Throwing away your stuffed toys, moving on from that quilt set you’ve had all your teenage years. Moving out is like pulling the cord when bungee jumping, all your creature comforts left in the plane while you tumble away. Don’t fret even with limited cash you can make your room feel all your own. Here’s our tips on how to furnish your room (all of it) on the cheap.
Make A Wishlist
Brainstorm in a dream world what your furnishing would look like. This isn’t meant to be an exercise in depression, it’s just so you can figure out exactly what you want. Although you want to fill the place on a budget, furniture is going to be with you for a long time. It’s wiser to invest a little more in a piece you’ll carry from home to new home.
Hit up Pinterest and make a mood board or trawl Instagram, you’ll be overwhelmed with inspiration. From here you can pick textures, shapes and nick nacks you want to find to give your room feeling. Once you’ve brainstormed, reign it in. Just a little. Make a list of things you can actually purchase from those images. Couch, very attainable. Swinging chair from the ceiling, not so much. This will provide a guideline for all your thrifty shopping to come.
Check Online
Instead of hitting up Ikea or Fantastic Furniture in search of bargains, think second hand. You want to find as much as you can pre-loved so you have ample cash to account for whatever you can’t find. Gumtree and eBay are gold mines when it comes to couches, chairs, beds and homewares. Be sure to account for any costs that may be incurred in picking it up or renting a truck to grab it. Unfortunately at home sellers don’t offer free delivery.
Head To Vinnies
Take your finest heavy lifter or a mate or two and head to the local charity store. Vinnies, Salvos, Red Cross are a plenty with pre loved wares, look for items on your wishlist and tick them off as you go. Most charity stores arrange delivery for locals and if you’re ready to take it home on the day you get a discount.
Don’t just look for pieces that are ready to go, think about what little tweaks need to be made to make it new. A lot of this stuff is worn and torn, that’s why it’s so cheap. Read: in you budget. So think of them as fixer upperers, a weekend project to be had. It’ll make you room feel especially unique rather than straight out of an Ikea catalogue.
Refurb It
Look for potential, a beautiful wood finish or a grubby one that could be painted over. There are DIY projects in the making a plenty when you hit a thrift store. Look at the linen section for upholstery materials, the homewares for cabinet fillers and the book section for a display worth bragging about. Yeah I read, what of it.