| When it comes to your bedroom, the most important | | | | trendy thrift stores come from secondhand shops in |
| thing is your personal comfort. The importance of | | | | low income areas. So do what I did - cut out the |
| bedroom furniture cannot be underestimated. Many | | | | middle man and head right for the South Bronx (or |
| people think you need to spend a fortune in | | | | whatever is your friendly neighborhood equivalent). |
| redecorating your bedroom. The good new is those | | | | If you're not interested in perusing thrift stores, try |
| people are wrong. | | | | alleyways in the upscale neighborhoods or cruise the |
| After years of being a student and countless moves | | | | suburbs the night before trash pickup. You'll be |
| from place to place, I've come up with a few things | | | | amazed what some well-off folks are willing to dump |
| that can help you decorate your bedroom without | | | | in a landfill. Their trash can be your treasure. |
| breaking your budget. But before you get started, you | | | | Craigslist is an amazing resource for free stuff. |
| need to get one thing straight: how much can you | | | | Anything from bedroom furniture to concert tickets, |
| spend? Once you have a dollar amount in mind, the | | | | people are willing to give stuff away. And you can get |
| rest is pretty easy. | | | | in on the action with just a couple of clicks. |
| Start with what you need. Do you need new bedroom | | | | The most important thing I've learned about budgeting |
| furniture? Take a list of the items you need. In terms | | | | and decorating is that the lifecycle of your bedroom |
| of bedroom furniture, the single most important piece | | | | furniture (or any furniture for that matter) will outlive |
| of furnishing is your bed. Regardless of how financially | | | | any type of accessorizing you can imagine. The |
| starved you are, you cannot afford to sleep on a | | | | furniture you can get for free. And it will last. |
| cheap bed. Some people will make the mistake of | | | | Therefore, focus on the little things: lamps, books, art, |
| evenly distributing their budgets across whatever | | | | etc. Those you can switch at any time for a whole |
| bedroom furniture and bedroom accessories they feel | | | | new look. |
| they want. This is a huge mistake. Certain pieces, like | | | | And guess what: those are free/just-about-free too! |
| dressers, nightstands, and shelves, can be acquired for | | | | Grab a few of those free weekly magazines, cut out |
| little or nothing. Similarly, accessories don't take a slice | | | | some pictures, and put them on your wall. Trade stuff |
| out of your budget. The one piece that does matter is | | | | with your friends. This last thing is huge. You can |
| your bed. Having a cheaply constructed bed frame | | | | literally cycle accessories within the same group of |
| and a cheap mattress will cost you more in the end | | | | friends for years. Sometimes you can even manage |
| when it comes to health and personal well-being. | | | | to trade full on bedroom furniture pieces with your |
| Other pieces of bedroom furniture you can find in thrift | | | | friends when your things get boring. |
| stores, alleyways, and Craigslist. My bedroom furniture | | | | It's all about creativity. While budgeting can sometimes |
| collection is a combination of all three. If you're looking | | | | be a bit of a hassle, it can also teach you to tap into |
| to do some thrift store shopping, stay away from | | | | your creative resources and find alternate solutions. |
| trendy neighborhoods. Thrift stores in upscale | | | | And that you will carry with you much longer |
| neighborhoods are never cheap. In fact, most items in | | | | (hopefully) than you will your (near) empty wallet. |