool wall sconces and a Pottery Barn wrought iron wall decoration in addition to candles, flowers, tablecloths, and pictures.
I sold some of these things in my garage sale, others I sold on Craigslist, but the bulk of what I sold was done on Facebook garage sale pages.
It took some time, but over a few months I had sold it all, leaving me with a little cash to play around with. Altogether, I had $174 to spend on new treasures!
In looking for new decorations, I knew the kinds of items and colors that I was looking for. With this in mind, I just waited patiently until I found things on Craigslist, the Facebook garage sale sites, and in stores that I got on sale and combined with a coupon.
I scored some amazing deals. I got a huge amount of “bang for my buck” when I bought someone’s former bridesmaids bouquets of artificial green and pink hydrangeas, orchids, and some greenery along with a bunch of tulle. I paid just $20 for over 75 stems altogether plus the tulle! I used what I needed in three different arrangements and then turned around and sold the extras I had left.
Among my other treasures were some handmade rustic items like a dining room table decoration with jugs, a large FAITH sign, and a fun hanging picture frame for a grand total of $40. I bought a new picture for my bathroom and some other hip vases and things, but the most amazing purchase was two brand new chevron chairs from Kohl’s for $25 each on clearance with a sale and Kohl’s cash during the holiday season!
Over the course of about six weeks, I had everything I needed and wanted. With all of my selling and buying done for now, I still have about $32 left over to spend on some new things for this upcoming summer or fall.
Had I never purged my home of the old things, I wouldn’t have had the resources to give my home a whole new look. The old saying, “out with the old and in with the new,” paid off for this frugal girl in a major way!
Jennifer is a busy, homeschooling mom of seven who enjoys keeping a home, living a frugal and active lifestyle, and loving the little and not so little people in my life. My mission is helping other moms find contentment in living intentionally every day over at her blog, The Intentional Mom.
I am sorry, but I find it hard to believe that selling out of date house decor to buy more trendy soon to be out of date home decor is a bad decision. Decorate your house with neutrals and thing that never go out of style. Plants, pictures of family, kids artwork, neutral colored furniture that can be updated with a pillow or two are better investments. I try to stay completely out of these stores- Kohls, Target, Michaels, Kmart and Jo-Ann’s. Usually I find myself buying on sale junk I don’t really need.
I’ve sold things to buy new (or new used things!). I find that it’s more reasonable to redecorate if you make things, repaint or refinish things and sell what you don’t use anymore to get what you hope for too! 🙂
That’s awesome and a real motivator for my husband and me to get started on our spring cleaning! 🙂
Great ideas! I find that sometimes just paring down by decluttering and then rearranging things gives my house a new look without even needing to add things.
Love the mason jar light fixture! Did you make it?
I wish I were good with electrical, no, I did not. But I did buy it locally from a couple who does all this cool stuff with fixtures.
Love the chairs, what a steal! I buy most of my home decor at garage sales in wealthy neighborhoods. I love looking for new treasures this way.
I love the awning stripe curtains. What brand are they?
I love them, too! They are Nautica 😉
Good for you! I’ve been selling clothing and other items in preparation for shopping at a community garage sale this Saturday. I’ve written a list of needed items and I’m listing a few more things today and tomorrow on Facebook garage sale pages to have a bit more to spend at the garage sale.
I do this too! Lately I’ve been selling a bunch of smaller items and then buying a couple nicer, more expensive pieces. It also means less clutter around! I’ve been doing this for quite awhile now, so I have a nice little stash of money to spend on things for the house!
Your home is lovely! Well done both aesthetically and financially!
Thank you so much!
Very important lesson : “Had I never purged my home of the old things, I wouldn’t have had the resources to give my home a whole new look.”
Thanks…I needed that!
Great job! Your patience and dedication really paid off. Too often I want to buy the new stuff BEFORE I get rid of the old stuff.
haha! It was sooooo tempting!
I love love LOVE this idea! We just cleaned out the garage and I found a box (or four) of deco items I haven’t used in years. It may be time to make a little decorating cash!
If you live in a college town, this time of the year is great in terms of looking for deals on furniture. So many college students are moving away and I have seen some amazing deals.
If you live Military bases that is good too. In fact sometimes they just throw it out because it cost more to ship than move big pieces.
Wow! What a great deal on chairs! I love the creative way this approach made lemons into lemonade.
Great idea, a good way to buy new home decorations. I can’t do that because a lot of our decorations are art pieces we bought in different countries or they are from my hubby’s art collection.