How we decorated the nursery without breaking the bank

I just recently finished the nursery for my six-month-old son, Sammy, and I thought I would share some of the tricks that kept my budget from going out of control since it’s so easy to get carried away when it comes to this sort of thing.

Pick your colors and/or theme first.

Early on in my pregnancy I decided that the primary colors to be used in the nursery would be turquoise and aqua regardless of the sex of my baby; I came across the Owls bedding set by Dwell Studio and instantly fell in love with the gender-neutral design. By knowing the general theme of the room way ahead of time, I was able to score some great deals on accessories for the room that would complement the overall look, like this awesome owl bank that I purchased on clearance for $2 at Target.

Don’t be afraid of buying second-hand.

I saved a ton of money by purchasing my crib second-hand off of Craigslist. The seller posted all of the crib’s information in the ad so I was able to make sure that it hadn’t been recalled and I wound up getting an excellent deal on a beautiful crib for a fraction of its original retail price.

Thrift stores and consignment shops can be your best friends.

This tip goes hand-in-hand with #2. You can really find some unique accessories at these stores, especially if you’re going for a vintage vibe in your nursery. A lot of these places carry furniture like the 1930s chest of drawers that is currently pulling double duty as a changing table in Sammy’s nursery; a can of paint and a little bit of elbow grease can turn your thrift shop find into something truly amazing.

Find new uses for inexpensive things.

I was having a really hard time finding a valance for Sammy’s room until I had an eureka moment while in Ikea; I found a green fleece throw in their bedding department and really liked the pierced scalloped edging that it had. I pulled out the ever-present swatch of colors that I carried with me and saw that the green was a match. Some iron-on hem tape, scissors and a trip to Jo-Ann Fabrics for the rick-rack trim were all that were needed to make this custom valance–and it cost a grand total of $8 to make.

Go “shopping” in your home.

Some items in my son’s nursery have graced my home for years, like nearly all of the artwork adorning the walls and the George Nelson-style clock (don’t worry — it’s a knock-off that I found in TJ Maxx). It’s a fun and inexpensive way of adding a bit of your personal style into the nursery. Besides, if it’s something that you love chances are your child will love it, too.

For more photos of Sammy’s room and a list of resources, click here!