Excellent and timely topic! :)

Yes indeed -- Refresh, Rotate and Re-Organize always helps any room or space -- including storage areas! ((I've been searching YouTube for examples!))

Clearing out Clutter and donating to a local charity helps others too! And you may even find some items to sell too!

Visit local charity shops often! Explore Craigs List, Etsy and of course -- EBay! Get to know your local area -- shops, large stores, outlets etc. Think "outside the box" -- and shop in stores like Cooking or Resturant Supply.

Flea markets, antique shows, art shows of all sorts can be a great fun day out-and-about! (take a picnic if possible to save even more money)

And finally get to know your friends -- they MIGHT want to trade or swap for an item. Maybe trade some of your cooking or a flat of flowers for their old desk. ((JUST an example!!!)) Always be clear upfront on any information, questions or queries about the trade or swap!

And here at Rosemary Cottage -- I have often used basic herbs from the garden as a bouquet in any room of the house! I love to see flowering branches in a vase too!

Do check around the blogosphere for decor blogs that really give you some ideas for changes!

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

I'm definitely of a different mind frame because once I love how my home looks, it stays that way for a VERY long time. Why would I "change out" something I really love? Fresh flowers in a couple of vases is about the only change I make over even a decade. So "hard times" doesn't affect me in the "decor arena" at all.

I'm constantly 'shopping' my other rms. and things that are stored in the basement or attic because at some point I'd thought 'What was I thinking when I bought that' and packed it away for a garage sale.

I mix leftover & 'What was I thinking' paints together to make new colors and paint something: a table, bureau, back of a cabinet ~ whatever.

I rearrange or swap out my art/ art.

I stay far, far away from TJ Maxx, Marshalls & Homegoods. Instead I go to the Salvation Army, Goodwill or the junk shop in town.

If I have a few dollars to rub together and can spare it - new knobs or pulls for something.

I re-read 'Use What You Have Decorating'.

Great thread!

Great advice redbazel!

Just moving things around from room to room can make things look fresh and interesting. You don't have to buy more 'stuff'.

Another idea is to do a knickknack trade with others from your office or neighbors. That thing you once loved but got tired of, or did not fit you new color scheme, or that gift from your late aunt that never really fit you style, can be traded for new ones! Have a trade party.

Let me add that you can get cans of Oooops paint for $1-5 at these places. Sometimes if you are lucky you can get two or three cans of the same color. It may be a color that works for a room well or maybe you can refreshen a closet or mudroom/laundry room, maybe with just one can of color even just do an accent wall to make a room look different.

Walmart and other fabric places has a reduced bin of fabric. If you just need a little bit of fabric for covering chair seats or putting curtains up to cover glass doors on a built-in check there FIRST. I just recently got a end of a bolt for a buck! All I have to do now is get around to making the curtain. I don't sew. I cheat. I use that iron fabric tape glue (what ever it is called) to make El Cheapo curtains.

Don't forget Goodwill and ReStore and places like that. I just got a new desk chair that looks just like those Pottery Barn vintage wood ones on wheels for $3.99. :happy dance:

It looks like this but with wheels.

Like this.

{{!gwi}}

Kfca, are you sure you're not my dear friend, Leslie? She goes into whirlwind mode and spends a ton to paint, buy furniture, and decorate. Her home then looks beautiful. And she doesn't do any of it again till things Need replacing!

Love the herbs idea Teacats! I just saw herbs in little clay pots on a table in an old issue of House Beautiful and I loved the look.

Red

Very timely, Red!

We just found out that the promised raise and bonus for our moving to Chicago have fallen victim to a company wide cost reduction, due to the state of the economy. Things will be very tight. Our expenses have doubled and income is flat.

I wish I would have known about it a month before, as I wouldn't have purchased some of the things I did. The fireplace won't be done, trees won't get planted, forget about a backsplash, etc.

Hoping people won't be too critical when they see what I've ended up with IRT WTs for the dining room but, hey, desperate times and all.

I'm taking your advice, though, and instead of getting maudlin, I'm just looking for a nice little arrangement for the DR table. Like you, I've been there before. No big deal. :)

I started the new year off doing exactly this. I wanted to redecorate but DH is encouraging saving instead of spending, even though we are both fortunate to still have our jobs.

I'm a DIY gal and have been painting, since like OP said, this is the cheapest way to completely change your look.

