Aesthetic House on a Budget
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I’m sure you’ve seen all those women on social media showing off their clean, organized homes. Aesthetically pleasing trinkets on a shelf and only shades of beige surrounding them. Everything in their kitchen is in its own little container that fits perfectly on a shelf (and there are no leftovers in sight). It almost seems like no one lives there. Of course, this isn’t realistic, practical, or affordable, but what if it could be?
As a homemaker, my goal is to make my home a peaceful environment for my family. Here I will share some tips on how you can make your house look cute without draining your bank account.
Check out thrift stores/overstock stores. The tip that everyone gives and seems the most obvious is “just go thrifting”. I don’t know about y’all, but my local thrift stores are kind of trashy. Everything is either ugly, overpriced, or the store stinks. Occasionally I can find something affordable and cute at an antique store, but usually those items are expensive collectibles. If your local thrift stores are good, then that’s probably the best option for affordable decor, but if you’re in the same boat I’m in, check out places like Homegoods, Marshalls, and TJMaxx (not sponsored). These types of stores are perfect for finding new, unused items for an affordable price.
Make a wishlist and buy one item every time you’re able. This one has helped my shopping problem a lot! I am able to visualize what I want/need and buy an item every now and then without going on a shopping spree and spending all my money all at once. While it’s obviously not good to drain your bank account in a single shopping trip, it’s also not good to deny yourself a little treat every now and then. Here are some examples of things I have on my wishlist that I am slowly collecting:
OXO Pop Containers- I love these! I have a few of them and I am slowly accumulating more. They are great for keeping food sealed and fresh (like flour, sugar, baking soda, etc.) and they look nice. They are easy to open and close with a button on top that releases the seal. They also fit together really nicely and they’re dishwasher safe!
Rubbermaid Brilliance Containers- These are perfect for leftovers (solid foods or liquids like gravy)! I love these and am slowly buying more. The clips on the sides of the containers make them air tight without making them too difficult to open. They stack well and look like while also being practical. They are also microwave, dishwasher, and freezer safe!
Stop following trends! This one is huge. Find your own personal style, buy what you like (whether it’s trending or not), and stick with it. If you are trying to keep up with the latest trends all the time, you will never feel satisfied with your home. Trends change constantly and they are expensive and exhausting to keep up with. Find and embrace your style. Be unique!
DIY responsibly. What do I mean by that? Well, have you ever been walking through a home decor store and fallen victim to the seemingly harmless thought, “I could make that”? Then you buy all the materials to do it yourself and $50 in craft supplies and 3 hours later you have a much lower quality version of the thing you could’ve bought for $20? Yeahhh me too. DIYs can be much cheaper (and more fun) than buying an item, but figure out ahead of time if it is worth doing it yourself or if it would just be better to buy it.
Use what you have. The most important thing is to use what you already have. Maybe repaint something or rearrange your shelves. Sometimes you can make a new look with old items you already own. When I was in college, I switched my aesthetic from goth to girly. Instead of giving away all my black and red stuff and replacing it with pink and purple, I kept most of the decor I already owned and repainted it to fit my new aesthetic. It’s such a fun and almost free way to change up your style without going out and buying more stuff.