6 Tips to Redecorate Your House on a Dime by Jessica Sommerfield

6 Tips to Redecorate Your House on a Dimeby Jessica Sommerfield

Right about the middle of January, scores of women across the country get that familiar urge to redecorate their homes. Maybe it’s the cold weather, the dreary winter colors, or being cooped up too long indoors staring at the same four walls, but something inside most women screams for change this time of year more than others.

Unless you are expecting a hefty income tax refund, spending money on re-decorating your home is probably not a budget priority in the bleak midwinter, and you are stuck with what you have. Or are you? Here are some ways you might be able to afford a home makeover, after all.

Spruce up the furniture and décor you have. Perhaps what is needed is a new look for something old. One suggestion is to pick one item you are bored with (say, a dresser) and refinish it or give it a bright new coat of paint, and change the knobs. Voila! You have a ‘new’ dresser for the fraction of the cost of a new one. The best part is you get to use your creativity, and the changes you make are personal expressions which give more meaning to otherwise ordinary pieces. The craftier you are, the more freedom you will have. If you can’t come up with ideas on your own, browse home improvement magazines.

Keep it personal. Rather than buying wall art from a store, consider making your own. This not only simple and money-saving, but again, adds personal touches to your home. Some suggestions are framed scrapbook pages, picture collages in interesting frames, shadowboxes of heirloom items, your own poetry or favorite sayings. If you enjoy scenery wall art, enlarge and frame a picturesque view from your last vacation.

Rearrange and rediscover. Rearranging furniture is a must if you’ve lived in a house for any length of time. You may think you’ve re-arranged your present furniture in every possible combination, and still aren’t satisfied. But sometimes it’s good to think ‘outside the box.’ Do you have a piece of furniture which just doesn’t seem to fit its intended purpose? Find a new purpose for it. Move it to a different room, put books or a vase in it, find a new use that fits it. You might be surprised what you come up with if you don’t limit yourself by what something’s ‘supposed’ to be used for.

Simplify. Modern décor is trending toward simplicity; so ironically, you can update a room by taking stuff away from, rather than adding to it. Take a look around your home. Are there rooms which are too ‘busy’? By sticking to one theme and a few well-chosen focus points, you’ll be amazed at how fresh a room can feel by minimalism.

If you must buy, shop for deals. Garage sales are great places to find décor and furniture in good condition for dirt cheap. What someone else is bored with may be just what you’re looking for. Check your local newspaper regularly for sale notifications. Estate sales have especially good deals because many items will be in mint condition but bargain- priced because of the need to liquidate. If you’re too busy to garage-sale, check online for sites which allow people to display and sell personal wares.

Sell off so you can change out. Speaking of liquidating, consider items you are ready to get ride of and post them for sale online, in the newspaper, or in your own garage sale. This will convert your unwanted items into cash you can spend on new décor, after all.

Re-decorating your home does not have to be costly or out of reach. By using a little thrift, ingenuity, and unleashing your creativity, you can transform your home into an interesting and tasteful expression of yourself.

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