How to find cheap home decor items on Gumtree
Do your research – Before starting your search for discount home items, it’s good to do your research. This is particularly true if you’re looking for a piece of designer furniture or an investment piece that will last, such as an antique chest of drawers. Doing your homework will help you to weed out imitation pieces, and you’ll be able check details like furniture branding and seals of approval. You might be able to save big money on big names.
Use the search bar and choose search terms carefully – You can use the Gumtree search bar to make finding things simple. For pieces of antique furniture, think about including the era, for example mid-century, and materials such as mahogany or bamboo. It’s better to generally avoid searching for very specific terms, like the size or year, because this could exclude those good finds you never expected.
Look past blurry photos and typos – good finds are listed by real people who sometimes make mistakes. It can be tempting to disregard ads that look a bit shabby, but you could just be missing out on something that’ll give your home a touch of je ne sais quoi.
Set up alerts – If you set up alerts for discount home items on Gumtree, you’ll get email notifications whenever something similar comes up, so you’ll never miss out on a good find again.
Download the app – The Gumtree app is the best way to search for a decor idea that pops into your head at midnight. You can also send messages and respond to sellers quickly, so you won’t miss out on any great bargains. When you make an ad a favourite using the app, this then syncs across all your devices, so you can go back at a later time.
Look local – Filtering your search to your local area means you’ll easily be able to go and look at the item in person. You’ll also be creating a kind of relationship and supporting people locally.
Stick to your budget – good finds are all about making you feel good, and sometimes that means keeping some extra pennies in your pocket. It’s a good plan to set yourself a budget and use the price filters on Gumtree’s search bar, to keep you within your ballpark figure.
Find a seller who is responsive and whose style you like – Some sellers on Gumtree specialise in cheap homeware. A good find is a seller who’s open to questions, responds quickly and follows through on any arrangements you make to view the items. If you build a good relationship with a particular seller, they might even let you know if an item comes up that fits your style.
Ask questions, be polite and show interest – If you do these things, you’re much more likely to end up with the item, and the seller is more likely to be open to negotiation.
Check the condition – It’s important to check the condition of the item you’re considering in person, particularly if it’s a larger piece of furniture. As long as you’re aware of serious repairs that need doing, you can weigh up the repair costs against the item’s price.
Measure the item and the space – Before you shell out any money on a large piece of furniture like a sofa, it’s vital to check it fits in your space. You don’t want to get it home and find it doesn’t fit through the door.
How to do home decor on a budget with good finds on Gumtree
Now you know how to search for discount home items on Gumtree, here’s a variety of ways you can decorate on a budget with some good finds.
Be patient and spend on a standout piece – There are loads of cheap vintage homeware to choose from on Gumtree, but good finds aren’t always the first thing you come across. If you’re buying a big piece of furniture, maybe play the waiting game rather than buying something just for the sake of it. What you really want will eventually come up – something that lasts and isn’t disposable. If you have one great piece of furniture as a centrepiece for a room, then you shouldn’t need to spend as much on the rest of the decor.
Hire a tradesperson for less – If your paint jobs tend to look patchy rather than professional, or you need someone to fix some wobbly shelves to the wall, it might be worth hiring a tradesperson to do the work for you. It could save you the time and money to fix a botched job otherwise! Plus, you’ll be supporting someone in your local area. It’s a circle of goodness.
Change door handles rather than whole cupboards – Sometimes, all it takes to update a space is a few small cosmetic changes. Instead of ripping out your old kitchen cupboards, you could consider sprucing them up with some new handles.
Use mirrors to make a space look bigger – Mirrors reflect light and make small rooms tardis-like. Check out the huge selection of budget second-hand mirrors on Gumtree.
Sumptuous materials – Materials like velvet and silk can add a bit of luxury to your home decor on a budget. Why not go wild with a roll of material? You could even buy a sewing machine and fuel your creativity by rustling up some soft furnishings like sofa covers, wall hangings and curtains.
The power of paint – Never underestimate the power of a simple lick of paint for a room. It’s a great way to brighten up dreary walls on a budget. The cheapest colour to buy is usually brilliant white, which will lighten up a space and inject some Scandi style.
Make your own art – If you’ve got an artistic streak, how about trying your hand at some wall art? Whether you take photos or paint on canvas, you could buy some budget frames and mount your masterpieces in pride of place.
Do a spot of upcycling – Upcycling is a great way to help the environment and your wallet, and there are so many ways to do it. Whether it’s painting a vintage dresser to give it a new lease of life or fashioning a shabby lampshade into a cool pendant light, you can create a thing of beauty for much less. You could even flip your fixer-upper and sell it on as a good find for someone else.
Now you’ve got some ideas on how to save money on your home decor, why not see what second-hand treasures await you? You can create a beautiful home on a budget by making some really good finds with Gumtree.
