Your first home will always be a special intimate place filled with so much laughter and smiles! As a military family, the home will be wherever the Good Lord and the Marine Corps send us. This is exciting but also nerve-racking! Decorating your first home always has its challenges whether you’re on a military budget or not. Here are some helpful tips my husband and I used for decorating our first home!
Alex and I have been truly blessed by God’s kindness in providing for our first home! While engaged, I visited Alex with my brother and his brother. During the course of our visit, we apartment shopped! Pictures can be deceiving and a couple of times we drove up and immediately drove away. Eventually, we found the first “home of our dreams” (Well, maybe the apartment of our dreams). After we married, we began life together in our tiny humble home. Though humble, it was ours, and we loved it!
God truly has been incredibly gracious! We don’t need any of the things He has provided, but I am so thankful for His lovingkindness in providing for our first home!
I hope you are encouraged and inspired by some of our finds for our first home, and that you take away some useful tips for your own home!
1. Make a Budget
Make a budget. ~ Be mindful of how much you and your spouse can spend. If it is only $100, be intentional and stick to your budget. Especially when starting off in your marriage because money can be scarce. Ultimately material items are simply that, material items. Try your hardest not to get hung up on appealing overpriced things.
In fact, each month, Alex and I sit down to budget out everything for the next month. We include groceries, rent, car stuff, phone bills, dates, and fun money for ourselves. Budgeting really is great!
Be willing to shop at budget-friendly places! Craigslist oddly still has great finds! Facebook Marketplace has many gems. And of course, your friendly TJ-Maxx is still the king of all!
2. Patience is a Virtue
Be patient. ~ So much harder said, than done. Nevertheless, patience is a necessity. You may find something that is too expensive, let it pass and be patient that you will find something another time.
This happened a couple of times to me. I found a dining set that I loved, and even though it was a good deal, it wasn’t good enough for us at that time. Worrying about it and missing it, is a waste of my time. Like that old saying, “There are more fish in the sea!”
While shopping at TJ-Maxx, I found two stunning “Square Euro” pillows. They would perfectly match my guest bedroom! But, for $70 each (way too much), I let the wonderful find pass. Fortunately, a couple of months later at Stein Mart, I found two different “Square Euro” pillows for $15 each! (Stein Mart)
3. Flexibility is a must!
Flexibility is a must! ~ You never know, a great find might be a little road trip away. Never stretch yourself too thin, but be willing to make a 40-minute drive.
We found the lovely tea set in the pictures on Facebook Marketplace. Alex and I turned our drive to get this tea set into a little tourist adventure. If you are ever in northern Florida, Blackwater River State Park is absolutely lovely!
4. BE CAREFUL!
BE CAREFUL! ~ Please, please, please be smart and careful when purchasing through Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist! Take the necessary precautions when driving to unknown areas and meeting unknown sellers. I would recommend never traveling alone. Make sure someone knows where you are. As a lover of liberty, I also encourage exercising your constitutional rights.
There is never a reason to put yourself in harm’s way. If you feel uncomfortable, LEAVE! You are under no obligation to anyone!
5. Enjoy the Bargain!
Enjoy the Bargain! ~ It is your money, your hard work! Don’t be afraid to bargain. You will never know if you don’t ask and the worst they can say is no.
Alex and I always seek to bargain and assure the seller we will bring cash. We have been told no, but most times we manage to get an even better price than the one they gave us. No harm done, and both parties leave happy!
Decorating our first Home…
Recently, Alex and I found this lovely 10-piece gold and blue floral tea set with bowls, plate, dessert plates, teacups, coffee cups, and other matching dishes. (Not everything is in the pictures lol). We already have a lovely stunning gold wedding china set, but this playful spring and summer floral tea set will be a lovely addition to light afternoon parties. Though we didn’t need this set by any means, we budgeted, saved, remained patient, and negotiated for an unbelievable price!
The tea set looks lovely on our gold chart!
Remember always bargain!
- The cart was listed for $60, we offered $40 cash. She accepted 🙂
- The tea set was listed for $50, we offered $40 cash. They accepted 🙂
According to the lady we bought the cart from, her Great Aunt purchased it while in Italy. We will never know, but it is sure beautiful!
The tea set is another story. Over 20 years ago the set was purchased. Today, you can still purchase different pieces of the set for $50 – $400. The couple we bought it from had never used them before and were tired of moving them around the country. We’re excited to use such a lovely set in all our future homes!
Remember, be patient! There are great finds out there. Don’t stress about it, take your time decorating your first home together. And never be afraid to change your style up!
Check out my other post for more encouraging and helpful tips for Decorating your First Home!
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