10 Expensive Things You Don’t Need to Buy—Even If You Make Adult Money

Whenever we’re contemplating a home decor splurge, we’ll ask ourselves, “Do we really need this?” Sometimes, the answer is yes: If you live in an apartment, you need a rug. You need overhead lighting to see your food while you eat. And you definitely need closet doors.

But you shouldn’t have to break the bank just because it’s a “necessity” you can technically afford on your grown-up salary. The savvy shopper in all of us knows there’s a free—and fun—alternative: DIY.

Even designers who’ve made it big, like artist Kristi Kohut, get their hands dirty every now and then. “When I expanded from fine art into home decor, I wanted to create one-of-a-kind pieces that showcase my creativity,” says Kohut. “I looked to, and was inspired by, people like Jonathan Adler and Lulu DK. I started my company with just $1 and the art supplies I had on hand!”

Here, we’re sharing more inspiration to kickstart your creative juices.

As with all things cool and trendy, you’ll pay—a lot—for a statement chandelier. So, when we found this show-stopping pink DIY fringe chandelier from Studio DIY that takes just one hour to create, we said, “Sold!”

Okay, we’re not saying to not invest in artwork, but if you can’t afford it, you can put your creativity to the test. “I bought a condo in 2017 and owned nothing, like not a single stitch of furniture,” says Travis Paul Martin, director of PR for Skoog Productions. “I was feeling like an adult—so no IKEA—and was carefully budgeting for the items I wanted to buy. I didn’t have any artwork large enough to hang over my sofa and wanted one big piece versus a gallery wall. I’ve always loved Jackson Pollock so, one day, I went to BLICK Art Materials and bought a canvas and a bunch of paints. At first, I was very strategic with the colors I chose but once I really got going, it felt very South Beach Art Deco, which isn’t what I wanted. So, I kept some colors, got rid of some and got some new ones, and then just kept going to add layers of paint, like a classic Pollock. The next and final step is to have it framed.”

Believe it or not, summer is actually just a few short weeks away. If you have dreams of sipping rosé on a patio, then you’ve probably also thought about outdoor furniture, which isn’t cheap. This sunny umbrella DIY from Design Love Fest costs less than $100 and requires only five supplies. Plus, it’s customizable!

Oh, you need a place to sit, too? Room for Tuesday made a custom outdoor seating set with just a handful of cinderblocks that looks exactly like what you’d see in a Restoration Hardware catalog.

Now that we’re on the topic of seating: Have you bought any recently? No? Trust us, it’s an investment. That’s why this DIY color-blocked velvet bench from A Beautiful Mess is so appealing: it’s pretty, easy to replicate and relatively inexpensive. It took Kara one weekend to create, but she says it’s probably doable in a single day.

As the idiom goes, what’s old is new again. Sometimes the love of your life—in this case, a dark and damaged credenza—needs your help to become their best self. With that in mind, Almost Makes Perfect adopted her brother and sister-in-law’s credenza, updated the shade to blush pink, and voilà: true love.

Add plants to the long list of items that surprisingly cost money. Why is that surprising? Because they die—easily, too—so the return on investment is low. The House That Lars Built has a solution, though: their DIY paper rainbow tree, a colorful and maintenance-free alternative.

To be fair, this DIY requires you have an inexpensive nightstand already on hand, but that should be easy enough to find at a thrift store or vintage market. Then, add some paint, primer, and prayers, and you’re basically good to go! For the trickiest part, the hardware, Room for Tuesday referred back to us here!

Look, are you really going to let ugly closet doors stand in the way of your dream home? Of course not, theoretically—but you might if you knew how much it costs to have a professional replace them. Lily Ardor built, from scratch, not just sliding doors but custom bi-fold doors wrapped in chic stained burlap. You can, too!

Coffee tables are notoriously difficult to buy, because their shape and size is so dependent on the rest of the room. Instead of buying, do it yourself for a customizable option. We love this hairpin table from Yellow Brick Home, which requires only a few hours of work—and it comes with a handy, helpful video.

“My husband and I love to frame everyday objects that have special meaning to us to use as artwork in our home,” says Allie Melnick, general manager of women’s body care brand Flamingo. “My husband actually saved a crossword puzzle we did on our third date and gave it to me on our one-year anniversary. It has a place of honor on our wall now.”