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Decorating 101: How to Budget

Decorating 101: How to Budget

Mar 10, 2020

Budget doesn’t have to be a dirty word! Now that you’ve decided to decorate your home, or even redecorate a room or two, it’s time to figure out how much this project will cost. Instead of picking a random number out of thin air, use these tips to figure out how much your decorating project may cost and how you should allocate your budget.

Make a decorating plan

Making a decorating plan is an important step in the decorating process. It’ll keep you from being overwhelmed by focusing your attention on your design priorities and will from being blindsided by the final bill. Review your current belongings and decided which items you plan to replace and which can be repurposed. This will help you to create a budget for your projects.

Part of your decorating plan can be to decide if you want to decorate all at once (if you have the budget for it, go for it!) or if you’d prefer to decorate in stages, which will give you time to save money for each phase.

Prioritize your rooms

Unless you have an unlimited design budget (one can wish!), make the most of your budget by prioritizing which rooms you’ll focus your energies. Most designers recommend investing in public spaces like your living or dining rooms while going minimal in more private areas like bedrooms.

If you’re unsure where to start, the living room is a solid choice. You’ll have a beautiful new space your entire family can enjoy and one you can share with friends. Use that to build your confidence and momentum to launch other decorating projects.

Make a wishlist

Now that you’ve prioritized your rooms, its time to create your dream design wishlist. Let your imagination run wild during this phase. Write down everything you’d like to do and buy for your space but be specific. If you want a giant wall of bookshelves, decide if you’d like them to be built-in or freestanding.

Determine your actual budget

Look at your monthly inflows and expenses and determine how much you realistically afford to spend. Chose an amount you feel you can afford and would feel happy spending. If you need to save money, create a savings plan instead of maxing out your credit card.

Comparison shop

If this is the first time decorating a home or it’s been a long time since you’ve last decorated, prepare to do some research. Before buying anything, start looking around to see how much your wishlist items cost. Remember to include extra charges like shipping and delivery.

Don’t let the numbers discourage you! You may need to narrow down your wishlist or find less expensive options to make sure you stay on budget. Sometimes it comes down to making a few adjustments to get the same look at a more affordable price.

Stick to your budget

This is probably the most difficult step. It’s easy to lose track of spending so staying organized will be important. Sometimes overspending happens even for the most diligent trackers. Don’t give up or give yourself a hard time; instead, check your budget and your list and find areas you can pull back on.

Decorating can be expensive but with some planning, you can keep the costs from going out of control.

FCB Homes builds new home communities in Lodi, Stockton, and Manteca. We hope you’ll consider one of our new single-family homes when you’re ready to buy. Visit us at FCBHomes.com to learn more about our communities, view plans, and to schedule a tour.