I have lots of empty picture frames left over from when my X and I owned a photography studio. I also have dozens of paintings, etchings, photographs, etc. since my daughter and I are both artists. I started matching up art that I wanted to hang with frame sizes I already had. This inspired me to start painting again, and I've been creating about one new painting a week to go on my walls.

My latest budget idea is to make a glass top coffee table out of an old maple kitchen table that is in my attic.

I'm also in the process of painting and reupholstering an old Louis XVI style side chair that has been part of the still life set up in my art room.

Great topic, and excellent advice above. I'm trying to be budget conscious with my current decorating projects (lots of partly done rooms in the house).

The most effective thing I've done is change my mind-set; I have to love anything new that I buy, and love the way it works in the house, and I'm setting an upper limit for what I'm willing to spend on specific items. That has drastically reduced my impulse purchases. I now return a lot of things that looked great in the store but are just so-so in the house, and I pass on a lot of things that catch my eye at places like homegoods, etc. Sometimes I see items (usually furniture) that I love but are prohibitively expensive, but they are above my price cut-off, so I don't buy those either. The downside to this approach is that it's taking me a LONG time to find things for my living room, but the upside is that I'm spending less, and I'm more likely to keep things for a long time once I do find them.

I've also started going to a local consignment shop, and nearby reasonably priced antique shop, every week. And my goal for this month is to look through the furniture that I'd been 'saving' to use if we move to a bigger house (or until after we expand our second story), to figure out what I should sell on craigslist or via the consignment shop.

Final thing I would like to do is learn how to sew. I have a brand new sewing machine in my basement, unopened, that was a gift from my mom a couple years ago. If I knew how to use it, I could make throw pillows, cushion covers, duvet covers, etc. And I could probably add fabric to customize or update curtains that I already have.

When the mood strikes and the money is missing I go shopping...in my fabric stash :o) Almost everyone into decorating has a "stash" of what turns them on (no not that stash) :oP It could be paint, or fabric or a craft, but normally somewhere we've all got excess we purchased because we liked it but didn't use it. So, I play in boxes of fabric and fringes and thread :o) I always enjoy embroidery (my machine does it not me LOL) and love making pillows and they're a quick way to bring a bit of change to a room. Or trim out some existing curtains, etc. Recover chairs...you get the idea :)

artlover, would you feel like sharing pics of your paintings? I'd love to see them.

I've read that unlike other stores, Goodwills/S.A.s are experiencing boomtimes since around November, fwiw...

well most of my spring projects are out of doors, and the money is tight for us all the time, not just this year as my husband is totally disabled and i'm not able to work and leave him alone right now..

however, i have made a gob of money this week selling things on craigslist..$250 one day $30 the next and just got an email from someone sending me $400 for a bench/coat tree/ mirror thing that i'm selling..and i have $150 more of stuff for sale on craigslist.

i figure that some of that money will help to pay for the things that we really have to do project wise outside this year..and we are searching for a few more things to sell to make even more..i'm kinda glad we didn't sell these items or give them away earlier..i usually just give it all to charity, but honestly..we needed the charity our selves this year..so we are making use of craigslist

I have been decorating only with our family pieces, consignment, goodwill, yardsales auctions, curb shopping and CL for several years, since we did our DIY kitchen 2 years ago ( still in progress) and DD is in college. In 1999 we did refinish our floors and buy 3 Karastan room sized orientals. I think they make my rooms look nicer.
I prefer vintage over new furniture and one of my favorite stress relieving pastimes is "Goodwill hunting"! I hope to go later today! I should post photos of my new finds waiting in the wings to be fixed up!

clicked submit accidently. My DD is also an artist( although now not painting since in college) and I started collecting frames as she preferred large canvases of non stock sizes. I have a card of the frame sizesof her finished pieces and when I go out "goodwill hunting" and see a maybe frame- I check my card to see if it will fit.
I bought boxes of silk and upholstery fabric and gorgeous trims( $1 a yard) from a woman that has a professional workroom in her home and sells the remnants on CL. She lives in a couple miles away and now I am on her email list so I have a twice a year source. I made pillows, covered my CL dining chairs, and ottoman and will make WTs for my kitchen!
I don't have too much to shop in my house, most of it is out now, but I do move things around and its new again! I love spring when I have fresh flowers I need to work on having flowers from my gardens all summer!
Where there is a will there is a way.

