Frugal Decorating at the Dollar Store

Who doesn’t love a good deal? And there is nothing but good deals to be had at the dollar store. In fact, it’s a great place to start when you are looking for frugal decorating items. Sometimes the dollar store is just the ticket for some really cool items. But how do you know what to look for? First, you have to be extremely sharp, yet creative when looking for a trendy, hip item at the dollar store. Sometimes, what you first see, is not what you will wind up with. Here’s an example. We went to the dollar store … Continue reading →

Frugal Tips to Decorate Creatively

Decorating your home with little touches, is a wonderful way to make it yours, and comfortable. However, it can be extremely expensive when you got purchase all the extras and wall hangings. Here are some ideas for decorating a bit more creatively, with not a lot of money. Tip #1 – Stock up on Frames Keep them on hand. Buy them at garage and yard sales, antique stores and on clearance at local department and discount chains. If someone offers to give you some, take them. Store them in a closet until you need them. THEN, when you are ready … Continue reading →

Decorating on a Dime – Finding the Inspiration for Free

Decorating in a stylish way, yet on nothing more than a very small budget, is possible, but it takes a bit more work than just walking into a store and purchasing all the matching furniture pieces for thousands of dollars. Where do you find inspiration to design the room or rooms of your dreams? New Homes The first place I recommend looking is in new homes. On Sunday’s most new homes have open houses and you can walk through and gain color inspiration ideas, furniture inspiration ideas and decorating ideas. Most of these homes purchase cheap furniture and low cost … Continue reading →

Decorate on a Dime – The Basics (2)

Looking to start a home decorating project, but don’t have a lot of money? Decorating your home is expensive, yet often makes your home feel better and more relaxing. So how do you go about decorating an entire home, yet saving money in the process? Read on. More – Discover I started this section in the last article, but I have more to say on discovering where to get your decorative items and home furnishings but save in the process. Many second hand items, have imperfections that can be repaired, but some are damaged beyond repair. This doesn’t render the … Continue reading →

Decorate on a Dime – The Basics (1)

Decorating a house is how many homeowners make it feel like a home. The cost of decorating however, can eat a real whole in a families budget, and can really get expensive. Knowing how to do it right, can help save money in the long run, and allow more freedom and flexibility in your style. Budget The first thing you have to look at, is the budget you have to work with. Some people don’t start out with a budget, which is fine, but you will need to watch what you are spending and keep track of your thrifty purchases … Continue reading →

Saving Money on Wallpaper

Wallpaper can give any room almost instant appeal. It is a little fancier than paint ,and with proper care, it can last a good long time. Wallpaper sometimes has a reputation of being expensive. This isn’t because it is unusually expensive itself (just like paint, prices and quality can very), but because there can be a lot of waste involved. Reducing that waste will save you money, no matter which brand of paper you use. If you have fallen in love with a particularly expensive wallpaper then the waste issue becomes an even bigger issue when planning your room budget. … Continue reading →

Have Some Frugal Fun With Your Inkjet Printer

I love when I come up with a great frugal tip by accident. My daughter was in preschool yesterday so I was frantically running child-free errands. I was giddy as I was crossing off everything on my list without stopping for potty breaks, and breaking up fights. It was a great day. I ran to the craft store to pick up some watercolor paper for a digital art project I am working on. As I was chatting with the sales person about the paper weight, my printer, etc… she told me that she had just scanned black and white copies … Continue reading →

Frugal Ways to Decorate A Child’s Room

Want to jazz up your child’s room on a frugal budget? These ideas will help you design a cool looking kid’s room with not much more than paint! We certainly have our decorating cut out for us in our new house. For the first time, each of the children will be able to have his or her own room. Previously, the two oldest shared a room, while the baby was sleeping in our room and sharing my dresser for his clothes. I am really looking forward to being able to give the kids each a room that is uniquely theirs, … Continue reading →

Frugal Decorating: Making Postcard Art

Do you have an empty wall that can use some decorating? Why not try postcard art for a chic and cheap way to brighten up your space. I am a big fan of all of those decorating and design shows and magazines that showcase gorgeous professionally designed rooms. Unfortunately, the price tag on many of the pieces that go into one of these rooms is far more than I would pay. But I still enjoy watching and reading, and getting lots of ideas that can be adapted to fit a more frugal lifestyle. One theme that does keep coming up … Continue reading →

Frugal Art: Make Your Own Bookplates

Want great visual art without the high prices? From Grandma Moses to Dali, you can have the artist you want for a fraction of the cost. Here is a trick I learned while working as the manager of a chic little gallery in a quaint Connecticut town. If you have your eye on a print but don’t want to spend a lot, you can hang a bookplate on your wall. What is more, if you are frugal, you can even make your own. What is a bookplate? A bookplate is the termed used for an unbound page of a book. … Continue reading →