Prices are up on everything. Home decor is no exception. In fact, according to industry guidebook Furniture Today, 59% of furniture and home decor retailers raised their prices in 2022. “The(ir) survey found 44% boosted tags by 6% to 10%, and one-quarter hiked them between 11% and 15%.” That’s just unbelievable! But even with these prices increases, because housing inventory is still so low, many people are choosing renovation and re-decorating over moving. This got me thinking about the question: If you’re renovating or redecorating what should you splurge on vs. thrift for in home decor?
What To Splurge On Vs. Thrift For in Home Decor: The Splurge-Worthy
For my money one of the best things to splurge on is a good mattress. You will sleep on this bad boy every night for ten years. That’s at least 3,650 nights! For the average memory foam mattress, that’s way less than $1 a day, even with a splurge item! And couches for your main living space are another item worth your hard-earned dollar. People in the U.S. tend to keep their couches for at least 11 years, so buying that FlexSteel or that 8-way-hand-tied number is well worth the splurge.
What To Buy on Consignment and at Thrift Instead
According to Kate Dawson in a recent RealSimple article, “Most people want to change up the decor in their home every five or six years. ” So splurging on something may just not be worth it. Enter thrift and consignment options for things like:
- RUGS: I’ve said it once (ok maybe like 750 times) and I’ll say it again, rugs are a best buy on thrift and consignment. Well-made rugs are expensive, but they wear like iron. So quite often second-hand rugs are truly worth searching for at thrift and on consignment. (See my previous blog: Consignment Shop Best Buys and Consignment Shop Best Buys – The Rest).
- ART: As with rugs, original art can be pricey. Walk in to any gallery, wearing a crappy sweatshirt and some old converse high tops and the staff is unlikely to give you the time of day (except maybe in California, LOL). Art on consignment, however, is an off-price deal that can make your house a home you hesitate to leave.
- SEASONAL DECORATIONS: Consignment shops across America are seasonal decor heaven! At stores like Consignments Ltd. you’ll get wreaths, table tops items, linens and more at 1/10 of the regular retail price. And when you don’t use something all year long, why splurge?
Just remember, weighing what to splurge on vs. thrift for in home decor is easy when you keep in mind how long and how often you use something. A dishwasher is a yes, a throw pillow, probably not.
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