Decorating a two bedroom apartment strictly with freebies, craigslist and thrift shop finds.
by
E H
$200
The project is decorating a home when you literally have little to no money and being comfortable in it. I am sorry I don't have any before pictures but quite frankly all you have to do is imagine the place totally empty except for some clothes on the floor.
*Options I considered for this project:
I considered going out and just buying everything he needed but the budget didn't allow for that.
*Questions and unexpected events that arose during the project:
Where do I get everything I need in the short time I am in town and with practically no money?
*My motivation to do this project:
I did this project because my son was living in an EMPTY apartment. It is easy to tell your mom everything is OK when you are 700 miles away. I was told don't worry I am a minimalist so I don't need a lot. That's OK but when I got to his place, I was shocked that he was actually sleeping on the floor with a blanket, nothing at all was in the living room the dining room had a small table with everything under the sun sitting on it (mail, laptop, books, you name it) and there was nowhere entertain guests and enjoy the place. So I swiftly went into MOMMY mode and came up with a plan!
*Options I considered for this project:
I considered going out and just buying everything he needed but the budget didn't allow for that.
*Questions and unexpected events that arose during the project:
Where do I get everything I need in the short time I am in town and with practically no money?
*My motivation to do this project:
I did this project because my son was living in an EMPTY apartment. It is easy to tell your mom everything is OK when you are 700 miles away. I was told don't worry I am a minimalist so I don't need a lot. That's OK but when I got to his place, I was shocked that he was actually sleeping on the floor with a blanket, nothing at all was in the living room the dining room had a small table with everything under the sun sitting on it (mail, laptop, books, you name it) and there was nowhere entertain guests and enjoy the place. So I swiftly went into MOMMY mode and came up with a plan!
Imagine all of theses rooms being totally empty.
*Project Steps:
Living room.
Bedroom
I started searching craigslist for freebies. A woman gave me a queen size mattress set (this can be tricky because you have to careful not to get soiled items that are unsanitary. After examining the home it came from and the mattress set I took it to the apartment sanitized it and place the entire thing in a zip up enclosure. This type of mattress cover is very good to prevent dust mite infestation and any other critters you are trying to avoid.
Bedroom
Office (second bedroom)
I also got a free desk for his office (that I painted with a $1 can of spray paint) and a great cabinet for the kitchen.
Office
Dining room
Kitchen entrance
I visited several thrift shops for items (remember decorating is all in the accessories). At the thrift shop I found a sofa table for $7 that I placed the TV on, a metal rack that I used to place his pot and pans on and all sorts of "Knick-Knacks" to go around the place.
Kitchen
OK, I did buy a few items from Brands mart (about 10 kitchen gadgets for $83 including a toaster, coffee maker etc) and I bought a $20 slip cover from IKEA for the sofa.
Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 10 comments
-
Mom to the rescue! But I bet you taught your son some valuable lessons and he'll be checking out Craig's list or thrift stores from now on. I'm proud of you, Mom!
-
Great job Mom!! I did something like that for my son and his wife when they were newly weds years ago!! My daughter-in-law was so touched, as a new bride would like to make a new home and it's hard to do when there isn't a lot of money. Touched my heart!!
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?