1. Think function, then form: Before you purchase anything, consider your daily home life, more specifically do you have children, pets, or entertain a lot? Any of these can/will mean your home and decor will have to withstand all you can imagine, from spills to chewing. For example, in the living room, get an inexpensive woven/sisal rug, these are easy to clean, you can custom order them to you specific size needs and preferred color border.
2. Do a trial run: once you find a piece that you love, rather than impuse purchasing, put the item on hold, or be sure you understand the return policy. Take a photo with your phone and ask for the items measurements. By doing this, you can save yourself from a few missteps, such as buyers remorse, incorrect estimates on size of your space, it also gives you the opportunity to search online and see if you can find the same (or similar) item at a lower price, thus allowing additional funds for future purchases (or those shoes you have been dying for!)
3. Don't rule out custom pieces: all homes are different shapes and sizes, thus calling for a variety of choices when it comes to items such as a couch. Especially for the family, sectionals are a practical, comfortable option to seat everyone. Spend sometime searching the internet, (buildasofa.com, sofasandsectionals.com) you will be shocked when you find that ordering a sectional to your specific size needs is not only very simple, but it is also the same, if not a bit less (in terms of cost) to a traditional ready made piece.
4. Breathe new life into old things: all it takes is a bit of creativity, some basic skills and materials, ta da, you go from a crappy old table to a gorgeous newly designed (to your standards) piece. For some DIY inspiration and tips, simply peruse Pintrest.com
5. Shop at antique fairs, yard sales and online: Half the time you will find junk, but the other half you may find very practical, useable pieces of furniture, decor, etc. You have to go into these shopping trips with your mind open and creativity flowing, so you can see what items have potential to be, not just what they are in the current state. This tip ties into the one above, in that all you need are basic materials and a creative idea to turn a mess into a masterpiece.
6. Work with what you have: by re-using and re-vamping things you already have you are spending little to no money to create a new look. For example, use one of you old, solid color sheets to re-upholster a headboard. Or to add a pop of prints or color to the living room sofa, use a sheet or large pillowcase that may have torn in some place and become clutter, sew together to make new pillow covers. Even frame and hang your kids artwork to add some color and personalization to a room.
A few of my favorite budget designs/items:
