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A Plentiful Life

Interiors•Room Reveals

See How This Boring Office Was Transformed On A Budget

September 20, 2017

 

Remember the all beige office? There was no ceiling light which was frustrating because as soon as it was dark I couldn’t work on any projects in the office, I didn’t have many extra pieces to set up the office, and had to start from scratch.  My plan was to bring in a combination of pattern and pops of color, I achieved this by purchasing the storage boxes, framed map and lamp from my local Salvation Army Thrift Store. I think it really came together!

With the move I didn’t have a huge budget to make this office makeover happen, but by selling a few items and purchasing a couple key pieces second hand from the Salvation Army Thrift Store, it all came together.  We recently found a sleeper sofa and this space will be changing again. Keep an eye out for the second office makeover. Lol

Let’s break down the cost!

Vintage Storage Cart – Already had this item and I absolutely love it.

Desk – $30 (Craigslist – bought before we moved but I will count it)

Ghost Chair – $70 (London Drugs  – on sale!)

Vintage Silver Lamp – $10 (Salvation Army Thrift Store)

Kate Spade Storage Boxes – $3  (Salvation Army Thrift Store)

Black Desk Storage – Already had this item.

Metal White Paper Storage – Already had this item.

Clock – $14 (Winners)

Pen Storage – $6 (Winners)

Metal Storage – $12 (Winners)

Knitted Pouf – Already had this item.

Patterned Rug – $100 (Walmart – this was the biggest splurge)

Framed Map – $5 (Salvation Army Thrift Store)

Floral Art – $30 (Craigslist)

Dreamcatcher – Already had this from a fundraiser.

Silver Garbage – $1 (Salvation Army Thrift Store)

Faux Sheepskin – $14 (Ikea)

Knick Knacks – Had all of these little guys

Light Shade – $40 (Ikea)

Cord for Light – Already had this and the bulb.

GRAND TOTAL: $335

Ok you may be thinking that $335 is not a frugal makeover!  This is the total amount I spent.  Now keep in mind I sold some items to make this happen.  I made around $200 selling a couple chairs, throw pillows, a mirror, and a few other small items we no longer needed.  Now that brings the office makeover down to $135 which is definitely manageable.

I really think it is a great idea to sell items you no longer need in order to get something you really love.  I knew I wanted to makeover the office, but little items add up so I sold a few things I no longer needed in order to make it happen!

It’s also a great idea to think outside the box when looking for décor.  I was so happy to find the vintage map of North Vancouver at my local Salvation Army Thrift Store.  It was a great deal and added a nice pop of colour.  I also found the floral painting on Craigslist! It was made by the sweetest old lady and I feel it was a steal at $30.  Searching places like the Salvation Army Thrift Store is a great way to find unique items or even higher end pieces at a huge discount.

Here are a few close ups of the new office, I hope you enjoy the makeover! I love these little touches of the painting, light and dream catcher together!

Love the colours of this vintage map, it really added a nice touch to our new office space!  What a way to feature our new city.

All photos and words created by Tijana Popovic of A Plentiful Life.

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Previous See How One Change Made a Difference in This Kitchen Makeover
Next A Bedroom Makeover For Under $300!

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Tijana Popovc

A frugalista who hunts for great deals, try's her best to budget and navigates life as honestly as she can. I love thrift shopping, do it yourself projects, exploring the trails by our house, all the flowers, and spending time with the love of my life Mark.
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03.10.18 5 Years. 1. Our wedding dance. A random 03.10.18

5 Years.

1. Our wedding dance. A random, simple picture I saw on my computer. I feel like it could be a regular Tuesday night in the kitchen with Mark saying something funny and me laughing. Add in two toddlers, probably screaming for a group cuddle, just out of frame.

2. Second Date, 9 years ago.

3. DIY photobooth photos. I love these photos. We look at them every year. I always roll my eyes where I can see the night takes a turn and the backdrop is halfway ripped down, but it cost $40, sooooo...worth it. 

4. Evie, Poppy, and Mama. The photobooth was supposed to be an early surprise for our anniversary as the 5th year is wood. It's an old-school wooden photobooth that happens to be set up in North Van right now, but Mark got really sick. Instead, we did a girl date, had croissants, bubbly water, photobooth photos, and a craft session. 
 
