Furnish your home with less than 3000 euros. Status holders have to make do with it and Dutch people who are on social assistance sometimes also receive a small contribution from the municipality when they move. In any case, in financially difficult times, it is useful to know how you can turn your home into a nice home with a small purse. We asked interior stylist Chrissy van den Heuvel for tips.
1. Make a plan
Make sure you first have a clear idea of what you need or what you would like to change, is one of her advice. “So don’t go out and buy all the things you like, but make a plan for yourself and only then go shopping.” In this way, according to the stylist, you avoid impulse purchases and save money.
2. Not too much
Less is more. “What you often see is that people put a lot of small things on a sideboard or table, but that makes it cluttered. Buy a large item and some small items with it. That one large item is a bit more expensive, but you often enjoy it for a long time. And then you are less likely to get bored of the mess you have in your house, so you don’t run to the store again.”
3. Buy second-hand
Make second-hand purchases online. “So look at Vinted and Marktplaats, but also keep an eye on the Facebook groups in your hometown. A lot of people give away their chairs, benches and tables for free.”
4. Look at the cycle
According to Chrissy, you can also find top pieces for little in the Thrift Shop. “Many people have a preconception about the thrift store, while I get really excited when I walk around it. The stuff is often in a gray, busy environment with little light and I notice that people find it difficult to see through it. But sometimes you can really find the gems here.”
5. Get creative with colors or buttons
And if you’re looking in the thrift store and think you see an ugly closet: “Try to look through it,” Chrissy’s advice. “I always see a lot of stuff that can be turned into something really nice with a small adjustment. Think about what a color or other buttons on it can do. Be creative!”
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