(Re)Decorating on a Dime!

I have always been a fan of saving money. I learned early on if I was able to acquire that one coveted item at a deep discount, there would be money left over for other items on my wish list as well! After all, more is better, right?!

I diligently shop with coupons to stretch my food budget, I peruse TX Maxx, Marshalls, and Ross incessantly to stretch my clothing budget, and I constantly frequent thrift stores and dollar stores to stretch my decorating budget. And the truth is...nobody can ever tell the difference!

My mantra has always been: Why pay more if I don't HAVE to?!

Today I thought I would share a few quick decorating ideas using items that have been re-purposed, re-designed, or purchased at a re-ally incredible price!!

* Give a quick facelift to unused wall decor.

This piece (purchased years ago at Marshall's for $5) never really fit just right at this house, so it was in a box in the storage room. When I needed a little something to liven up the hearth for Valentine's Day, I grabbed an extra photo of my girls, cropped it to size, and using removable adhesive, covered the original Eiffel Tower picture, and placed it on an easel.


* Think beyond an items intended use.

I have always loved plate holders, although ironically, I have never had a desire to display plates. I found this one at a thrift store for under $2. It was already black and matched my decor perfectly. So I had to buy it! This past Christmas I decided it would make the perfect holder for my holiday cards. After the holiday was over, I removed the cards and replaced them with pictures (from an old Paris calendar) mounted on black cardstock. Now my "postcard" holder makes a beautiful addition to my Parisian-themed room.





* Decoration pieces can be used for more than one holiday.

I purchased these jumbo, black heart ornaments a couple of years ago at IKEA after Christmas for next to nothing (I think it was $1 for a set of 3) and this year decided they needed more pizazz. I broke out my silver metallic Sharpie marker and went to work. I used them on my Christmas tree and was happy with the way they turned out.

After Christmas, however, I couldn't see putting them away. I decided instead to place them in the top tier of the fruit stand with some red hearts (Dollar Tree) and now I have the perfect Valentine's Day decoration. Since my home decor all centers around black furniture and appliances, it was just right.

enjoy the ways you can give new life to old items around your home.
-d.