August 28, 2017
5 Ways to Stay on Budget when Decorating Your First Apartment
Life after high school can bring many exciting events such as college, landing a full-time job, and getting settled into your first official place, but this also may bring a tight budget. Here are 5 fun tips on how to decorate your first place without breaking the bank:
1. Art and Decor
If you cannot handle bare walls and want to spruce up your space, thrift shops and garage sales can be lifesavers. Throughout the summer, there are city-wide garage sale events, which are designated dates for that specific city’s residents to hold garage sales. This can be a wonderful time to find some unique and fitting pieces for your pad that will be available at extremely reasonable prices. Thrift stores also have great options for cheap yet fun items to use as décor. If you prefer to shop online, there are various options for thrifting from home as well as these fun sites.
2. Invest in You
Although you may be on a budget, it’s smart to choose a couple major pieces to splurge on. These items could range from a mattress to a coffee maker depending on what is important to you, but be sure to plan these bigger ticket items into the budget ahead of time and watch for sales to still snag them at an affordable price.
3. Ready to Roll
Especially if you are making plans for your first apartment, remember that this may only be the first stop on the journey to your dream home. You might be anxious to fill it, but this is a time in your life when you may switch jobs within a couple of years, or decide to move into a more convenient spot. Keep in mind that while you want to decorate the space to fit your needs and style, you may also want to keep the selection of items light and easily movable.
4. Refurbish Royalty
Thrifting is key when decorating on a budget, but knowing how to refurbish these pieces can make your space even better! Refurbishing a piece can mean putting in ten minutes or ten days depending on the amount of time you hope to put into a piece. Using a new paint color and coating a couple of pieces you picked up from the thrift shop can quickly turn funky into fab!
5. Creativity is Key
When you are on a budget, it is important to utilize your pieces to the best of their ability. Adding a cushion to double a coffee table as extra seating for guests is a great example of this. If it has a lid, the coffee table could also be used as storage space. This might mean looking for specific pieces or creatively modifying some thrift shop gems.
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