Hello friends, strangers and fellow home decor enthusiasts! This post is for you!
It’s been a little over a year since I’ve moved into my new home and I’m JUST starting to settle into the place. After months of living out of boxes, I’ve finally accumulated some furniture and decor to make my home feel more… well, like home! My Pinterest boards overflowed with pictures of furniture, landscaping ideas, color schemes and room layouts. However, those dollar figures from some of my favorite furniture and home decor catalogs crushed my interior decorating dreams.
But then, I discovered more creative ways to decorate my living space without spending tons. Reading blogs, advice from my parents & friends and thinking outside the box gave me creative ways to accomplish my visions without breaking the bank. Check em’ out!
1.) Repurpose your junk
During my move and even months after I would purge things that I no longer used. Even though the majority of my things I went through were clothes, I had found miscellaneous items that I thought would be unique decor.
My family and I love to travel. We’ve been traveling since I was in diapers, literally. I would see old pictures of me in the middle of a canyon in Arizona somewhere with a pacifier in my mouth and crawling on all fours. So over the years I’ve collected random souvenirs, trinkets, maps, etc. They all used to be stored in a box in my room. Right when I was about to toss the whole box, I figured that I should be displaying these memories somehow rather than treating them like junk. I had decided that my living room would be a perfect place for me to re-purpose my travel treasures as home decor. This definitely gave a unique element to my home and displayed a little of my personality. Each item had a story behind it, representing each adventure I had with it. And just like that, I’ve created a theme for my main gathering space in my new home.
2.) Embrace DIY projects
I have a dedicated Pinterest board for all my DIY projects that I want to try for my home. I’ll admit, I have a hard time getting around to them sometimes working full time, but DIY decor and projects have definitely saved me some money. I personally find it therapeutic! My main source for DIY projects is Pinterest, but I’ve also found ideas from Nifty From Buzzfeed videos and just googling things. There’s a lot of ideas I have saved and yet to do! I’ve also found that with DIY projects, you can customize and personalize your items to your heart’s content!
I buy cheap supplies from Walmart, Hobby Lobby and Michaels (there’s always a coupon available online!).
I’ve also created my own artwork and framed posters using Canva. Now, before you accuse of plagiarizing, Canva offers copyright-free stock images and photos, including the capability to add typography, text overlays, illustrations and other artistic elements so you can be your own graphic designer. Your designs on Canva will already be in standard dimensions depending on what type of image or poster you’re creating so it’s easy to download, send and print. Printing at Staples is pretty affordable too!
Your wall gallery doesn’t even have to be filled with large murals, photos or crazy graphics. Minimalism speaks volumes and creates a bold statement in interior design while giving a clean, neat look. Since I love poetry, I printed stanzas, verses and lines from my favorite poets that deeply resonated with me. No need to drop major dollars on this one, just use Microsoft Word, a black & white printer and black frames and you’re all set.
3.) Go to flea markets
Swap meets, flea markets, bargain stores and antique shops are the best places to find unique items with a lot of character. Some may dread the scavenging, but I think it’s the best part! Stumbling across a treasured relic among a sea of clutter is a satisfying feeling, sort of like you’ve found a rare and precious artifact. Well, maybe not as dramatic, but you can definitely avoid a generic look of mass produced decor that are sold in discount stores. Sometimes you can find even cheaper items. Here are some of my favorite:
- Orange Circle Antique Mall
- Rose Bowl flea market
- OC Flea Market
- OC Market Place
- Jamestown Village Flea Market
4.) Invest in plants
Kill two birds with one stone by decorating your space with greenery! Not only do they help purify the air, but they also add vibrant color to any room. Plus they are super affordable! You can buy succulents for a couple of dollars at a local nursery or home improvement store. You can also find potted indoor plants at Ikea, Home Depot, or Lowes for cheap. Plants also tie furniture and decor together very nicely in a living space. If you’re decorating a room and feel like something’s missing, try placing a plant in there. Empty corners, shelf space, coffee or side tables, and even walls are great potential homes for these plants. If you’re worried about plant care and maintenance, there are plenty of low maintenance plants you can get for your space. If low maintenance plants are still an issue, just get fake ones! Ross, TJ Maxx/ Home Goods, Target, Ikea and other discount stores have great faux or artificial plants that you can never kill.
Hope these tips help! They certainly helped me in my journey of adulting. Feel free to share some of your favorite tips and tricks in the comments below! 🙂
NIKKI SHERI 
Plants will do absolute miracles for a space, great tip!