Like countless others I found myself spending a whole lot more time at home around this time last year. And with all that extra time I know many tackled a new hobby, or made a lot of banana bread, but I was just itching to redecorate. I began imagining my now 7-year-old apartment’s re-design and started spending all my free time looking for sales from my favorite home décor brands. This 6 month decorating journey gifted me with the space I had been longing for and by some miracle, it did not break the bank.

So here are my top tips for sticking to your style and your budget:

Set a budget.


I know, this is groundbreaking. But just trying to save money along the way with no real budget cap is a sure fire way to overspend, that’s why I started by deciding on a total budget. For extra accountability, I decided to move that exact amount out of my savings account, all in one fell swoop! Before I started making purchases, I also changed my cash-back credit card’s rewards benefits category to “Home Improvement & Furnishing”—making 3% back on some big purchases is an easy perk to take advantage of.

Decide on your priority purchase.

For some people this might be a beautiful piece of art or a gorgeous dining table, for me it was my sofa. I knew I wanted to invest in a couch I’d keep for a long time, offered tons of comfort and still had the design I wanted. After looking at Crate & Barrel and West Elm options, I ended up with an Interior Define sofa which had incredible customization options for around the same price—if you’re in the market I would highly recommend! Tackle your priority purchase first to set the tone for the aesthetic of your space and your budget.

Try ordering larger items in store to save on shipping.


I often checked in person with a store like Crate & Barrel to see if I could order something they didn’t have in stock and have it delivered to their store instead of my house to avoid the cost of shipping. Stores like Target offer this with an “in-store pick-up” option online. It worked out more times than not and helped me save along the way.

Get creative about shopping local.


I’m a sucker for big, beautiful stores, loaded with displays and inventory—forgoing that shopping experience isn’t always easy, but there are great ways to incorporate small businesses. One way I did this was by visiting a fabric store for unique (and discounted!) fabrics. I found a bolt of green, velvet fabric I loved and had a local upholsterer make pillow cases. For around the cost of Anthropologie pillows I ended up with custom pillows that supported 2 small businesses (if you’re local, I went to Boca Bargoons for fabric and Karen & Don Designers in Oakland Park for upholstery).

Hunt for books at Goodwill or other consignment shops.

This past fall I visited the Southern Living Idea House and one of my favorite take-aways was how they decorated with beautiful books. They tucked books under picture frames, beneath candles, and stacked them on dressers—books were everywhere. I made it a habit to check in and look for novels and coffee table books at Goodwill often.

I tell everyone I know about Rugs USA.

Rugs are expensive, I previously had a pricey Pottery Barn rug and it was a purchase I regretted big time, it did not hold up well. It can be intimidating to order a large area rug online without seeing it in person though. So I picked 3-4 rugs I liked and ordered them in the smallest size possible (about bath mat sized) so I could see the colors and feel the rugs’ texture. It’s easier and more cost effective to return a few small rugs verses a big area rug. I’m glad I found a creative way to preview the rugs I was deciding between and didn’t mind spending a little extra to return the small rugs—I still saved because Rugs USA prices are unreal.

Get creative to make a big art impact on your walls.

Large-scale art can get pretty pricey, all art can! One way I tackled this was by printing art myself. I used a site called Juniper and paid a fee to download art that I printed poster size at a drug store for less than $10. I framed the art and voila! I had another large wall I wanted fill with gold gallery frames that would have taken up way too much of my budget—I found a set of nearly identical frames on Amazon and to complete the look I wanted I went to a craft store for new 5×5 mattes.

This is a project I often day-dreamed about, but consistently put off because I found myself perpetually “waiting” for something to fall into place that justified re-decorating—waiting to move, waiting to be married, waiting until I got a promotion, waiting until I had free time, you name it, I was waiting. Whether it’s decorating or traveling or just about anything else, instead of falling into endless reasons to wait, get started with a budget and start setting achievable goals, I bet you’ll be glad you did!