We've cut back since last March. We are still decorating but at a much slower pace. I have been unemployed since July (I think I finally got a job!) and DH has started a new business (cemetary monuments).

To quench my decorating desires, I am working on our guest bedroom. Repurposing some furnsihings from my Mom's bedroom along with a new bureau from a second hand store. The room is coming out really neat. I will post some pictures soon.

I am just making due for now, using leftovers from the last couple of houses, and feeling darn glad I didn't get rid of certain things. I have these 10 ivory matelasse panels I've been dragging around ever since my first "real" house. I spent $500 for the lot of them....a huge sum for me at the time. They are now being used hither and yon, on tension rods, until I feel like I can invest in what I really want.

I have my eye on a Flor rug for my dining room and I am waiting for a sale. I'll probably have to wait until November...not looking good. It's not very expensive, but since Fly told me they do have sales, I have been feeling stubborn.

Got a quote for shades for the upstairs hallway and stair landing....about a thousand bucks. I'm going to sew small panels from my stash instead. It was fabric I bought to use in the last LR. Since that LR rug ended up in the upstairs hallway "reading nook" the fabric will be perfect.

I have also thought that I should really try to get my three mini businesses going again. I have been so focused on family and home and our big transitions over the past year and a half. But, it's time to be getting back to work in earnest.

I also think I'll be starting more seeds this year and buying smaller trees. I figure the trees will grow big enough while I wait for the economy to turn. Small trees now vs. large trees later....I'll take now, thank you. :-)

Parma, I am so sorry to hear about your situation. I know you gave up so much to move in. Now, to not have that support....really stinks. We just have to trust that there is a reason why we made these moves. (Mine feels strange to me these days, too.)

I am a clearance shopper and sometimes manage to be at the right place at the right time- I think the Frugal Goddess is watching over me :)
Lowe's just had a sale on curtain rods and some curtains I had been waiting to be marked down. I ended up getting 3 Allen Roth curtain rods for less than $50 for all 3. My curtains were $25 a panel and I caught them on clearance for $2.50- and I purchased 14 panels.
Last summer we just purchased our house and it needed landscaping badly- I ran over to Lowes to see what I could get with my $75 from Craigslist sales. Low and behold the guy working said everything on the reduced table was $1- WOOHOO! I walked out with 60 plants- and it cost about $65 and all of the plants/shrubs are doing so well! Granted I do not recommend buying 60 plants at one time- I didn't think DH and I would ever get them all in the ground!

Funny. Reading the OP, I realized that I've always been a very, very frugal decorator. This was born from us getting married very young, and having kids immediately. We've only had "discretionary" income in the last few years, but even so, I've habitually shopped CHEAP.

Paint, fabric, and a little creativity have always been how I decorate, and so I guess I'm doing exactly the same thing now.

It always used to crack me up to watch that show "Decorating Cents" where they had a $500 budget for one room. Heck, I could honestly make over most rooms for under $150!

I second a number of the comments already made. I am really trying to plan, prioritize and budget all purchases so that I truly only buy the things I have decided are the most important and for the right price. I am also making frequent rounds of several consignment shops and Ebay. I've learned that to be able to "jump" on a good deal, though, I have to know ahead of time what I'm really looking for (including dimensions, color, type wood, etc) and what I'm willing to pay.

Last fall I bought 4 gorgeous used cherry windsor chairs at a local consignment shop, and a very gently used Harden cherry Shaker-style dining table on Ebay. The latter cost $300 + $150 delivery, but it's basically a $2000+ table new. I was thrilled with my find (but I "worked" for it....lots of trolling Ebay for many months, etc).

I like the reminders from several of you to clean up, and rearrange some things in and out of storage.

And PAINT is always a good way to refresh.

I find that having some constraints really brings out great creativity.... (at least, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

--DJ

My favorite way to start is with my annual Spring Cleaning. While doing it, I put all my accessories on my dining room table. Some I pack away for a respite and some I move to other places, but everything looks fresh and a bit new when I'm through. I also like to recover pillows, too.
Lynn

We bought slipcovers instead of getting new furntiture. Surefit now makes slipcovers for loose back pillow sofas. Bought a few new toss pillows. Looks like a new room.

I agree, paint also makes a huge difference even when budget is tight.

