Moving in with a significant other is a big milestone. There’s a sacrifice of personal space and independence, but you gain so much more: a domestic partner to share living expenses and domestic duties, a step up in the relationship, and a commitment that says more than words could express. Like all major life changes, moving in together comes with bumps in the road. Besides compromises and agreeing on decisions for your living space, the cost of moving can be a challenge to overcome.
Moving isn’t cheap. First, you have deposits and down payments, and on top of that, the cost of moving averages out to $1,250 locally and $4,890 long distance. The numbers vary based on the size of your home, distance traveled, and services hired, but every move has a cost. Once you arrive at your new home, you’re faced with even more expenses that come with getting settled into the new space. To help alleviate the move-in decorating costs, try some of these budget-friendly suggestions to make your first home together feel like it belongs to both of you.
Shop Wisely
Save the fancy items for your wedding registry, and stick to more affordable methods when paying out-of-pocket for your home goods. Need more hangers? Bigger sheets for your new bed? A shower caddy to accommodate the extra bottles? A set of wine glasses for date nights? Many retailers offer countless options for the things that you’ll need to fill your place and make it livable. Shopping online can provide more discounts and money savings, like using a Bed Bath & Beyond promo code to keep purchases within your budget, as well as give you access to a full range of products.
Thrifting
When shopping for furniture, thrift stores could be a great option for high-quality pieces at steeply discounted prices. You can find solid wood dressers and tables for less than you’d pay for flimsy particleboard, but what you’d be getting is more reliable and sturdier. Secondhand shopping can bring a treasure trove of goods for decorating as well. If you dig deep enough, you could score a deal on cool lamps or vintage artwork to hang on the walls and adorn your shelves.
Shop Locally
Some of the same deals that you’d find at Goodwill can also be found in person at a swap meet or flea market, as well as online at resale sites like OfferUp or Facebook Marketplace. Vendors often sell off their old goods, so you never know what you’ll come across! You could even utilize these secondhand markets to sell things that you don’t want in exchange for extra cash to buy new “used” items for the home.
DIY and Crafting
The most economical way to decorate is to make it yourself. Sometimes the cheapest place to find decorations is at Michaels, where you can buy the crafting supplies and create your own artwork. Think cross stitch wall art, hanging plants, and homemade door wreaths. Another option is to print your own high-quality photos on acrylic, metal, or canvas to hang on the wall in lieu of paintings. Photos of you or taken by you will add a personal touch to your interior décor. You can DIY painting as well. When painting your home, consider using cool colors (e.g., shades for blue and green) to create the illusion of space.
Repurposing
Surely, you and your partner are moving in together with some things from your former homes. Even if what you owned individually doesn’t fit in with the theme of the house, you can still find a way to repurpose it in your new home. Your first IKEA desk from college might not be the ideal office furniture for your new home office, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t use it to create a new piece of furniture. Perhaps it can be used as an entry table or bench in the foyer.
If you’re trying to pinch pennies as much as possible, then consider asking for hand-me-downs from friends and family members. Perhaps put off decorating for the time being — at least until you fill your home with the essentials first. At the very least, you can simply reuse your old things until save up enough to start fresh. Even if your individual styles clash, the mismatched home would be a unique representation of your relationship and your life together.
Author bio: Natalie enjoys writing about homebuying and hopes to inspire homeowners of all stages enjoy the perks of homeownership!
