I hope everyone enjoyed last week’s post! It was, by far, my most viewed post that I have done since starting my blog which is nice because it gives me an idea of the kind of things you guys like to see and read on my blog.
My two main topics that I wanted to share on my blog are fashion and home decor. I have not done that many fashion posts which makes me sad, but I do post a lot on my Instagram so make sure to follow me on there!
Anyways, for today’s Friday Favorites, I want to focus on one of the most popular rooms in the house (or at least mine)…the living room! Before Jaden and I moved in, I had an idea about the kind of decor I wanted going in, but it changed a lot since we actually moved in. So now I am Pinteresting all of these new ideas and trying to incorporate them in my living room!
My favorite color to incorporate into decor is light blue. I think it’s because it’s a calming color and feels very welcoming while also being “clean”. I tend to stick to more neutral shades but I do like to splash a little bit of color. I love the splashes of blue in this living room.
I do not like the yellow at all, but I love the idea above the couch. It’s a good idea if you are looking to add something to a big blank wall.
I would totally get an ivory/white couch if I could. Honestly, I wish I would have instead of the grey couch that we have right now. They tend to make them easier to clean nowadays which is perfect for us with messy toddlers! I also LOVE the table there behind the couch.
I just love these little chairs! I think they are so cute and give the room a bit of a coastal feel which I am all about.
This is actually the first picture that I saved when getting ideas for my house. I didn’t know how hard it would be pairing the wood with my grey couch. It is so easy to clash the two and it stresses me out so I try to find living rooms that have grey couches while also having the decor that I have and am going for.
Also, there is my light blue again! Ugh, I just love this living room!
Yes, it’s me! I am ALIVE! I know it has been forever since I last posted and if you follow me on social media, you know that I have been living without internet for the past month and a half.
Long story short, since we moved into a brand new development, our internet provider had not been able to set up here yet and the permits took FOREVER to get approved. It is insane because there were about 10 families that moved in before us and they went even longer without internet!
During our move, Jaden and I got off of our parents phone plans and started on our own but we decided to go with a different carrier and since we switched over, our hotspot was also insanely slow.
Anyways, we are so happy to finally have internet and now we need to catch up on shows and I need to blog, blog, blog!
The great thing is that since I was still able to type up documents on my laptop, I have some posts all ready for you guys so we are set for awhile!
Since it is Friday and it’s the middle of November, I figured today would be a post all about holiday decor!
I like this idea because it is not super holiday-y and could work year round!
Here’s a simple idea using candles, a tray and some small bells!
If you have a long dining table, I thought this would be a cute, simple way to make a centerpiece. I love the lights too! It makes it look so pretty.
The other day, I saw that Target had these cute little house decorations in the dollar spot area and I thought they were so cute but I had no idea where I would put them. Then I saw this and thought this was such a cute idea!
How cute is this little centerpiece? I love the addition of the berries too, it really adds a little holiday touch!
I know garlands are HUGE right now and I thought this was a super simple idea for a garland! Also, Target sells little ornaments for really cheap and would be perfect for making a garland like this one.
Anyone else obsessed with these little glitter trees? I know I am!
If you are someone that has a bar area, I thought this was a super cute idea to add some holiday flare there!
Another simple decor idea using ornaments and glitter pinecones!
Here’s another idea with pinecones and some faux decor twigs!
I know a lot of people like to put their treats and candy out on display during the holiday season and I thought this looked so cute. It is also perfect if your holiday decor features a lot of red!
Happy Tuesday everyone! Something I was asked A LOT when we were living in the apartment was how I decorated it so cute while being on a budget. Obviously, since Jaden and I were just starting out AND getting pregnant so soon, we did not have all the money in the world so budgeting was important for us. However, I still wanted to decorate our little apartment and make it feel more at home.
When we first moved in, I HATED it. It was so noisy, we had horrible neighbors and the apartment itself wasn’t in the best shape. I tried to be humble and most of the time, I was fine, but being pregnant and dealing with everything was super stressful for me so it was important that I make our apartment as comfortable for us as possible.