Now that I'm laid off, I have more time to think about all the blessings I have and to increase my volunteering activity. Our house is furnished, we have DIY projects to do and we're chipping away at them, mostly with supplies we've purchased in the past. And that is good enough for us.

I don't have time this morning to read all posts, but I use cheaper/clearance accessories, or what I already have along with ONE good thing. We're got a Howard Miller grandfather clock and I've wanted a HM wall clock for my bedroom for years. I'm finally going to choose one and buy it.

I recently painted the kitchen and am getting ready to re-laminate our counters. I originally re-laminated them 4+ years ago and they turned out great. 4+ years ago I did them in a port red and this time I'm going with a black textured (soapstone look) Formica. I have all the tools from my last venture so it will be a minimal expense, just the cost of the laminate sheets and adhesive. I'll have to remove the current top laminate layer before I replace it but I can use it as the template, which will make it easier than the first time. New laminate in a new color will give a welcome lift to the room. I'll change out some accessories and paint our dining chairs black matte (but leave the table the stianed wood). I figure I can do everything for under $200.

We also ordered a new sectional from Clayton Marcus. Our living room is an odd configuration and a sectional will be the answer to our lack-of-comfort-and-lack-of-function seating dilemma. We have planned on this purchase for a while and I've been researching which one to purchase for almost 2 years. Even though it's costing us a small chuck of change it's a purchase we've planned on and it's needed. It's not "disposable" furniture and this one will last us for many, many years...or as DH says, until I take my last breath LOL. I have a tote full of heavy-weight upholstery and decorator fabrics and I'm planning on making some new window panels and throw pillows. Since I already have the fabric, the cost to me will be my time.

This is the time we should spend money to help our economy if we possibly can. That's why recently I've gone into my savings and done a few long-wanted improvements around here.

But overall my money is always tight. It becomes a great fun game to see how good things can get on a tight budget with a lot of elbow grease and creativity.

How do you like those TV shows where they walk around the house and find all kinds of neat stuff and rearrange and the room they're doing turns out looking fabulous? I always wonder how many other rooms they left looking stripped and crummy.

another thing is to reuse...have you seen this site
www.junkmarketstyle.com

Find a great thrift store! Seems everything I get lately is from a thrift store and it's new~shopgoodwill.com, too. I purchased a brand new cotton sateen quilt in a beautiful azure blue color for $31.00~shipping was $14, but there's no way I could have purchased a new one for $45. I found a NEW bed skirt weeks before for $8 in the same blue, and yesterday, NEW king-size shams and two valances in a blue/ivory/brown paisley print, with fringe to boot, for SIX dollars!!

I like changing things out for the spring/summer months, so now i'm all set for under $75! I'll be switching out the black lampshades, pillows, and candles to cream things I already have, as well as hanging creamware plates on the wall. ;o)

Like Iglochic, I can always find something to make from my fabric stash. A few years ago, Denver came to a complete halt with a 4 foot snowfall. I loved it. I had two days of sewing without being able to buy anything. I made two vests and a jacket from fabrics and trims I had on hand. I went online to check styles at my favorite clothing sites and just copied them. Came to work when the roads were clear with new duds! What fun.
Diane

What wonderful suggestions! I'm ready to start spring cleaning (as soon as this stomach flu passes.)

We're planning on more DIY, though neither dh or I are very handy. Sometimes DIY is more expensive - a pretty steep learning curve. Still, we're going to try and put in our own back deck.

I'm having a hard time because I really need a new refigerator,dishwasher, and washing machine (they are all more than 15 years old and with the drought here in California the water bills are astronomical.) It's hard trying to find appliances that are not only efficient, reliable, and cheap, but actually look good! I'm checking craigslist everyday.

Like others, I've always been pinching pennies, but I've never been really worried about it before. My job is fairly expendable, and dh is self employed. Frugal used to be fun, but now it's a necessity.

I'm putting up textured paintable wallpaper, and I found 2 piece twill slipcovers on Ebay for much cheaper than JC Penney is selling them on sale. I would never have the courage to buy a burgundy red sofa, but the slipcovers for chair/loveseat/sofa totalled $75 so if it doesn't work, that is OK.

"This is the time we should spend money to help our economy if we possibly can. That's why recently I've gone into my savings and done a few long-wanted improvements around here."

