If you’re about to buy your first home or you’ve just moved in, you’ll understand the sense of overwhelming excitement and fear that consumes you when you realise that you have to decorate and furnish a new house. On the one hand, the idea of finally being able to imprint your personality on a property is really fun. But on the other hand, the sheer cost is quite scary, and what if you decorate it and don’t even like it? Well, don’t panic. It’s certainly possible to decorate and furnish your new home on a tight budget, and if you don’t like it, you won’t have to live with it for long once you know how to make your money stretch a bit further. Here’s everything you need to know.
Secondhand furniture is your friend
The time surrounding the purchase of your first house isn’t the time to be snobby about furniture. Instead, it’s the perfect time to embrace the shabby chic, mismatched look, and enjoy hunting for bargains. Not only is it not financially sensible to spend vast amounts of money on brand new furniture, but you might find that your style changes as you spend longer in your home. Within a few months, you might hate the furniture you have, so it’s better to buy cheap with the view to replace down the line.
Shop around
This can’t be stressed enough – don’t just go for the first price you see, especially on larger goods such as refrigerators, washers, and big items of furniture. You could save yourself hundreds of pounds by spending some time researching the product and comparing prices. There’s also the possibility of finding vouchers for cheaper homeware items by browsing the web, such as this Everything 5 Pounds voucher code – it’s well worth the time and effort to shop around.
Avoid idealism
Unless you’re seriously fortunate, you’re not going to be able to afford to decorate your home exactly as you envisage immediately after you move in – that takes time, money, and a comprehensive plan. Instead, embrace the mismatch, the adventure, and the style that comes with it. Scrap the mood board, and fill your home with things you love, at least for the time being.
Paint is the future
You’re going to want to paint quite a lot of things, so invest in some good brushes. From second-hand furniture, mismatching dining tables, and wooden floorboards, paint is the best way to bring some unity and theme into your room. And don’t forget the walls – rather than investing in expensive artwork or beautiful furniture, a feature wall is a great way to spruce up your space by bringing colour, interest, and a focal point of a room, and it’s a whole lot cheaper too.
Try minimalism
It’s easy to get carried away and attempt to buy everything you ever dreamed of owning when you got your own place. Don’t. You’ll only regret it further down the line. Save the money, and use it to buy things you love further down the line. You’ll only end up culling the clutter at a later date anyway.
Most importantly, enjoy it. It’s peaceful, it’s mismatch, and it’s your own.
