Low Budget Decorating

By now, I'm quite well known for being able to find cute things at 2nd hand shops and yard sales and somehow make things match.  From the response I've heard from others, their most difficult problem with 2nd hand shopping is that they have a difficult time finding things that look nice and go together.  Here are a few tips to help you out.

First, I chose a style  that I wanted my kitchen to look like.  This dish set was actually purchased by my parents when I was very little and because I always loved it so much, they gave it to me when I was older.  I chose to use this dish set as the base idea for my kitchen.  

To find a base idea for decorating, first, chose a style that fits you and then a color scheme.  I love the organic/antique look and based by decorating off of it.  I chose to mostly stick with creams and light browns for my main colors and add in a bit of color to brighten things up.

Organic style basket with metal handle - 49 cents

Brown and cream pot - 89 cents

Organic, wave glass jars, $1.49

Herb garden pot - $2-3 

One nice thing about picking a certain decorating style is
that when others see what your style is, sometimes
you might get fun gifts to match - like this one from my mom! :D

Bamboo set  -  $3-$5

Handmade, crochet rag rug - I thinks I was given the fabric?

Textured cloth that I plan to make into napkins - $2-$3

My theme then moved onto livingroom/bedroom type decor
when I found this pillow the the picture frames seen below

Most of the household items I have collected I have kept the same general brown/creme theme and then chosen a different color two for each room to throw in.  I don't have pictures of my colorful items as they are currently packed away in moving boxes but hopefully these pictures that I have posted may give you a few ideas for your own home.  

If you don't know what your style is, look at home decor pictures online and save the pictures of your favorites.  After you save several pictures, you may begin to see a pattern or particular style/colors that you seem to like the most.  

One of the other great challenges in 2nd hand shopping is being able to find the treasures in all of that trash.  And there is a lot of trash - but it is possible to find great things if you train your eye to only look for the things that fit your style/theme.   By doing this, you can have a home that is unique and fits your exact style with only a bit of pocket change.