5 Budget Decorating Tips

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that when you buy a house you have no money left to fill it. Sound familiar? Never fear, there are some things that you can do to help make that big blank canvas feel more like your home.

Find some Freebies!

It may surprise you but a lot of what we have was given to us by family and friends. It’s a mutually beneficial deal. Often people store unused furniture in their garage thinking that it may come in handy again some day. That day happens to be when you move into your house with nothing but clothes and books because you’ve been renting furnished flats up until then. You take that unused piece of furniture that was taking up space in their garage and they don’t have to lift a finger to have a bit of a clear out. Win win for everyone. So if you’re lucky enough to have someone offer up something for free or very cheap, go for it!

Obviously it’s a bit different if there’s a big gaping hole where there shouldn’t be so don’t take things that will be too much of a faff to fix. But equally, don’t be scared if it isn’t quite to your taste. That can be changed as I explain later.

It’s the same with Facebook marketplace. A lot of items go up for either free or for very cheap. I personally stay away from anyone trying to sell something at a retail price or a slight discount, no matter how much I like the item they’re offering. You’re doing them a favour by coming and picking up that piece of furniture that they no longer want, so that should be factored into their asking price.

Vintage Finds

The best way to make a house feel like a home instantly is to fill those big blank walls. Mirrors, pictures and picture frames, can easily add up and become very expensive if you buy new and you most likely will want to keep your money aside for more important purchases, like a bed for instance! #vintagefinds

So how do you find cheap mirrors and pictures? Google for a local auction or trade show. People often assume that auctions are places where people spend loads of money. The truth is you often spend less than you would had it been sold elsewhere. Prices will only go up if lots of people are bidding for a rare antique. If you’re just after some basic furniture, vases, pictures or mirrors then you could get a real bargain. And the added bonus, not only will your artwork and prints be more unique but they will most likely come already in frames.

I picked up a chest of drawers for £50 at an auction and these pictures were 2 for £20 from a warehouse sale.

Trade shows are slightly different but you can find some real treasures there too. Traders will set up their stalls to sell their goods for only a slight markup. Often they need to clear out their stock and after taking time and effort getting it to the trade show, they might even be willing to sell fairly close to their material/labour costs, so not even giving themselves much of a profit. So as a rule, I don’t actually haggle as I know that their price is their price and they might not even be making much of a profit.

It works for furniture too! We got our solid oak lime washed dining table for £300 from the Ardingly Trade show. Something similar from a standard retailer would easily sell for £1200 RRP

Upcycling Furniture

Upcylcing furniture will be your saviour. It saves you money and it helps add a bit of a twist giving you the opportunity to show a bit of your own personality. You don’t even have to get that creative. It’s amazing what a bit of primer and paint can do, or if you’re feeling a little more adventurous, switch out the hardware or legs. There are so many #furnitureflip tutorials out there, including my IKEA hack.

Take a look and get inspiration. You might just find that your favourite piece of furniture was free! #upcycle #furnitureupcycle

You can find the details and materials for some of my projects in my other blog posts and on my Instagram.

Home Accessories

This is a quick win. Home accessories are cheap and easy to move around until you’re happy with the way a space looks. You can pick them up anywhere too. Charity shops are a great place to pick up bits to display on shelves or vases for dried/ faux flowers. If there happens to be an affluent area that’s within driving distance, go to the charity shops there. They might just have some of the best items.

I find that I’m constantly moving around home accessories. It gives a space a bit of a free refresh without spending a penny (after the initial purchase obviously!)

Soft Furnishings

If you want to make a bit more of an impact, rugs and curtains can change a space dramatically. Dunelm have a great range of ready made curtains that are good value for the level of quality, and they come in a large range of sizes. For ease, stick to the same type of curtains needed for whatever curtain rails you have already installed in your home. So if you have a pole, you have more choice with eyelet or pleated. If you have an older style track, then you will have to stick to pleated only.

Similarly, rugs transform a space from drab to homely. Whether that’s on a carpet or hard floors, it doesn’t matter. Ikea and H&M are great as my go-to for affordable, stylish and good quality rugs in a range of sizes.

Know where to invest

Staying budget friendly doesn’t mean that you can’t have anything brand new. It’s about knowing where to invest and where to save.

We only have a few key items that we bought from high street retailers specially for the house such as our bed, sofa and coffee table. They’re the things you will want to invest your money in and we know that they will last us years. The tips I’ve shared here are great for filling in the gaps, which we all need!