Do you love decorating your home? As for many of us the cost is overwhelming. Well I have a secret for you. You can buy inexpensive items and dress them up in a way that says “Expensive”. Once you have set a budget try to stick to it as close as you can. You may find an occasional item that may seem to stretch your budget a little, but that’s okay. A little splurge may excite you and generate more determination to continue searching for those great deals. Put a few really inexpensive accents on and around the item you splurged on. “Wow” It was worth it.

You can easily and inexpensively improve any aspect of your home for a small amount of money. Don’t just sit around wishing you had the money or the know how to create a “Home to be proud of”. Every home has a heart and a hope for happiness. You can find an endless number of high quality household items that you can use to decorate, organize or repair your home by shopping at Thrift stores, Consignment shops, Flea markets or Garage sales. I personally like to start at garage sales because the price is usually right. Thrift stores, Consignment shops and Flea markets are of course reasonable but remember the price includes their commission. For example, a nice wall hanging may be priced at $10.00 at a garage sale, the same item will probably cost you $15.00 or more at a thrift, consignment or flea market purchase. The owner of this item may have paid $50.00 to $100.00 at some retail store a few years ago, so you see how this works, either way you get a good deal. All you have to do is decide which one of these avenues of shopping will best suit you, and then hit the road.

Before you go too far, look around your home and see what you may already have that you can utilize or enhance. Do you have a basket of greenery just sitting there? Try wrapping a set of clear miniature lights into it, and then add a few small colorful accents, for example, cattails, vines of flowers, berries or different shades of greenery. If you don’t have any of these accessories put them on your list.

If you really like the large picture you hung behind your couch a few years ago but still aren’t satisfied, try adding candle sconces on the sides. Choose a type that will blend in your room. There again, this is an easy to find item for your shopping list as are the candles you will need. Some times a little greenery or a small candle ring will add even more.

Your favorite couch or chair may just need a new throw or a few accent pillows. A small gesture like this seems to bring new life. Do you have decorative baskets just stacked around the house? Find one that will sit under your coffee table or end table then fill it with all the magazines, books or newspapers that are lying around the room. There, isn’t that better? Now just keep this going with every room in your home.

When you shop at garage sales go ahead and buy anything you see that you like. The price is right and your home is hungry for change and improvement. If you have never seriously shopped at garage sales for household items you are going to be very surprised at what you can find. For example:

Candles, Picture Frames, Lawn Mowers, Plumbing Fixtures,

Wall Hangings, Shelving, Lawn Furniture, Paint Supplies,

Greenery (All types), Books (all types), Light Fixtures,

As you see, anything your home needs is affordable on any budget. So what do you say, let’s Paint the walls, Spruce up your lighting, Replace the old rusty faucets and Organize the clutter.

Put those shelving units up that you picked up at the garage sale and use them to store or display things that are scattered around.

You won’t believe your eyes and you really won’t believe the money you saved.

P.S. If you want the absolute bottom line price on all your Home Decorating, Home Organizing and Home Improvement items, visit garage sales after noon on the last day of the sale. This is when prices sometimes get slashed in half.