Today is Day 11 of a 31 day series on creating and cultivating an eclectic home.  For some crazy reason, I have accepted The Nester’s challenge to write on the same theme every day for the month of October.  This may end up killing me.  Or you.  But, I appreciate you reading and welcome your comments.

I spend way too much time playing around on the great time suck that is the internet.  I could probably get so many projects finished if I spent my evening hours doing something more productive than vegging in front of the TV with my laptop on my lap.

The good thing about me spending my free time that way is that I know many sites to find great deals on decor.  As much as I love pieces from places like Pottery Barn, I long for something different that wasn’t found in a catalog that comes to every mailbox in my neighborhood.  From fabrics to furniture, I’ve got you covered on finding unique items online.

Shopping Online for Eclectic Decor

1) One Kings Lane – OKL is a site that offers multiple new sales to members daily.  For instance, yesterday’s sales included furniture, linens, and picture frames.  This isn’t just “stuff,” but high-end designer items that are deeply discounted.  Not only are great sales offered, but there are collections curated by top designers.  The curated sales are much more expensive than the regular sales, but they often feature vintage and one-of-a-kind items.  If you aren’t already a member, you can get an invite through my OKL link here.

2) Groupon – Groupon and other daily deal sites aren’t the first place you’d think of to find home decor deals.  But, occassionally nestled amongst the deals for half-price dinners and cheap haircuts, you will find 50% off at local furniture and decor stores.  I even purchased a Groupon not long ago for a discount at One Kings Lane.  That’s like a double score!  If you aren’t a member of Groupon, you can get an invite through my link here.

3) Wuslu – Wuslu is another daily deal site, but it only focuses on home decor.  Each day at 10 am EST, a new item is posted on the site and offered at a significant discount over retail.  You just have to remember to check early and often, as some items sell out and each item is only available for one day (or until it sells out).  You can visit Wuslu at Wuslu.com.

4) TukaBear – TukaBear is an online shop where you can buy brand new, brand name, or pre-loved home goods.  They find their items through garage sales, estate sales, and flea markets, and then they turn around and offer the items to you.  I’ve personally never purchased anything through TukaBear, but I do take a look-see often to see if there is something I might “need.”  You can visit TukaBear at TukaBear.com.

5) DiggersList – DiggersList is a free online home improvement classified listing site.  You can list home improvement (and decor) items or you can search items for sale in your area.  Listings can be added through their site, and DiggersList also compiles listings from other sites, such as Habitat for Humanity ReStore listings, so you can see what’s available.  DiggersList is a newish site, so it’s still growing in many areas.  You can visit DiggersList at DiggersList.com.

6) Craigslist – Craigslist is one of those sites that I’m sure everyone has browsed at least once.  It features items for sale listed by people in your community.  I’ve mentioned before that there’s a free section, but they also have sections for the different types of items being sold – furniture, household, arts & crafts, etc.  I’ve been using Craigslist for years and used to think it was the best thing ever, but I’m beginning to change my mind.  Perhaps it’s just in my area, but I have had a very bad time lately with people responding to my emails about their ads (even ones that were *just* listed) or having people not show up to take something from me when they said they would.  Are you having the same type of experiences?  Visit Craigslist.org to find the listings for your area.

7) Etsy – I’m a huge fan of Etsy, a site where artists can list their handmade wares for sale.  It’s a great place to find unique decor for your home and support very small businesses at the same time.  Additionally, there is a section of vintage items, so you can find some really fun items that way.  I’m currently crushing on vintage oil paintings of dogs, and I’ve found some interesting (albeit expensive) pieces there.  You can visit Etsy at Etsy.com.

This one is available here, in case you have an extra $270 lying around and want to buy me a gift.

8.) Ebay – You can find just about everything on Ebay, just like the commercial says.  You can find some really interesting items, but you’ll have to pay shipping most of the time.  Did you know that you can search for things being sold just in your area?  A lot of times, you can find furniture pieces without having to pay shipping by searching that way.  You can visit Ebay by visiting Ebay.com.

9) Warehouse Fabrics – Warehouse Fabrics is absolutely the best place online to find home decor and upholstery fabrics at fabulous prices.  If you find a fabric that you like elsewhere, always, always, ALWAYS check to see if Warehouse Fabrics has it for a better price.  If they have it, the price will be better.  I have ordered from them and have been extremely pleased with the fabrics and transactions.  I couldn’t possibly recommend them more.  Visit Warehouse fabrics at WarehouseFabricsInc.com.

What other online sites do you turn to for great decor deals? Let us know.  We’ve got some eclectic rooms to put together, people!

Today is Day 10 of a 31 day series on creating and cultivating an eclectic home.  For some crazy reason, I have accepted The Nester’s challenge to write on the same theme every day for the month of October.  This may end up killing me.  Or you.  But, I appreciate you reading and welcome your comments.

Yesterday, we talked about free (or almost free) ways to obtain eclectic decor.  Today, we’re going to move from free to cheap.

Cheap Ways to Obtain an Eclectic Decor

1) Junk stores – Have you ever been to a junk store? It’s sort of a mix between a thrift store and an antique store.  Most of the stuff is just what you’d think it is – junk.  But, occasionally, you can find a diamond in the rough.  I wouldn’t expect to find a great piece of antique furniture here, but perhaps you’ll run into something great that you can repurpose.  If you like the thought of a treasure hunt, then try to find a junk store or two in your area.

2) Habitat ReStore – Our local Habitat for Humanity is one of my favorite places to visit for new/old goodies.  Our store is an old warehouse filled to the brim with old doors, windows, light fixtures, reclaimed wood flooring…you name it, it’s here.  Sometimes I find great treasures, and other times I walk away empty handed.  During my last visit there, my friend JJ pointed out this beauty of a chandelier and came up with a great way to repurpose it.  You’ll have to check back later to see what I did with it (and she is an evil genius!).

Here’s a list of all of the ReStores around the country.  I hope there’s one close to you!

3) Garage Sales and Moving Sales – Obviously, garage sales and moving sales are a great place to score some cheap decor.  Definitely don’t discount the furniture you find as old junk (although some of it is).  The previous owner may simply be swapping out her decor for an updated style, or the owners may be moving across the country and don’t want to move many of their belongings.

4) Estate Sales – I have never been to an estate sale, but I am simply chomping at the bit to go to one. A true estate sale is one in which the entire contents of someone’s home are put up for sale, usually as a result of a death in the family.  I was never that interested until I started watching Cash & Cari on HGTV, because it seemed a bit creepy to me.  But now, I’ve got to go to one!  A friend of mine told me she got a 1950s record player cabinet in beautiful condition for $15 a few weeks ago at an estate sale.

5) Thrift Stores – The most obvious of all cheap places to find great eclectic furniture and decor is at a thrift store.  Make sure the piece is in good condition, and remember that you can easily change the color or style of a piece through paint, hardware, and moulding.  Some of my favorite pieces in my home were once thrift store cast-offs.

What are some good ways you’ve found cheap decor for your home? And what have you found?