When we moved into our new house just a couple of years ago as first time home buyers, we were on a serious budget.

We didn’t know what it would be like to now have to pay a mortgage, plus property insurance and all of the extra expenses that came with owning a home. 

So we were ultra careful with our money, at least until we figured out what our budget and expenses would look like going forward.

That meant not spending on paint or home improvements at first, and certainly no spending big bucks on decorating.

But it was our first home, so we definitely wanted to spruce up our house with our personal touches.

My husband and I managed to decorate our home on a shoestring budget and spent almost nothing, and it looks great.

Here’s how we did it:

1. We Repurposed Cool Older Decorations

The thing about living in the suburbs is that, come garbage day, especially in the spring, there are always things that people no longer want out at the curb.

If you think about it, this is really a shame. After all, they should be bringing these items to the thrift store or Freecycle, but it was great for us when we were looking for decorating projects to take on.

One family ditched some beautiful ceramic lamps that we took in, painted, and cleaned up a bit.

They were perfectly fine lamps, though they were definitely not in our preferred colour. After we spruced up the lamps, they looked as if we bought them from the Pottery Barn. We still have them and we can feel good for not letting them end up in a landfill, too.

2. We Only Bought Second-Hand

This not only caters to my frugal side, but it also caters to my “green” side, too, like repurposing older things. Buying second hand gives items a second life and prevents them from ending up in a landfill or, worse, buying something new and taking on the environmental responsibility that goes with it.

So, when we moved into our new house, we needed a few pieces of furniture and didn’t want to buy them brand new. We ended up buying second hand furniture, and making slight alterations to it if needed (though often it was perfectly fine as it was).

You can can buy second hand Furniture on Gumtree and browse online, which is pretty cool.

3. We Frequented the Dollar Store

Depending on where you live, the dollar store can have some awesome stuff!

We bought vases, office supplies, and even canvas for our own art at the dollar store nearby and we saved a ton of money, especially compared to the prices of the same stuff even at Walmart or a department home goods store.

We were surprised to see the stuff that the dollar store sold, and the simple pieces that we bought there really changed the look and feel of our space.

We still get a lot of compliments on the vases that we bought from the dollar store.

Even though we probably could have budgeted more for our home decor when we moved into our new-to-us house, we’re glad we didn’t. We found some awesome decor for free or for cheap, including furniture and other home goods. So we definitely don’t regret saving our money for more important things!

How have you saved on home decor in the past?