I have to point out, my parents were a HUGE help when furnishing our apartment. My parents bought our dining table (from At Home) and they helped pay for half of our couch (from Living Space). This past Christmas, my parents gifted us with our coffee table because before, we were using the cheap little 4-foot foldable table and my mom couldn’t stand it! So I do have to give them some credit there but even though they did gift us with stuff, Jaden and I still had them buy our stuff from stores that were running deals and wouldn’t be crazy expensive!
Alright, now let’s get into it! Here are some tips on how to decorate on a budget:
1. ALWAYS look in the clearance section!
Home Goods and Target’s clearance sections were my best friend while living in the apartment, I’ll admit that 75% of the time, I did not find much but man, those times where you find that ONE item you have been waiting to enter the clearance shelf…it’s the BEST! I used to work at Target and a lot of that time, I spent in the Home section so I figured out that twice a year, Target will clearance out a ton of home stuff! How to know when those times are coming up? Well that’s my next tip…
-Also with Target…download the app AND get the Red Card! You save 5% every time you use your Red Card and you get free shipping online. When you use the Target App, you will always know what deals are going on and what they have on Cartwheel. I LOVE when they do the “Spend blank and get blank off”, I usually take advantage of those when they have them for home or groceries.
2. Ask the employees what they know!
Always get in good with the employees! At Target and Victoria’s Secret, we always knew in advance what promotions were going to be happening and if we really liked a customer, we would let keep them in the loop! At our Home Goods, we found out when the best days to go shopping were and when they got their shipments.
3. Always stick to neutral colors!
This is something I have had to learn over the years and it’s really helped me! I know by now that I get tired of color REALLY quick. For example, I will see a blue rug and I will ADORE it…for a week. Then I want a new one! And we all know rugs are super expensive!
So I have learned, that ESPECIALLY for high price tagged items, stick to neutral colors. You will keep them longer and won’t get sick of them as quickly. If I do want to add some color into my room, I do it with little decorations that do not cost a lot like pillow cases, little plants, or even throws.
4. Shop Around for the Best Deal!
Don’t be quick to buy furniture without shopping around first. Before buying anything, I spend like a few days researching numerous store to see who has the best deal on what I am looking for.
5. Some Things Can Be Bought USED!
I’ll be honest, I am not a fan of buying used and I rarely do it but I think my issue is I am super picky and I don’t like DIY projects because THB I am too lazy for that! However, I know a lot of people enjoy doing that and I SO wish I did because I would love to buy used items and repaint them or vamp them up!
I always browse through Facebook Marketplace and I find so many cute bookshelves, chairs, and other furniture!
The important thing to remember is what is okay to buy used and what’s not. Anything like couches, beds, pillows or appliances, I personally would never buy used. But things like bookshelves, tables, and chairs are totally okay!
6. Three Letters…D I Y!
Okay, so like I said, I am not a big “DIY” Person and I think it’s because I do not have a creative mind what-so-ever! I wish so badly that I did but I am hoping that once we move into our house, I will be inspired to get more creative and try more DIY’s.
If you are in touch with your creative side, I highly suggest looking up DIY’s. I recently found this girl who is the QUEEN of DIY’s and her Instagram handle is @frillsanddrills or you can check out her blog by clicking here. It is AMAZING what she does and she walks you through how to do everything!
7. Take Advantage of Those Holiday Sales!
When Jaden and I moved into our apartment, it was the beginning of November which means that Black Friday was right around the corner. We got most of our furniture around that time because we wanted to be able to take advantage of the Black Friday deals!
This time around, we are moving at the end of September so we JUST missed Labor Day deals. Luckily, some of our appliances are being held for us so we can pay for them after we close, that way we can still take advantage of those Labor Day deals.
If you are moving in around holiday’s where stores run their best deals, I highly suggest waiting to take advantage of them so you can get some furniture for a good deal! Especially the bigger pieces like appliances and couches!
Well there you have it! My best tips for decorating on a budget! I looked through all of my pictures to find as many pictures as I could of our apartment but turns out I never took ANY! I posted a ton in my Instagram Stories but I never saved them so this one above is the ONLY one I could find. This was our living room!
Couch was from Living Spaces. The white pillows are from Home Goods. The light blue pillows are from Target. The coffee table is from IKEA. The candle is from Bath & Body Works. The little plant is from Home Goods. Finally, the gallery wall frames are from Target!
Nissa St Gelais 