Back in October when we bought our house (or rather, when our offer was accepted and we began the long process of escrow), the first thing I did was begin brainstorming how I wanted to decorate. Not just each room, but the vibe of the entire house. I think I’ve mentioned before this was our sixth move in five years, so we have all sorts of different home decor items that fit differently in each house, but not a lot of it all flowed together. We had a couch that fit perfectly in one house, but was too small for another, bedroom furniture that was too small for one master, but aligned really well in another…you see where this is going. This is all to say that by the time we arrived at our last home, our stuff was a mixture of things we loved and things we used simply because they worked – we didn’t feel one way or the other about them.
One of my main goals with purchasing our house was that I wanted to 1. declutter and/or get rid of the insane amount of “stuff” we had 2. make our home a happy place to be and just relax and 3. make the home decor intentional, not just throw something on the wall just because. I talked more about that in my post about hanging our tropical gallery wall. Okay, okay so enough of my blabbering. The point is – I knew that with the general cost of living here in Hawaii, I was going to have to get creative and stretch every extra dollar we had allocated for home decor to have my vision come together in an affordable way.
When all was said and done, I had worked my freaking butt off looking and high and low for good deals on home decor, bargain finds and free shipping from home decor websites. And what’s a good deal if I don’t share it, right? Right. Today I’m sharing all my tips for finding quality home decor that is also affordable home decor. Cheap decar can look good, too! Whether you’re seeking modern decor, vintage-inspired decor, shopping in-store or online — I’ve got something amazing picks and awesome home decor websites! Let’s hop right to it!
The Best Places To Shop For Affordable Home Decor
So first things first – Hawaii doesn’t have amazing stores like Michael’s, Hobby Lobby or Home Goods. Sad, but true. So I knew right off the bat that those fun home stores were out of the question. If you have those in your area – fist bump – I would definitely check those out! Here on Oahu, we have Bed, Bath & Beyond, Ross, TJ Maxx, Target, Walmart and Pier 1 as far as large retailers are concerned. Naturally, I checked out those stores first to see what I could find.
The Best Places To Shop For Home Decor
Bed, Bath & Beyond instantly makes me think of stocking up on things for my dorm room back in college, but they’re also an incredible place to score quality, but inexpensive kitchen tools, coffee pods for Keurigs (they’re always running specials), front door mats, pillows (the kind of sleeping on, not for tossing on your couch) and wait for it…furniture! I didn’t even know they had furniture, but after taking a gander online – they most definitely do. I snagged an adorable bench for my entryway for a fraction of what I would have paid elsewhere. They frequently mail out 20% off mailers and fun fact…they don’t expire! I had a cashier tell me recently to hang onto them even there’s a printed expiration date, because they will still honor the coupon. #goodtoknow I also love that you can shop online at Bed, Bath & Beyond for a larger selection of items and still use the coupons you receive! If you sign up for an account from them, they’ll store your coupons in there so you don’t even have to worry about finding them and inputing the codes! Be sure to check out my favorite things to buy at Bed, Bath + Beyond!
Ross is great for finding necessary items that are oddly expensive anywhere else. Think: towels, shower curtain liners, shower rods and pillow inserts. They also tend to have a good selection of frames and bar stools and every now and then you can find a great accent piece like a bench or accent chair.
The Best Places To Shop For Affordable Home Decor
TJ Maxx is my go-to for throw pillows, blankets, pet supplies (you can’t beat their prices on dog toys), candles and decorative vases. They get new shipments at our store on Mondays, so that’s when I try to go to find the best selection. I love that you can also shop at TJ Maxx online and the selection is even better than the store. If you spend a certain amount you get free shipping, even to Hawaii! #win
Target is, of course, a favorite of mine. I have found some great deals on their rugs (they have been running tons of Cartwheel specials recently), serving trays, candles and furniture like office chairs, desks and funky ottomans. I particularly love when they do collaborations with designers like Nate Berkus, Oh Joy! , Project 62 and others. One issue I often struggle with at Target is that if you’re going for a unique look of any kind, chances are you won’t find it on their shelves…everyone shops here!
And don’t count Walmart out! I have found STEALS at Walmart on outdoor accessories. Think: rugs, patio lights and furniture. Can we talk for a second about how absurdly expensive rugs are? Particularly those that are going to live outside?! I mean – they are going to be exposed to all sorts of things and you want me to pay HOW much?!
Pier 1 runs specials quarterly and right after holidays and truthfully, that is the only time I shop there, solely because I think their goods can be a little on the pricey side. That said, their after holiday sales are a great time to pick up holiday decor for next year or fun accessories (mostly for the kitchen) you might be able to incorporate year round.
Okay so moving right along to places I personally love that you can access online.
First up: Etsy. Etsy is a marketplace of spectacular finds for the home. I know this is especially true if you’re looking for a really specific items (think curtains, a specific color of something or personalized anything). I have scored some great detail pieces for our bar cart (these fun swizzle sticks), as well as pillowcases for our guest room. For a full peek of our guest room, read my Tropical Guest Room post.
The Best Places To Shop For Affordable Home Decor
Joss & Main is a great place to score a deal on items that you’ve been lusting over, but couldn’t quite swallow pulling the trigger on. Think: Safavieh Rugs, EAMES-style chairs and more. One caveat of this site is that you have to be a member, but signing up is free!
On the same wavelength as Joss & Main is One Kings Lane (their themed shops making decorating entire rooms a breeze) and Wayfair!
The Best Places To Shop For Affordable Home Decor
Looking for sheets? Crane and Canopy, Annie Selke and The Company Store all have amazing blowout sales at the end of every season. I stock up then, because the sheets, comforters, quilts and throws are all super high quality and I’m getting them for a bargain. Plus, they have so many designs, colors and patterns to choose from to match nearly any room or theme you have.
When I told a couple friends and family members I was writing this post, they also had suggestions to include! Home Depot is great for outdoor rugs and patio furniture, particularly around Black Friday. H&M has a home section I didn’t even know about where you can find trendy pieces for relatively cheap prices. When Anthropologie runs sales on their already-reduced sale section, be sure to check out candles, mugs and whimsical kitchen accents. They also have a great selection of throw pillows for beds or couches! And though I’ve never personally ordered from the following places, I always check them out when I’m on the hunt for something specific: CB2, Land of Nod and Lulu & Georgia.
Did I miss a place you love for affordable home decor? Modern home decor? Or heck – best affordable home decor websites? Share it with me! I’m always on the hunt for new places to shop, browse and ultimately…spend my money!
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