How to DIY a Beautiful Nursery and Baby Decor on a Budget
Hey friends! We’re now knee-deep into renovating our baby girl’s rustic woodland nursery! And since we’re pinching our pennies these days, we’re doing the nursery on a budget. Are you interested in learning how to DIY a beautiful nursery and baby decor on a budget? Keep on reading!
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How to DIY a Beautiful Nursery and Baby Decor on a Budget
You guys know I love me some DIY projects. Not only do I get a crazy sense of satisfaction doing it myself, but also doing it yourself is an amazing way to save some money.
And since right now, we’re rocking a one income household, it’s important for us to beautify her space without spending a ton. So we’ve set a budget of $300, and I’ve been hammering away lots of great ideas I can’t wait to share with you.
It occurred to me, though, that many people would be terrified trying to design an entire room on such a limited budget. I mean, sheesh, in some stores, $300 wouldn’t even cover the cost a dresser, ya know?
So today I thought I’d share my tried n’ true tricks for overhauling a space while staying super thrifty. If you’re the visual type, keep on reading below. Otherwise enjoy the video!
Set a Budget for Your Nursery Decor and DIY Baby Room Projects
Okay, this is a big one. And maybe it’s a little obvious, but time and again, this has bitten me in the butt. And when I say “set a budget,” I don’t just mean figure out how much you wanna spend.
Here’s what I mean:
Get on the Same Page with your Partner about the Nursery Budget
First, you have to set a budget …and everyone has to agree to it. Thankfully when my husband and I sat down to hash this out, we both thought $300 sounded like a do-able amount.
In other conversations? Agreeing wasn’t quite so easy. There was a lot of back and forth and tears (mine) and quiet sulking (his). But getting on the same page before you begin. SO. IMPORTANT.
That Nursery Budget? Divvy It Up and Get Super Specific
Second, you need to allocate that budget to line items. Yep, there I go with some financial jargon. This means that you need to take your budget and divide it up across your anticipated expenses.
And you know what? Even if $300 seemed like an okay amount, I tell you, it goes awfully fast once it’s spit up.
Why do this? There’s a little sumpthin called “scope creep” that’s a big pain when managing project budgets. Unless you divvy up your budget, it’s easy to think “I could just add on these curtains, right? And what would it hurt to get these $5 dresser knobs?? It’s just another coupla bucks!”
That’s the curse of scope creep. Before you know it, you’ve added another hundred bucks onto your overall budget.
Add in ALL Costs for Each and Every Baby Room DIY Project
Third, factor in materials. Sure you’re gonna save money painting the room yourself, BUT when you’re mapping out your budget you gotta consider materials. In addition to paint, you need a roller, a tray, tape, a drop cloth, yada yada, the list goes on. And those materials? They add up, too!
So take this part of the process seriously because setting up a budget is setting yourself up for success.
Stick to a Vision for Baby Decor in the Space
Whenever I approach a room renovation, I like to create a vision board of ideas. I do this on Photoshop, but you could just as easily create a vision board using Pinterest pins or even tear ideas out of magazines.
Our $300 Nursery Vision Board for a Rustic Woodland Nursery
Here’s our pretty vision board for our daughter’s rustic woodland boho nursery.
All of the products are tagged below with affiliate links:
Script Print: https://rstyle.me/n/cw2wckcc6qx
Wall Hanging: https://rstyle.me/n/cw2wahcc6qx
Rug: https://rstyle.me/n/cw2v4xcc6qx
Chandelier: https://rstyle.me/n/cw2v6pcc6qx
Crib: https://rstyle.me/n/czqjafcc6qx
Floral Twig Hanging: http://tidd.ly/c99dcf8a
Toybox: https://rstyle.me/n/czqpk8cc6qx
Free Woodland Art Print: https://www.homebeautifully.com/woodland
Flooring for Walls: https://rstyle.me/n/czqpcxcc6qx
Deer Print: http://tidd.ly/16b38a6b
White Curtains: https://rstyle.me/n/czqne2cc6qx
Jemima Puddleduck Doll: https://rstyle.me/n/czqpswcc6qx
Peter Rabbit Doll: https://rstyle.me/n/czqptccc6qx
Plus, setting a vision really helps with the next idea, which is:
Upcycle Baby Decor and Nursery Accessories Whenever Possible
You guys. Do you KNOW how expensive farmhouse style chandeliers are? And here’s the thing: they are so beautiful that I get why they have a crazy price tag. Unfortunately, if we bought a $300 chandelier, our baby would be sleeping in an empty room with a beautiful light fixture. Not a good idea.
But since I had a really clear vision for the space, I could thrift with purpose.
Lemme repeat that ‘cause it’s so important. You gotta THRIFT WITH PURPOSE.
Don’t get me wrong, I love consignment shops, antique shops, thrift shops, you name it. But here’s the problem: if you don’t know what you’re looking for, you will find too many good things. And again, scope creep is gonna getcha. Before you know it, you have bags n bags of thrifted items that don’t cohesively make a room.
(Has that happened to anyone else before?)
When you thrift, you have to thrift with purpose. Because I knew what I wanted, I could hunt down particular items like a cougar in the wild. (LOL, I just called myself a cougar. That made me laugh.) And I found what will be a totally gorgeous chandelier for (drumroll puh-lease!) thirty-five bucks! (Score!)
Also, be sure to look for amazing art prints online that are a fraction of the cost for what you might pay in the store! That beautiful woodland nursery art print for example? Yep, totally free in the Home Beautifully resource library. Click below to jump to the collection and download your decor fo’ free.
Find Hidden Cash for Your Nursery Decor
Okay, sticking to a budget is tough. And sometimes, you really just need more cash. Guys, if you haven’t hit up Facebook buy / sell / trade pages, I’m telling you, you’re missing out.
The Facebook marketplace is a goldmine. GOLDMINE. Old maternity clothes? Baby clothes? Unwanted furniture? Gone and gone, with cold hard currency in my pocket.
Plus, we’re getting rid of all the clutter just laying around, which feels great too.
Hit Up a Restore for Accessories, Fixtures, and DIY Materials
If you’re lucky enough to live near a Habitat for Humanity ReStore location, stop what you’re doing and go. (Kidding, finish this article first.).
But seriously, definitely check out a ReStore whenever you’re starting a home improvement project. They stock so many great DIY friendly items for so much less than the big box stores.
For example, remember when I said we wanted to create a weathered wall for the nursery? Yeah, we got the materials at a ReStore location for about an EIGHTH of the regular purchase price. Insane!
Things like handles, knobs, fixtures, even painting supplies? You can find them so cheaply at a ReStore.
Reuse Whatcha Got for the Baby’s Room
The bottom line, though, is that when you’re working on a tight budget, you’re going to have to make tough choices. You won’t be able to do everything because you don’t have the funds to cover all the projects.
I really really wanted to add cute curtains to our baby’s room, but you know what? The money ran out. So, yeah, we repurposed some plain ol’ white ones we already had. They go with the decor just fine, even if they’re a bit ho-hum. But the windows are covered, and I like them.
In the end, you may need to look around your home to assess what you already have. That old dresser? Sure, maybe it could be a cute changing table. That lamp? Why not? Pulling in decor from around your home could help you fill gaps your budget doesn’t cover.
I really hope this was helpful for ya. I know that many of us are more visual people, so seeing the nursery when it’s all finished might make more sense. Hopefully soon, I’ll be able to show you!
In the meantime, let me know: what are other ways you save money when you’re decorating? How do you scrimp n save when redoing a room?
As always, lots of love, from my house to yours!