Turning your home into a comfortable, stylish oasis can be a very fun and satisfying experience. You may look at impressive homes on platforms like Pinterest and Instagram and think that you need to hire a professional designer or invest money in pricey furniture in order to create the looks of the moment. However, that simply isn’t true. You can actually create a beautiful home on a budget if you have patience and creativity. Take a look at these four tips smart decorators know, love and follow.
Host a Painting Party to Get Some Artwork for Your Walls
Are you staring at bare walls inside of your home and wondering how much you’ll have to spend in order decorate with some paintings? The answer is actually very little! One fun idea is to host a paint night with your friends or family members when you move into a new place. You can supply some canvases, brushes and paint and allow everyone in attendance to create a unique masterpiece. Everyone will have fun as they sip drinks, have snacks and chat. You will have custom artwork from the people you love when the night is over! You can also do fun art projects with your kids if you’re a parent. These projects can reflect the seasons and give life to your walls throughout the years.
Create a Home Decor Fund
Having patience can really pay off when it comes to decorating your home. The reality is that you don’t necessarily have to go out and purchase all of the expensive pieces of furniture you want as soon as you move in. You can create a special home décor fund that you contribute to every month and purchase what you want piece by piece. This will help to lighten the burden of purchasing furniture and allow you to avoid draining your bank account.
Don’t Order One Piece at a Time
Don’t forget to be smart about shipping when you’re ordering home décor online. For instance, paying for shipping for a throw pillow or picture frame may not be a smart idea. You can actually wait until you need to purchase additional items and get free shipping instead. Both Overstock.com and Wayfair.com offer free shipping for orders over $45. Most brick-and-mortar retailers today actually provide a ship-to-store option for free when you purchase items online. You should always look for this option before finalizing a purchase and paying for shipping.
Don’t Overlook Thrift Stores
Many of us are very comfortable with looking online for second-hand items these days. You can certainly find some great deals online. The problem is that you almost always have to pay for shipping when buying second-hand items directly from sellers. Shipping costs can eat away at the savings you’re getting from buying used home décor. The truth is that you can still find really amazing pieces when you visit local thrift and second-hand stores in person. Have you popped into your local thrift store lately? You can often pick up entire dinnerware sets, quirky end tables and valuable antiques for practically nothing when you shop at second-hand stores.
Have Fun Decorating Your Home Cheaply
There is no race to get your home fully decorated after you move to a new place. You will be far better off taking your time to shop wisely for décor and focusing on saving money. Think of decorating your home as a long-term process instead of a problem that you have to throw money at right away. You may just find that this approach actually helps you to create an eclectic, one-of-a-kind space that truly reflects who you are.
