It’s easy to decorate your new home on a small budget

It’s a big moment when a first-time buyer finalizes their deal. There are a bunch of things you need to consider now; adjusting your budget so you can afford your mortgage payments and food, changing your mailing address, paying your lawyer, and of course decorating.

Did you notice that a few of those items involve paying out in multiple directions? You have to pay the bank, you need to eat, and you don’t want to get on a lawyer’s bad side. That leaves a small budget for decorating your new home, but don’t worry, we got you covered.

Here are a few tips that will help make your new home look like a million bucks:

Be smart about your features and finishes

If you bought a new construction home, then you have some time to plan! You also get to select your interior features and finishes, things like your flooring, tile, cabinetry, countertops, etc.

When you go to the decor centre to make your selections, there will be your standards, which are free, and then there will be many more upgrades, all of which cost you extra. If you have the money and want to make an upgrade, go ahead! If you’re trying to make it through the process without spending a dime, you can do so and still have a great looking home.

First off, completely eliminate all the upgrades. Pretend like they’re not even there or that they’re unavailable to you. When matching your cabinets to your flooring, only consider the standard combinations.

Also, there may be some colourful options available because vibrant colours are in right now, but going neutral is way safer because you can always embrace colour trends in less permanent ways (nothing is permanent, but your countertops will cost more to replace than new pillows or an accent chair)   

Colour is your friend

Now that you have a neutral palette, you can add hits of colour. With small accessories, bunches of three look the best, and if you choose a bold colour, it will make a strong impact on your overall decor. To avoid breaking the bank, try grouping trinkets you already own – you may find a winning trio!

You can also colour code your bookshelf. This doesn’t require any shopping at all – just organize your books by colour and you suddenly have a library/decor feature. If you actually reference your books regularly and need them organized by author, then this isn’t the look for you.

A feature wall is another option. It’s low commitment and will only cost you the price of a half-gallon of paint (depending on the size of your wall).

Purge

This is a big one. It may sound counterproductive, but you have to get rid of stuff in order to properly acquire the right accessories for your new home. Go through all your furniture, accessories, art, etc. and decide what you want to donate or sell. You may make a little bit of money in the process, plus it’s much easier to buy a couch when you don’t have a couch.

Decorating your home can be a funny mind game. When you look around your current home, you probably see too much stuff. Even though you know you’re buying things to replace certain things, there’s still part of you that thinks you don’t need new things because you already have all the stuff.

The reason that thought is so prevalent is because it’s true. Once you purge, you’ll feel more free to acquire new things. Don’t get rid of too much though – you still need to stay within your budget!

We hope these tips help all you first-time buyers out there make some wise, budget-friendly home decor decisions!