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Decorating
On A Budget
Whether
it's a first apartment or a new empty nest, furniture
and decorations are keys to making a house a home. Lamps, rugs, lots of
interesting pictures can give a space definition and appeal. Stylish
home
accents cost money and if you are not budget conscious, the cost of
making your
home a personal haven can quickly get out of hand. While you want your
home to
look the best that it can, does it require everything to be brand new
off of
the showroom floor? Probably not. In fact, some of the best home decor
and
furniture can be found right at a local second hand or consignment
shop. For a
mere pittance when compared to the retail price, you may be able to get
some
really high end pieces, or possibly antiques, for your home.
Not only can people buy for cheap home furnishings and household wares,
but
they can also find loads of unique art work for pennies on the dollar.
Check
out these places for low- to no-cost household decor and items that can
make
your home feel like a castle:
1. Thrift stores - As the saying goes, "One man's junk is another man's
treasure." That is the belief that thrift stores were founded on and as
a
result, millions of people save millions of dollars everyday by using
these
great resale shops to get their wares. Often, you may find home
furnishings in
perfect condition but have been donated for any number of reasons. If
you live
in an area with a large military base, soldiers relocate frequently and
instead
of taking the furniture, they may donate it. The best thrift stores are
usually
the ones that are located near an upscale or high income area, as they
often
receive donations from people who may just be switching out looks in
their home
or upgrading to more lavish items. These people often don't have the
time, nor
the interest in selling their items themselves, and so they donate them
and get
a tax break for their contributions. But, ultimately, you can score
great
furnishings from their excess. Shop thrift stores with the expectation
that you
will have the furniture cleaned, as it may have been sitting in a
storage space
or garage and may have accumulated a lot of dust, or look for furniture
with
strong "bones" that can be either recovered or simply fitted with a
slipcover.
2. Seek out garage and yard sales. With people constantly relocating
and
cleaning house, there are tons and tons of opportunity to buy for cheap
all
types of household decor. Any frugal fashionista can find listing after
listing
in their local newspaper for yard and garage sales. Plus, you can
always find
signs posted pointing you in their direction. Just remember to show up
early
for the best selection and be prepared to move big items that same day.
3. Online classifieds or auctions - EBay and Craigslist.org are
fabulous places
to find bargains. Craigslist and Freecycle are even better because they
feature
postings for items that are absolutely free! Who can't afford that?!?
Many
times, the stipulation is that you remove the item quickly. If you do
not have
a large enough vehicle, consider renting an in-town U-Haul or a pick up
truck
from a home improvement store to get your new stuff.
Decorate your home for fewer dollars that you ever dreamed by following
these
simple and fun tips. Any frugal fashionista can have the best looking
home on
the block with just a little research and willingness to move fast!
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