Four Ways to Save Money Decorating Your Home

In a time where beautifully staged homes with high end finishes dominate Pinterest and Instagram feeds, our expectations for “home” can quickly get away from us.  Has a craving for everything new, trending paint colors, and the latest target haul got us over spending and feeling discontent? For most, making a house a home is not an instant process- filling it with functional and beautiful pieces takes time and resources. Today I want to share four ways that can save you money on what can often be high price tag items when decorating a home.

By nature I am not much of a shopper, as I don’t really like spending money. Call me frugal, call me weird… but it’s just the way I am. However, I do like having a comfortable, beautiful home that speaks to me and allows our family to have a place to rest, grow, and create.  We’ve all got to live somewhere! So here are four ways that I save money when it comes to purchasing items for our home.

Purchase and Customize Used or Discount Lighting

Lighting adds both personality and functionality to a home. Shopping re-use stores is one of my favorite ways to get new lighting for our home! It may take a little vision or elbow grease, but it is well worth it!

This industrial style light was $20 at a re-use store. It hangs in our hallway and I love the character and patina it gives.

The light fixture in the baby nursery was $35. I spray painted it with matte black spray paint, and called it a day. It’s got a farmhouse vibe to it, and is a vast improvement from the single bulb fixture that hung there previously

And finally the vintage chandelier in our bedroom was under $35. The bedside lamp was $10- I replaced the shade and painted it with chalk paint.

You can also shop the end of the aisle discount shelves at your local home improvement stores. Using outdoor lighting indoors is a great way to get an industrial look for less.

Buy Second Hand Furniture

I know some people are really creeped out by the word second hand, but if you use the word antique or vintage it can take on a whole new meaning. However- I am not suggesting you go to an “antique” store. I’m suggesting you shop garage sales, thrift stores, kijiji and facebook buy and sell. I have found bed frames, arm chairs, dressers, desks, hutches and many other pieces for a fraction of the cost by shopping this way. You can quickly decorate and furnish your home by knowing what to look for, no matter your style! There are deals to be had.

A few of my tips:

• make sure the piece is clean, and free from smells
• in need of little to no repairs (unless you are handy!)
• get measurements before you go see something, or keep a list of measurements on you for when you are out shopping. Make sure it will fit through doorways, and the in intended room.
• look at it with a creative eye-can it be painted or easily recovered to suit your style?
• don’t be afraid to do a little haggling! worst case they are firm on their price, but people often have a OBO attached to their listing

I found this hutch for $80. It was bright yellow at the time. I painted it out in MMS Milk Paint and spray painted the hardware matte black.

I purchased this chair on kijji for $20, painted it with gold spray paint and recovered it using drop cloth fabric.

Theodore’s vintage style crib was $50 on a facebook buy and sell, and already painted in the sweetest shade of green. All of the Jenny Lind style cribs I found new started at $300+.

Purchase neutral Linens

When we were first married I loved reds, browns and golds. I registered for brown and red towels and brown sheets. A few years later I was completely over red and brown, and my towels went with nothing in our home. I have since learned to invest in neutral linens for things like towels, sheets and duvet covers. I bring in color and personality with pillow cases, a special tea towel for the stove, or a throw blanket. Guess what- white sheets work with pretty much anything and can be bleached! Yay!

Shop Your House and Re-arrange!

I’m saving my favorite tip for last! I want to let you in on a secret… your home is yours, and so is the stuff in it! So if you want to take the pillow you bought for your family room and move it to your bed- do it! If you want to move your chairs around, at the very least, you have my permission. I move things around my house all the time. I have favorites, like the pink throw you’ve seen a few times… and I just love to try things in different spaces to keep things fresh without spending money!

So there you have it- four ways to save money decorating your home. What are some ways you save money when decorating your home? Any amazing scores?! I’d love to hear from you in the comments. I read and reply to each and everyone! Do you like these posts with simple decorating tips… let me know if you have any questions about shopping second hand!

-Miss Ash