Decorating on a Dime, or Maybe More Like a Nickel

First things first, I'm cheap.  Like really cheap.  I'm proud of this designation, it does not mean that I am not generous, but I don't like to pay more for something than I have to, and I get a thrill from finding a new use for what other people would throw away.

I also love decorating.  I get almost a creative high from putting things together, but I'm not good at following trends, and I know that trends mean I have to buy more stuff.  The other reason I'm not good at trends, is that I've learned, while I may love what's in your house, and how it looks, that doesn't mean I'll like it in mine.  Everyone has their own sense of style, and the houses I love the most, reflect the personalities of the people who live in them.

Whether you want them or not, here come some tips for decorating.

1.  Discover your own style.  Trends are cool, or rather, trendy, which means they won't be around for long.  Instead decorate with things that have meaning to you, please you or bring you joy.  Your house will mean more to you, and people who come over will see that.  And you'll surprise yourself by discovering that what you like, goes together.  The drawer fronts hanging up are from my grandfather's shed where he sorted his rock collection. (And, yes, that is what our bulletin board looks like all the time.)

2.  Shop your house.  When we moved into our current house it came with this gigantic hutch, which I loved, but I had no idea what to do with it.  One day my friend was over, and she said, "What's in the cupboards of the hutch?".  I showed her, and she shopped the rest of my house to make this beautiful display.

3.  One chick's trash is another chick's earring holder.  My girlfriend gave me an old colander that she no longer used because it was rusting, and I turned it into an earring holder.

4.  Shop cheap, buy used.  When I get inspired to do something different, I start looking at craigslist. Craigslist isn't the only way to shop cheap, there are always garage sales, thrift stores, and in some areas, thrift store outlets (we have one in our city where you pay for items by the pound, the more you buy the less per pound you pay).  I found this beautiful antique piano on craigslist, and the sellers rolled it into my living room all for the bargain price of $75.00.

5.  Listen to your creative muse.  When you want something specific, google DIY projects for ideas, or check pinterest.  That's how I made this cool mobile for my daughter's room.  We made tissue paper flowers, and I strung them using differing lengths of yarn that we had on hand, an embroidery hoop that was kicking around the house, and the handle of an old purse I saved when the purse died. Which brings me to my next point.

6. Save everything.  I'm not condoning a hoarding disorder, but if you're about to throw something out, and there's a possibility it might be used in some other way when the creative muse visits, and you have room to store it, keep it.  We found these old window frames in a closet of the house when we moved in, and when I finally decided to do something with the blank wall above my kitchen sink, I ran up and grabbed them.

7.  Ask advice.  If you're not sure where to hang that piece of art, or what to do with that basket you got at the church rummage sale, ask a friend who's decorating sensibilities you admire.