Bedroom help needed, please!

[Cricket]

Not *that* kind of help!!:blush:

 

Due to very little money coming in at the moment, we have to give back our bedroom set today to the owners of our rental house because we simply can't afford to pay them for it. Now all we will have is a king mattress on the floor. I think I found a metal bed frame on craigslist for about $20. What are some creative (and frugal!) ideas to use for nightstands, headboards? I'm still on the hunt for a cheap, functional dresser. I might swipe the one out of the boys' room and give them something different. They want a pirate-themed room anyway. Any frugal decorating and storage ideas welcome!

[JFSinIL]

Never have had a headboard - only the metal frame thing to hold our bed off the floor. Nightstands - sturdy plastic crates stood on end, cover with a bit of cloth to hide the plastic. It is getting into garage sale season, so perhaps you will find a dresser one weekend. Otherwise let friends and family know you are looking to store an extra dresser for anyone.

[j.griff]

milk crates/ yaffa blocks for nightstands- you could just throw a yard of fabric over them (or something else- IF you want to "hide" them).

 

I've seen people nail a piece of plywood to their wall for a head board, and then cover it with batting and some fabric- wait, LOL, they probably covered it with batting and fabric (stapled to the back side where the fabric wraps around) BeFore they nailed it to the wall- or something. :D

 

Target and Wal-Mart have those plastic drawer things that you can stack- then even have them as dressers. If you can't find something cheap on Craig's List, maybe you could get a plastic dresser thing for the kids while you snag theirs, LOL.

[KarenNC]

My daughter is currently using a glass topped table from the outdoor furniture section at Big Lots for her nightstand (costs $12). I have seen folks take a round of plywood, put it over an appropriately sized trashcan and throw a cloth over it for a table with storage inside. Skip the headboard. If you feel the need for something at the top, some large square floor pillows would work (so you could have something to lean against), or you could hang curtain rod and some curtains (or fabric) behind the head of the bed.

 

Headboard ideas http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/pac_ctnt_988/text/0,,HGTV_22056_33648,00.html

[pmegan]

If you're quick in replying, the "free" section of Craigslist is great.

 

If you go to yard sales as they're closing, you can often get things for free or very, very cheap because it's a hassle for the owners to have to throw them away.

 

I have the world's ugliest (but still totally functional... and matching! Boy, does it match) bedroom set that I'd love to offload for free. Too bad you're a few thousand miles away!

[Aubrey]

ITA, Craig's List. We just got a new sofa for $35, & we're selling our futon for $100. We'll come out ahead, even if you figure what the futon cost. (Bought it used.)

 

We need to know what you've got avail. around the house & what your budget is.

 

For ex, dh told me I could make curtains for the two front windows, ea app 6'x6', as long as I stayed under $30. LOL

 

After perusing WM's $1 racks w/out any luck, I decided to go w/ Roman blinds. You need less fabric that way, & I had some leftover from a project I started (but never finished) a couple of yrs ago.

 

The fabric matched, but since it had already been started w/ blackout fabric, I didn't have enough. I'm cutting them short, adding a contrasting valance (fabric I already have), & giving it a scalloped slightly contrasted trim, & voila! Total cost: nothing so far, $6, I expect.

[ChrisN in NY]

We have a queen size mattress & box spring on the floor, no frame. Been like that for 13 years. Before that we had a water bed, but this old house could never support that.

 

We have 2 dressers (matching) from my parents' home -- one was mine when I was young and one was my brother's. I think they were my grandparent's before we kids had use of them.

 

For a "night stand" we have an old end table that used to be my grandmother's. It holds a lamp, a phone, my alarm clock, and my dc's nebulizer.

[J'Marie]

I have one of those round tables w/ three flimsy legs, covered with fabric..you could make a much sturdier one with two milk crates and a square or round board & cover with matching fabric... or Go sheek and leave your bed on the floor for a "aisian" appeal..using your pillows as floor pillows. tall lamps in the corner draped with shears, breakfast tray as your side tables...As a teen I put my mattress on milkcrates & plywood as the box spring...you could never tell there was no frame..Banana boxes slid under your bed could work as temporary underdraw beds until you find something else second hand...personally my drawer has lots of little draws that are useless to me.. I prefer a closet with shelves & some hanging space. Consider lowering your closet rod, and adding one or two shelves up top for things that were in your draws.. Stools make neat side tables..if your beds high. Or simplify have a bed, chair & reading lamp..using under the bed/closet for clothes...I've seen the plywood fabric covered headboard, an old door on its side, a montage of pitcures..put it under your window & let the drapes do the work...a short book case headboard...HTH:D

[OnTheBrink]

Look into Freecycle. People give away furniture all the time.

 

My coffee table right now is an old wooden box that had some sort of electrical stuff in it. I just flipped it over and it became a table!

 

For a headboard, what about some garden lattice? You can spray paint it whatever color and just nail it over the end of the bed.

 

I have a couple of those flimsy round tables and honestly, they tip way to easily for my taste. My cats can knock one over just leaping off of it.

 

You can also use filing cabinets for night stands. Just throw a cloth over them to hide the drawers and you've got good storage and a night table. You can find inexpensive ones for around $20 at WM.

[paula j]

The most creative nightstands I have seen were my sister in law's. She made them out of an old outdated set of encyclopedias, they look really cute.

 

If you take your boy's dresser it would be really cool if you could find or make a trunk for their room, maybe an old toy chest, and paint it up like a pirates treasure chest, you know, skull and crossbones.

[Reya]

Not *that* kind of help!!:blush:

 

Due to very little money coming in at the moment, we have to give back our bedroom set today to the owners of our rental house because we simply can't afford to pay them for it. Now all we will have is a king mattress on the floor. I think I found a metal bed frame on craigslist for about $20. What are some creative (and frugal!) ideas to use for nightstands, headboards? I'm still on the hunt for a cheap, functional dresser. I might swipe the one out of the boys' room and give them something different. They want a pirate-themed room anyway. Any frugal decorating and storage ideas welcome!

 

FREECYCLE!

[Cricket]

Thanks for the ideas everyone! I've been checking Freecycle and I posted a wanted ad on there too. I stopped by Goodwill earlier and found a set of four wooden tv trays. I think we will use those trays for now. I figure we can always use those. There were some cute round tables but they were marked $15 each! And they were scratched and needed work. Goodwill is expensive these days! I think we will stick to garage sales.

 

I love the idea of having a treasure chest for the boys. They just jam all their clothes in the dresser anyway. If I could find two, that would be so cool. I'll be on the look out for some.