How to Shop For Home Decor - 28 Different Ways and Tips I Use

When my husband and I got married just over 3 years ago (so crazy to write that!), we had hardly anything to our name. We got married out of state, I had just moved 20 hours away from home that week before, and all we had could fit in a little Ford Focus. For the first couple months of our marriage, the only furniture we had was an air mattress. For the next few months after that, we had a table and some chairs, a couch and a rocking chair, and our bed. We bought a couple signs at a military housing garage sale. And that was all we had as far as home decor.

When I look back on that, I see how God provided me with items to make our house a home. I worked with what I had. Over the last few years, God has graciously filled my heart with a passion to make our house a home and has blessed us with the tools to do that. But it’s taken time to learn our style, how to shop for home decor, and learn what options are out there. It’s taken time to learn that I can make a lot of my own home decor instead of spending way too much on one decor piece (which I could never justify doing by the way).

And so I want to share with you what I’ve learned in the last few years and how I shop for home decor in hopes of helping you as you make your house a home.

Things I’ve learned

1. It takes time to bring everything together.

It takes time to really nail down your style. It takes time to acquire items for your house. You could get all this done really quickly if you spend loads of money. But, at least for me, it’s hard to justify that, especially when I know that I can either make that item for so much cheaper or there are similar products for half the price out there… I just have to be willing to look for them.

2. As a military wife, I’ve learned that every house is different, so one item that may work in one house may not work in the next.

So, for those of you that move often, you have to be okay with letting some things go if they just don’t work in the next house. And that also means finding cheaper (but still good quality) items. It’s a lot easier to let something go when you know you didn’t spend a ton of money on it.

3. It’s completely and totally possible to make your own home decor items.

It can be intimidating, but DIY’s (do it yourself) are entirely possible, even if you think you aren’t creative. With DIY’s, it’s often a “learn as you go” kind of thing. But there is so much fulfillment in making an item, especially when it’s cheaper than an already made product. So if you found a decor piece that you absolutely love but is a little out of your price range, try making it yourself. Use your imagination and be okay with it not looking exactly like what you saw in the store or online.

How I shop for home decor

I spend a lot of time looking for budget friendly, yet good quality decor at many different places (online, in store, at marketplaces, etc.).
I don’t buy the first thing I see. I look to see what’s out there.
I look to see if there’s a similar item for cheaper.
I get creative to see if I can make my own home decor pieces with what I have.
I plan out what kind of style I want in each room. (Here’s a free worksheet to help you do the same!)
I click on those ads showing up on Instagram or Facebook, because I never know what ideas it may spark or if they’re actually budget friendly, quality pieces of decor.
I make myself understand that my house will not look like the ones I see on Instagram. I make myself be okay with that.
But I also use those pictures as guides if I find something I really do like.
I don’t buy everything at once. It may take months for me to put a room together as I wait to be able to spend a little bit of money from different paychecks.
I don’t buy something unless I already have a place for it in mind (I will be honest though, I break this rule sometimes… it’s hard not to when I find such a good deal! But I don’t want to buy something and not use it… that’s why I stand by this rule.)
I use coupons when I can! My mama always says, “why give someone more of your hard earned money when you don’t have to?”
I use Facebook Marketplace a lot for larger pieces like furniture. You’d be surprised what good deals are out there!
When I’m at a store, I shop alone or with someone who is okay spending a lot of time in one store when I’m trying to put ideas together.
If I’m not sure about an item, I don’t buy it yet. If I am still thinking about that item at least a week later, then it means that I truly do want that item and it’s not going to be an impulse buy.
If I’m not sure where to put an item I really do like, if possible, I give it some time to play around and move some things around the house to see if that item could be used in my home.
If I truly know my husband wouldn’t want me to buy something, I won’t do it. This doesn’t happen often, but I do like to weigh whether or not I should buy something on whether he would be okay with it or not.
I communicate with my husband about buying certain things. His body language and his words convey to me if it’s okay for me to do that. Material items are not worth putting a wedge in my relationship with my husband.
I wait for deals to happen.
I work with what I already have or what I’ve been given. Sometimes, I don’t need to shop, I just need to enjoy what I already have.
I buy cheaper accent items, like greenery to help make an area pop. It’s amazing how something little can go a long way.
I shop in the clearance section… a lot. Like that’s one of the first places I go.
I shop at places that I would like my money to support. So for example, I love shopping at Christian small businesses when I can. I love supporting small businesses, and I love supporting my brothers and sisters in Christ.
I save my money for something that I really really love but can’t quite afford (as long as my husband is okay with me doing so). One business I love is PCB Home. It’s a small business run by a Christian woman. I absolutely love her products. Many of her items point to Jesus (so I’m sold on that already) and fit with what style I enjoy for my home. But, because they’re handmade items, they’re a little pricey. So I save some of my personal spending money to buy some items from her store. And I’m always looking for sales and coupons when she has them.
If I’m unsure about items, I pray about them. I know that sounds a little ridiculous, but I don’t want to purchase something that God is telling me not to get.
I pray about being content with what God has given me already. I struggle with being content, but I want to be. It’s easy to get tired of and grow discontent with something I’ve had in the house because it doesn’t match what that other lady is doing. I want to be content with what God has given me, so I pray for that.
I don’t use our credit card to buy home decor (or any non essential items). If I don’t have the money for it, I don’t buy it.
I try my hardest to have fun shopping for home decor. Like I said, sometimes I can struggle with being discontent. I don’t want to shop for home decor out of that attitude, because it won’t satisfy it. Only God will satisfy that hole in my heart.
I try to balance home decor with usefulness. Wall hanging fulfill their purpose by hanging there on the wall. But if I can find home decor pieces that can be used for more than just looking pretty, I’m all for it (that’s why I am all for baskets… check out my Instagram to see some of the ways I use baskets!).

_____________

I hope this list doesn’t sound like I am a shop-oholic or that I spend an insane amount of time and money shopping for my home. But when I do shop for home decor, I want to do so in a way that glorifies God, is wise in how I spend money, and helps my family and visitors enjoy our home. I want to give it my all when I’m putting my home together. I’m passionate about home decor, but even moreso, I’m passionate about the Lord. And so I want to convey to you that how I shop for home decor is not separate from my life as a Christian. I fully believe that God wants us to enjoy what we work hard on (Ecclesiastes 3:13). As a homemaker, as a wife, and Lord willing, one day as mama, I want to provide for my family a warm home. I want to provide a home that is inviting to others who come to our home, whether a believer or unbeliever. I want to use my home to share the good news of Jesus Christ. So I shop the way I shop with the goal to accomplish that.

I don’t always do this perfectly. I break some of my own rules (like I mentioned previously). I make numerous mistakes on my DIY projects… which sometimes result in me spending more than the item I was trying to replicate. But these things happen. And more than likely they’ll happen for you too. Don’t let this drag you down though! Praise God that He gives us the ability to learn from our mistakes (even the mistakes that aren’t sinful… like messing up on a DIY).

Have fun with your home. Take the time you need to cultivate a space that brings joy. Know that you can have a beautiful home (beautiful to you and your family) without spending a ton of money. Enjoy the things that have been given to you, even if they may not “fit” with your style. And hopefully, the ways in which I shop for home decor will help you know how to turn your house into a home that brings glory to God and joy to your family and visitors.

If you have some ways that you shop for home decor that you’d like to share, please do! I’d love to hear them in the comments below!