I'm posting this early because I'm signing off social media for a bit. Life with two 3 year olds is full and takes a lot of energy. Marks business is thriving, and I need to be able to support in any way I can. Plus, if I have an extra 10 minutes, I probably should be doing some self care, not scrolling on my phone. 

✌️
Have you ever been shopping at your local Salvatio Have you ever been shopping at your local Salvation Army thrift store and looked up? There is so much to discover in the aisles above the racks. Everything you need for a fun and connected long weekend with the family. 

Games, puzzles, colouring, and more! I was excited to find a floor puzzle and a few games for our younger kids. All 3 games and the puzzle only cost $12! A great investment and definitely something that will get good use in our house for many years. 

Any plans for the long weekend? Going out of town or staying home, I would definitely suggest a quick stop at your local Salvation Army thrift store to discover all of the wonderful items to keep your family entertained all weekend long.

#aplentifullifethrifted #thriftstorefinds #thrifted #salvationarmythriftstore #thriftedgames #thriftedpuzzles #thriftkids #thriftkiddies
Last one, I swear! 🤭 Swipe to see the inside o Last one, I swear! 🤭

Swipe to see the inside of the rainbow cupcakes. Honestly, so easy, and they look great! Next time, I might reverse it and make rainbow icing and plain cupcakes, a bigger wow factor. BUT three year olds LOVE sprinkles, so this worked.

🌈✨️🧁
THREE! 🦄 🎉 🌈 I had a lot of fun with thi THREE! 🦄 🎉 🌈

I had a lot of fun with this one! Do you think I accomplished this on a budget? You bet I did! The only thing about being on a budget is that it can be a bit more labour intensive. 

I used cookie cutters again, which makes for easy prep. I cut out all of the sandwich pieces in advance and froze the rice krispies oncee they were made. The rainbow cupcakes I baked in advance and froze, so it was easy to take them out and ice the day of the party.

As for the decor, from the dollar store: 3 bags of balloons, 10 streamer rolls, and 2 unicorn felt banners. Plus leftover string, tape and a Happy Birthday kit, which included the foil balloons and rainbow balloons. Total: $32.50

Now that might not be the cheapest decor but when balloon garlands sell for hundreds of dollars, I think that's a pretty good budget
Yup, I'm that mom. 🫣😂 My kids will be embar Yup, I'm that mom. 🫣😂

My kids will be embarrassed by my enthusiasm one day, but until then, I'm bringing it full force. A few friends sent me photos, and I looked like this in most of them.
TWO! I thought we'd have a big party to FINALLY ce TWO! I thought we'd have a big party to FINALLY celebrate our girls last year but then another lockdown. We had a few family members, and it was nice, but I still went all out! 

Super affordable decor: cookie cutters, $1.99 plants, and butterflies (I think this was a set of 50 for not that much). I also bought secondhand butterfly wings for the kids to wear. 

The cookie cutter adds a level of fun to the food and a bit of themed decor to the table. Butterflies were easy to add throughout our house. Plants ended up outside on our front stoop afterward. 

PS I won the balloon garland! That would be a big party splurge.
The kids have taken over the bath! I wanted to fin The kids have taken over the bath! I wanted to find a nice storage solution for my bath essentials that didn't take up a lot of room. To find what I needed, I headed to the kitchen section of my local Salvation Army thrift store. You might not think the kitchen area is where you'd find bath supplies, but I was looking for something different.

I was so happy to find this heavy cheese plate with dome. It would keep all my bath supplies safe from small children. Then I fell in love with this terracotta pot for my Epsom salts, along with a porcelain spoon, simple candle, and small glass vessel for the matches.

The matches I found at the dollar store, they were long bbq matches, so I cut them to size and taped the striker onto the bottom. I love how it turned out, and I was able to use this secondhand glass jar in a new way!

Don't worry, the kids' toys are still there, I thrifted a small little basket to keep everything contained and in ONE corner.

#aplentifullifethrifted #thriftstorefinds #thrifted #thriftedbath #relaxingbath #momtime #selfcare #budgethome #affordabledecor
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