When you're broke students, like my huz and I, you have to get a little bit creative when it comes to home decor. Luckily, I have found a few extremely cheap (or FREE!) ways to make our apartment feel cozier.
1. Flowers. I am OBSESSED with flowers. If I could afford it, I'd have flowers in the house every single week.
Oh wait!
I *can* afford it, and it's all thanks to the farmer's market that happens in Harold Washington Park (right across the street from our place!) every Thursday from 7am to 1pm.
The lilies that you see above have permeated our entire apartment with their incredible fragrance. Even my husband commented on how nice our apartment smells. Plus they're a gorgeous vibrant pink.
So lesson 1: Bring flowers into the house. They'll brighten up any room, guaranteed. (If you're allergic, they make silk arrangements too that will be just as lovely! Not sure how the cost compares though.)
Not only do we have flowers in our apartment, we also have lots of plants. The plants were also free. I just had to buy planters. My father-in-law was kind enough to start us a two clippings from his dieffenbachia, and they're gorgeous plants. They're also extremely easy to take care of. A little sun, a little water, and that's it!
Before I left my job at the clinic, a sweet coworker started another clipping for me; this time a philodendron. The plant did marvelously well, and just last week I was able to plant another clipping that I took off of it. Here are our two philos.
Lesson 2: Hit up friends and relatives for plant clippings. Plants will definitely brighten up your place, plus they're good for you!
The third way I found decor for our place on the cheap: check with family. Who knows what you'll find. Huz and I got several photos from his dad, as well as the two paintings you saw in a previous post (titled something like: home decor when you're married). We also have a gorgeous painting of the French Quarter, and a hand painted vase from Mexico, both of which belonged to my beautiful grandmother.
So lesson 3: Speak to your friends and family. You never know what they might be willing to gift/lend you to brighten up your space.
And the final lesson, of which I'm sure you're already familiar: CRAIGSLIST/thrift shops/garage sales. You can seriously hit the jackpot.
We got our bookcase from craigslist for 20.00. and I LOVE it. My next goal is to find an over-sized chair with an ottoman for additional seating in our place.
I guess that's it for today. Hopefully I've shown you that it is possible to add color and interest to your home for very little cash! If I can do it, you can too.
1. Flowers. I am OBSESSED with flowers. If I could afford it, I'd have flowers in the house every single week.
Oh wait!
I *can* afford it, and it's all thanks to the farmer's market that happens in Harold Washington Park (right across the street from our place!) every Thursday from 7am to 1pm.
 |
| I chose these lilies this week. And I only paid $5.00 for them! |
So lesson 1: Bring flowers into the house. They'll brighten up any room, guaranteed. (If you're allergic, they make silk arrangements too that will be just as lovely! Not sure how the cost compares though.)
Not only do we have flowers in our apartment, we also have lots of plants. The plants were also free. I just had to buy planters. My father-in-law was kind enough to start us a two clippings from his dieffenbachia, and they're gorgeous plants. They're also extremely easy to take care of. A little sun, a little water, and that's it!
 |
| Here you can see one of our diefs siting atop our craigslist bookcase! |
Before I left my job at the clinic, a sweet coworker started another clipping for me; this time a philodendron. The plant did marvelously well, and just last week I was able to plant another clipping that I took off of it. Here are our two philos.
 |
| You'll notice I chose bright planters. They also help add color to our place. |
Lesson 2: Hit up friends and relatives for plant clippings. Plants will definitely brighten up your place, plus they're good for you!
The third way I found decor for our place on the cheap: check with family. Who knows what you'll find. Huz and I got several photos from his dad, as well as the two paintings you saw in a previous post (titled something like: home decor when you're married). We also have a gorgeous painting of the French Quarter, and a hand painted vase from Mexico, both of which belonged to my beautiful grandmother.
 |
| Stunning green and white hand-painted vase from my grandmother's trip to Mexico. |
 | ||
| Painting from my grandmother's trip to New Orleans. |
So lesson 3: Speak to your friends and family. You never know what they might be willing to gift/lend you to brighten up your space.
And the final lesson, of which I'm sure you're already familiar: CRAIGSLIST/thrift shops/garage sales. You can seriously hit the jackpot.
We got our bookcase from craigslist for 20.00. and I LOVE it. My next goal is to find an over-sized chair with an ottoman for additional seating in our place.
I guess that's it for today. Hopefully I've shown you that it is possible to add color and interest to your home for very little cash! If I can do it, you can too.
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