Hello All! I'm Tracy from Jersey Girl in the South and I'm so happy to share my home decor budget tips with you. Thank you Cait for having me!
We all want to have a beautiful home that looks like it should be in a magazine, don't we? Unfortunately many of us need to decorate on a budget. My mother has been telling me for years that I have champagne tastes on a beer budget. That's fine because I make it stretch and work for me. Here is how!Shop secondhand. Yard sales, Facebook buy/sell groups, and thrift stores will provide you with a huge savings. It is also a great way to find unique items that you wouldn't see in everyone else's home. I often hit up community yard sales since I can make more stops in less time. Many days I leave empty handed and try to remember it's a marathon, not a sprint. You do need to avoid one trap, however, which is buying something just because it is cheap. If it doesn't work with your decor leave it behind! Also, do not be afraid to shop in antique stores and boutiques. Older furniture will often be of better quality and much less expensive than the mass produced furniture you find in some stores today. Thoroughly check for bedbugs before purchasing anything used!!!!Ask for a discount on damaged products.Did you see something that you love but it's chipped or has a mark on it? If so ask to speak to the manager and see if they will lower the price for you. Just the other day at Michael's I found a decorative shelving unit that was originally $80. It had ceramic numbers on the shelves and one of them was chipped. The manager asked me if I would buy it for $20. Sold! I have also done this at HomeGoods a few times as well and was given an additional 10% discount. Those items had minor damage so I felt it was fair with the already lower retail price.IKEA is your friend. When I first went to IKEA many years ago it was not my taste. I was never into modern style decorating and did not think any of their products would work for me. Now I have two rooms furnished with IKEA furniture. Times have changed and they have furniture and accessories that can be suited to a variety of styles. My home is done in Farmhouse decor complete with white Ektorp slipcovered couches. I also purchased my son's entire bedroom suite there too. Of course it's not heirloom quality pieces and you do need to assemble it yourself but it's quality products for a lower cost.Shop seconds and overstock stores. They are my favorite places to shop for home decor! I love TJ Maxx, HomeGoods and Marshall’s. A tip for this type of store would be if you see it, buy it as it most likely will be gone when you come back! I have learned that lesson a few times. Now I just buy and plan to return if the product does not work out for me.Always use a coupon or shop sales (especially clearance!). Target is my all time favorite store. The little red clearance stickers make my heart happy and when used with a RedCard 5% discount I feel like I'm winning! If you do not need something immediately watch the ads for it to come on sale. Some stores will mail out coupons or have an app like Hobby Lobby, Kirklands, Michael's, and Bed Bath and Beyond.Accept hand me downs. Your grandma's floral print couch may not be your cup of tea but throw a slipcover on it and you can change the whole look. Be picky about what you will take. If it does not fit the style or needs of your home pass on it. I was fortunate enough to have a best friend with amazing taste give me an entire living room set when she purchased a new one.Do it yourself. If you're handy, Pinterest is full of DIY plans. You can create your own home decor crafts and even furniture! There are plans online for anything you can think of!Repurpose items. Before buying new I always see if there is some way an item can be reused in a different way. Can it be repainted to match a new space or made into something new? This holds particularly true when I am thrifting. Chalk paint is one of my favorite tools and I have used it in several areas of my home. In my foyer I have my son's old repainted dresser being used to hold winter gear and miscellaneous items.
