Yayyyyyyy! I mean about the excitement of the house, not about the terrified and the broke. Don't be terrified. You won't be broke. And now we can all look forward to lots of home-dec crafty updates! :D
I know that I won't be broke - at least not forever! I've saved a decent chunk of change by living at home the last three years, and really - if I get a roommate, which I hope to do soon - I won't be making that large of a monthly payment. My problem now is finding that roommate, because both of the girls I had set my hopes on seem to have bailed on me. For the rent I would be asking, I could probably get any number of candidates, but it would be nice to have someone I know and like!
I'll certainly be needing suggestions on some cheap, efficient, and attractive ways to organize and decorate my house! I'm going to need a lot of furniture, that's for sure, because all I really have is a bed and (potentially) some short bar chairs. And pots and pans and food and curtains and... egad!! o_O
Why do I feel like my house is going to be a lot like the Burrow, with crochet/knit things everywhere and everything looking altogether mismatched? ^_^
Why do I feel like my house is going to be a lot like the Burrow, with crochet/knit things everywhere and everything looking altogether mismatched?
Hey, at least the Burrow was relaxed and welcoming. That's a good thing to emulate! Most of my stuff doesn't match. Far more interested in comfort than home-and-garden, me.
I'll certainly be needing suggestions on some cheap, efficient, and attractive ways to organize and decorate my house!
People have already mentioned second-hand and garage sales. Of course that's pretty random as to what you can find in such places; one can find treasures as well as trash but you don't know beforehand which will be there.
In regard to things that aren't second-hand, my first suggestion is archive boxes. I'm not sure if you call them something else over there, but they're cardboard boxes with lids that are intended for businesses to put their old paperwork in, so they're cheapish and generous in size, and you can stack them. They're much cheaper than the plastic storage boxes that are touted as "cheap storage". To go with the archive boxes, when I was first setting up house, I bought a set of wire-frame modular cubes, from a general/hardware store. I'm not sure how to describe them. It's a DIY sort of shelving kit. The kit is made up of two kinds of parts: flat square metal lattice (which is coated in plastic), and plastic connector-things. You use the plastic connector-things to build a cube out of the metal squares, and then you use more of the metal squares and connector-things to add on more cubes on top and/or to the side of the original cube. And the cubes just so happen to be the right size to put archive boxes into. It's really a rather nifty system. Unfortunately, they seem to come and go in fashion, so you may not be able to find any.
In regard to things you can make - throw-rugs. That's a way of making mismatched sitting-room furniture look unified.
I like the idea of the boxes! I'm certainly planning on getting plenty of shelves and organizing the heck out of this place. I like the idea of using either archive boxes (I know what those are) or plastic containers for keeping my things together. My craft room (HEE) in particular will have to be organized because I have just so much STUFF!
In the last year or two I decided that I would turn my lounge-dining area into my "craft room" because, while my study was my official craft room, I never did any craft there, because the light wasn't good enough and the craft table was always covered with junk; I always ended up doing my craft in the lounge-dining area anyway. So I have a sturdy card-table which is for doing craft on (though half the time I do it on the dining table anyway) and I got these metal shelves (the kind you put in the garage or shed) and put my yarn and beads in boxes & plastic drawers on the shelves, plus a small section of craft books - so it's all there, easily accessible. More recently I replaced some of the archive boxes with transparent plastic storage boxes, so that it was easier to see what yarn was in what box. So, yeah, I suggest if you do get plastic storage boxes, get transparent ones, because being able to see the contents is a distinct advantage.
Houses are investments :) So you're not giving your money away; you're turning it into equity. (<- That bit of clarity helped me when I bought mine. Hang onto it!)
I know, and I need to keep reminding myself of that. Maybe I would feel more confident about the "investment" side if it was actually a free-standing house as opposed to a townhouse, but really, it probably doesn't make as big of a difference.
Also, my dad's been so dead set on building me a house on our property. He's got an acre and half (or something), and he's convinced that it would make more sense to build. But then when I go to sell, or when I move elsewhere in a few years, what's he going to do? I don't know... this is all just terribly confusing!
congrats, keeping my fingers crossed this is the house for you. =0) It took Mr Crafts4others and I three times before we finally got our house after making previous bids.
I knoooooooww, but it's still scary! But yes, especially with a roommate, it'll be very affordable. I think the downpayment is freaking me out most - I'm planning on putting some sizable money down which will, of course, make my monthly pay cheaper, but it's sort of terrifying to part all at once with that sum of money!
It is! I remember how scared I was when I bought my car and put down a chunk on it. I didn't have nearly as much socked away then as now, and I was scared. I can imagine doing it for a house...
Lucky for me, I actually have a bed, a couch, an entertainment set, and a kitchen table! But yes, there will be much thrift-storing and garage sale-ing. Probably not as much until the summer, but I suppose it's something to look forward to!
dozmuffinxc
Comments
Congratulations!
I'll certainly be needing suggestions on some cheap, efficient, and attractive ways to organize and decorate my house! I'm going to need a lot of furniture, that's for sure, because all I really have is a bed and (potentially) some short bar chairs. And pots and pans and food and curtains and... egad!! o_O
Why do I feel like my house is going to be a lot like the Burrow, with crochet/knit things everywhere and everything looking altogether mismatched? ^_^
Hey, at least the Burrow was relaxed and welcoming. That's a good thing to emulate!
Most of my stuff doesn't match. Far more interested in comfort than home-and-garden, me.
I'll certainly be needing suggestions on some cheap, efficient, and attractive ways to organize and decorate my house!
People have already mentioned second-hand and garage sales. Of course that's pretty random as to what you can find in such places; one can find treasures as well as trash but you don't know beforehand which will be there.
In regard to things that aren't second-hand, my first suggestion is archive boxes. I'm not sure if you call them something else over there, but they're cardboard boxes with lids that are intended for businesses to put their old paperwork in, so they're cheapish and generous in size, and you can stack them. They're much cheaper than the plastic storage boxes that are touted as "cheap storage".
To go with the archive boxes, when I was first setting up house, I bought a set of wire-frame modular cubes, from a general/hardware store. I'm not sure how to describe them. It's a DIY sort of shelving kit. The kit is made up of two kinds of parts: flat square metal lattice (which is coated in plastic), and plastic connector-things. You use the plastic connector-things to build a cube out of the metal squares, and then you use more of the metal squares and connector-things to add on more cubes on top and/or to the side of the original cube. And the cubes just so happen to be the right size to put archive boxes into. It's really a rather nifty system. Unfortunately, they seem to come and go in fashion, so you may not be able to find any.
In regard to things you can make - throw-rugs. That's a way of making mismatched sitting-room furniture look unified.
And ooh, throw rugs! And afghans! :)
Houses are investments :) So you're not giving your money away; you're turning it into equity. (<- That bit of clarity helped me when I bought mine. Hang onto it!)
Also, my dad's been so dead set on building me a house on our property. He's got an acre and half (or something), and he's convinced that it would make more sense to build. But then when I go to sell, or when I move elsewhere in a few years, what's he going to do? I don't know... this is all just terribly confusing!
Edited at 2013-01-15 08:41 pm (UTC)
Congrats my love.
Love Sonia :)
Love Sonia :)
I understand the terror and broke sort of thing. But you'll make more money!
Used furniture and paint - that's the ticket! You'd be amazed the things you can find at garage sales and on Craigslist.
And repeating what others have said, used furniture is wonderful. It's often cheaper and of better quality than what's in some stores today!