How Do I Get a New Couch Without Spending Any Money?

If you’re like us, you want to know the easiest—and cheapest—ways to keep your house looking cozy and chic. You’ve probably realized by now that it takes a lot more than paint. But it doesn’t have to cost a lot more than paint.

If you’re on a tight budget—or you just like to save money—and need to change the look of your home, then check out these helpful blogs designed specifically for decorators who don’t want to spend much money.

Do It Yourself!

One way to cut down cost is to cut out the middle man. That’s right, skip paying for labor and buy raw materials to create décor yourself! This list of blogs is helpful for even the most creatively challenged because it’s not simply about grabbing an old lamp and some shears and magically inventing a redesigned lamp shade. These do-it-yourselfers offer step-by-step guides for how to make their creations yourself, without spending much to get there.

• Try Addicted 2 Decorating for not only a plethora of project ideas, but mistakes to avoid as well. She provides plans for rooms and porches and other parts of the home as she moves from room to room remodeling her house.
• The “How to Decorate” section of The Inspired Room blog guides readers in how to get started with DIY decorations—by category. You can start in a room, with a color, seasonally, and many more.
• The Painted Hive offers an upholstery tutorial right on their home page, so you know their how-to section is going to blow your current knowledge out of the water!

Using What You’ve Got

Sometimes the best way to decorate is to reimagine the spaces you already have in your home by arranging them in new ways. These blogs help get the creative juices flowing by suggesting different ways to see your rooms.

• Apartment Therapy keeps readers on their toes with suggestions that they never would have thought of on their own—like using kitchen cabinets throughout the house.
• The ideas on House Beautiful are sure to help you reimagine all kinds of rooms in your home—down to the bookshelves.

Shopping Guides

Hunting down deals at your local big box decorating stores and frequenting second hand shops is another way to keep decorating costs down. These guides to thrifty and savvy shopping will help you stay focused and energized when do decorating shopping—and save you money.

• Over at 2^nd-Hand Tips, they’ve got a complete thrifty shopping guide that will help any second shopper get the most out of their trip.
• You’ll find lots of ideas for what to buy at yard sales at The Frugal Homemaker’s blog.

What are your thrifty decorating tips?

The answer to our title question? There are a few ways—look in the “free” section of your local Craigslist website; keep an ear out among your friends for someone who is retiring a couch; or make or purchase tasteful couch covers. Keep in mind that a thrift store might have a decent couch for cheap, too. Check out the blogs on this list, though, for the best tips.

Do you have any decorating tips for us? Perhaps you have your own decorating blog? Pop the web address into the comment box below, and we’ll look at it! never hesitate to leave a comment—we want to hear from you.