discontinued wallpaper border

Re-Decorating on a Budget

Do you, like many other people, long to give your home a makeover but feel that you can't afford it? You know, it is in fact possible to redecorate on a very small budget, and achieve a completely new look in your home. All you need is a few creative touches, and some ideas for saving money.

Thrift shops are a great place to look for people who want to save money on their home makeover. Other options for bargains are resale shops, auctions and yard sales. You can find all kinds of useful items here, including furniture, curtains and accessories. Even dollar stores can sometimes be a source of great accessories.

Dollar stores sell items which the major retail stores have discontinued and stock any items they can source. Therefore you can find brand name items which normally would be out of your price range, much cheaper than usual. For example, say you wanted to buy a wallpaper border or brass picture frame, but can't afford home improvement store prices. It could well be worth your while looking in a dollar store.

You might even surprise yourself by finding that there are some useful decorating accessories stored away amongst your own things at home. You can revitalize all kinds of old items, such as dishes, pictures, clothing and ornaments. With a bit of creativity you can create great accessories and art objects out of these.

Not only does it cost less to create your own art but it is very rewarding! A collage for example is very easy to do and lots of fun. Get a cork board, such as you would pin messages onto, and a paint-by-numbers picture of poster which fits inside the board's frame. Using a color to match your chosen décor, paint the board's edges. Then glue the poster, using a glue suited to cork and paper, inside the frame. Staple round the edges too for extra strength. Now sort those old dishes and glass ornaments according to color, putting each color in a different pillow case, and then smash them to pieces with a hammer. Glue these onto the picture according to the color guide. If you have to fill some edges in, white pottery is a good idea for this. When all the space is filled in, you have a great art work, costing less than $10! There are lots of other things you can do like this, just by putting some thought and time into it.

Old clothes will come in handy as well. Choose ones which are your favorite prints or colors and cut these into different shapes. Get two of the same shape, say two squares, and sew them together leaving an opening, fill with PolyFill and then sew the opening up. Now you have a unique throw pillow! Ten pillows like this can be made for what one would cost you in the store. Make lots and add color and depth to your room.

Now that you have saved all that money by making your own accessories and art, you can splash out and buy one quality item. The best investment is a rug, because they will last for years. A rug can fit any decor, come in all kinds of colors, sizes and shapes, and will make a great focal point for your room. Not only that, but a rug protects your hardwood floor and can be cleaned more easily than carpet. So you keep saving money and time well into the future! Since you are redecorating on a budget, however, look out for rugs which are discounted or on clearance.