Project Budgeting: 4 Tips To Save You Money
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If you are like me, expensive taste on a tight budget, I hope my tips can help you stretch your dollars a little to get the most out of your room makeover! I tend to find that I'm not as creative when I have a large budget to work with, so I kind of enjoy being challenged and finding ways to make it work. Here are a few of the ways I try to keep my remodels and makeovers on budget.
4 Tips To Save You Money On Your Project
1: Shop your house
This might seem obvious, but sometimes you can find "new" items right in front of you! Look through closets and cupboards, the garage, and maybe even your kitchen junk drawer. (I'll admit, mine is rather scary, but there are quite a few items to "shop" in there!) Craft stash items have a way of getting lost in the shuffle, even if you are super organized. Take stock of your supplies before you go to the store to buy more. Use leftover paint! Those half-used cans of spray paint can save you money on little detail projects. Pillows from the guest room bed that aren't being used can live a new life in a new room. That stash of old sweaters that you've been meaning to get rid of will make great pillow or floor cushion cover. The possibilities are endless - just pretending to "shop" your home will give you new ideas.
2: Shop your neighborhood
I think most neighborhoods are on the website/app Nextdoor. It's basically just a message board/Facebook for your neighborhood/community. There is a classified section on the app for Free or For Sale items, and I've utilized this many times! Some of the things I've found "for free" have been quality pieces of vintage and antique furniture, and my latest find was an old filing cabinet. This filing cabinet will be used in my Office Makeover as part of my "closet desk". It didn't matter to me that the paint was a little funky since it will be getting a pretty new makeover anyway! But the takeaway here is shop your neighborhood. Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace are both great ways to find free (or almost free) items, especially if you are willing to DIY them into a new-to-you piece. Don't be scared of curbside finds too! (I'm sure you already know this, but please be safe when buying things and meeting people from the internet...make sure you have someone with you and meet in a safe spot with lots of people!)
3: Get Organized
I know, I know. Another obvious tip right? But it's sooooo true! If you don't have a plan, you will end up spending more when you go to the store. Start with determining your overall budget, and then break it down from there. Paint, Furniture, Accessories, etc... Whenever you buy something, write it down and track how much you spend so you know what you have left. Keep an envelope with all of your receipts. It will help to have them all in one place if you need to return something. Of course, I've never lost a receipt and scrambled looking for it when I need to return something that didn't work. Nope. Not me! (And obviously I mean that I lose receipts all the time!) I keep an envelope clipped to my clipboard with my project list, and that way I have everything all together. As soon as I get home from the store, the receipt goes right in the envelope. Organization doesn't come easy for me, but when I am good about tracking my budget, the project I'm working on is less stressful.
4: Shop Online / Pick Up In Store
I'm a huge fan of Amazon Prime 2 Day and Next Day Shipping. It's a time and sanity saver for me. (Shopping with 2 little kids can go either way - either really great or it ends in tears. Usually mine. Ha!) Most stores, including home improvement stores now offer an option to purchase online and pick up in the store. It works for me because it eliminates the distraction of walking past things in the aisles and impulsively buying them.One Room Challenge Week 3 Update:
Things are slowly coming together! I don't have many "pretty" pictures to share, but here is a "before photo" for the closet. I am planning on painting the furniture this weekend, and the closet will also be getting paint (once I clear it out!). I also have some shopping to do - I still need chairs and a counter top for the "desk". I'm also working on a fun DIY art project for the wall - it involves using power tools (like a jig saw!), and that is always fun! You can follow along on my project "behind the scenes" via my Instagram Stories.
Don't forget to stop by the One Room Challenge Week 3 to check out the other rooms!
Hey Jaclyn!
ReplyDeleteI found your post while uploading my own ORC link. I used to have that same beautiful gold desk! I finally gave it to a friend when I accepted that I didn't use any other gold in my decor and that I couldn't bear to paint it. How fun to see the desk's sister out there in the world!
My favorite tip here is to shop your own house. I love doing that! Usually in the middle of the night. My boyfriend will ask what the weird banging noise is at one in the morning, and I try to use my most innocent voice to reply, "Nothing! Just scooting stuff around!"
HA! That's when I do my "best work" - 1AM when everyone is asleep and I can concentrate. Isn't that the best little desk? I love the gold on it, but it's a little banged up so needs a fresh coat of paint.
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