Decorating Your New Home on a Budget | Journey Home Lending

Is decorating something you love to do, or does it give you cold chills to think about? It seems to be one of those hot or cold things that you either spend most of your days dreaming about or you slap some things on the walls and call it done.

No matter how you feel about decorating, when you have purchased a home, it is something you will spend a considerable amount of time tackling as you find the perfect place for all of your belongings. Whether you just purchased your first home or your 10th, there is a good chance you will need or want some new items to help decorate and organize.

Spending money on anything home-related might be a scary prospect after you just journeyed through the mortgage process, especially if you are a new home buyer. That doesn’t mean you have to skip on the decorating, though. You can decorate your home as much or as little as you like and stay on budget.

Where to Start

If you have moved 100 times, knowing where to start as you settle in likely comes very naturally to you. Even if you have moved a few times, if this is your first home purchase, stepping in the door with boxes all around can be completely overwhelming.

The best place to start? Wherever you want! While some would suggest starting in the bedroom in order to create a peaceful place to sleep, you can start in any room as long as you are able to focus on taking things one room at a time. Make sure everything is cleaned before you unpack, and use what you’ve got before making any new purchases.

Once a room is cleaned and unpacked, let it settle. You might come to realize you don’t need a new rug or that the extra shelf you were considering isn’t going to be big enough. Spend some time living in the space, and then make a list of wants and needs.

As you move room to room unpacking and settling, be willing not only to start over a few times, but to also consider relocating larger items to new places. That bedside table you never really used could make the perfect couch end table, or that painting that was always in a bathroom could be perfect in the dining room. Not only does this give your space a fresh feel from wherever you lived last, but it can also mean buying less new things.

Buy on the Cheap

Unless you are planning on keeping a piece for a long time, or you are looking for something that can be passed on to the kids, consider lower cost decor items. Lower cost doesn’t have to mean bad quality either—check out thrift stores, antique shops or even get to know the neighbors by hitting a few garage sales.

Painting a room can be a great inexpensive way to make a room feel like it’s had a complete overhaul; and as a bonus, if you fall into the “hates to decorate” category, the right color paint accented well doesn’t need any other decoration. Small items can also have a big impact and can be used to tie every room in your home together at the same time.

Couch pillows, bedding and towels all in similar or complementary color schemes can be an inexpensive way to add pops of color that bring a continuous flow throughout your new home. Likewise, updating door knobs and cabinet pulls can offer a fresh look for very little price. Switch them out throughout your home to give a sense of unity room to room.

Love it or hate it, decorating is a necessary part of purchasing and moving into your new home. Make the space your own without breaking the bank.

Ready to start on your home-buying journey so you have something to decorate? Contact us to get started.