Especially if you spend the money to HIRE PEOPLE instead of just buying more stuff (especially imported stuff from the TJMaxxes and Targets people race to when they don't have much cash). Put people to work! That was part of our big outside project last year - DH had gotten a bonus at work, and we got a good tax refund, and we felt like we could afford to dip into our savings a little bit, so we dumped a chunk of our cash into the pockets of local workers. If you can afford to do so, it's even more important to do so now since things are worse now for a LOT of people than they were last year.

This year, though... no decorating and some of the "socks and underwear projects" (phrase stolen from the Old House Forum, meaning the necessary and boring stuff that no one is really going to see but that just has to be done) will be put off for another year. No bonus this year, very little tax refund, have been helping support family members in worse shape, we're taking a really hard hit on the medical-bills front this year and have just discovered that DH's car is highly unlikely to last to autumn which means coming up with a down payment and rearranging the budget to fit in car payments. Although DH works for an extremely stable company and we know his job is safe (in fact they're finally hiring another person for his department) I won't risk the savings we have left for anything as, well, downright petty as decorating. It's been months since I've looked at eBay or Craigslist, and I used to be a major addict! Ah well, I just decorate in my head.

Ahhhh the joy of re-decorating a room!

We just bought a home and given the current economic climate it's been tough to do all the things we've wanted. So we've tightened our belts and here are some the things we've done:

- Outlet covers can cost a pretty penny if you are looking at the metal or decorative ones. Why not take your old plastic white ones and buy a can of spray paint that has a hammered finish?? Do coats will do the trick. Cover the last with a coat of clear lacquer. We did it in the kitchen and it looks great!

- Crown molding can be rather costly. Instead we purchased ornate chair rails and modified them a bit and will use them as crown molding.

-Tin backsplash in the kitchen: So expensive for the REAL stuff! You can buy the plastic version at Lowes for a reasonable price. We jazzed ours up by embellishing it with gold paint. FABULOUS antique look!

-Reupholster your own chairs! Find a new print for cheap at a fabric discount store. Even cheaper if you use the same batting the chairs already have! All you'll need is the fabric and a staple gun.

Last but not least: go to the consignment stores!!! So many treasures can be found. Last week I found some awesome apothecary jars for $5 (originally 29.99) each and they were new in box! IÂll use them for some terrariums I want to make with the moss growing in my back yard. I also found a large antique looking mirror for $20! I plan on painting it with various colors to make it look old and distressed.

Just some ideas..hope these are helpful!

I just popped back in to this one since it was back on the main page. Some of you guys have some really great ideas. I just pulled out some old prints, some vintage, some not, that I got many years ago. I went to HomeGoods and bought a really nice matted frame and I'm going to get one of my prints up maybe tomorrow. I only spent $16.99 on the frame so I think that is ok. And I intend to hit a nursery tomorrow and see what is on sale in bedding plants. I need some Spring color but need to keep my money in my wallet.

Red

I need some Spring color but need to keep my money in my wallet.

I think it's not too late to winter sow? There are directions available on the winter sowing board. It's a lot cheaper to buy seeds and sprout them ourselves, than to buy plants. Winter sowing is a way to get a lot of plants for seed prices.

I just constructed and upholstered an ottoman/coffee table for our new sectional. I saved a bundle of $$$ and it's basically a custom piece. It will also give us extra seating when we have a crowd because it fits two people comfortably. Even if we had loads of do-ra-mi I would still do most of my own home improvements, simply because I love the process and the satisfaction I get from the end result. I love working with my hands, whether it's indoors or outdoors...DH said I'm in the wrong business LOL.

mrsmary I saw that ottoman and you rule!! A beautiful piece of furniture!!!

I'm keeping an eye on CL. I just picked up a rug for pretty cheap. What with the slipcovers, paint and rug (and the encouragement from various people on this forum) the living room is going to look better than it did.

Man does not live by bread alone.

I agree about Craigslist, although the one in our area is kind of hit and miss (usually miss). But I do check it almost every day. I also go "curbside" shopping and have gotten some really sweeeet stuff and reconditioned or repurposed the pieces.

BTW, thanks for the compliment, lucille ;o)

We're not buying much....we don't need a thing. We're giving away to charities and are still in clean out mode.

I think this economic downturn really has people reevaluating their priorities, and that's a good thing. There's been waaaay too much emphasis on material goods for far too long.

Giving away, repurposing, buying from thrift stores where the $$$ goes to charities are all good ways to help the economy without ruining the environment.

Good thead Red!