When decorating, it's important to keep your budget at the forefront of your mind. Decorators learn early the way to keep their customers happy and, therefore, generate repeat business is to make a budget early in the planning stages. But what about those who can't really put aside enough money for a decorating budget, let alone afford a decorator?
That's where Craigslist comes in.
Ahh, Craigslist. The perfect combination of superstore, social network and classified pages.
Among the listings for what seems like everything under the sun is a link under "For Sale" that simply says "Free." No really! This stuff is of no charge! Sure, you have to leave the warmth of the computer and transport yourself via car, bus or teleportation device to the seller, but did you not just read the word "free"?
You may see items posted as "Curb Alert," which means the seller has put his item in front of his house to be taken by passersby. Sometimes there are pictures, sometimes you may just be hoping you're not wasting gas to find the seller did not accurately describe their item. It's just a chance you'll have to take with Craigslist.
A few notes about dealing with sellers on Craigslist: Remember what your mother taught you about being weary of strangers--bring along a friend and/or let someone know where you are going and keep in contact with you. (For the extremely paranoid, you may want to avoid watching "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" before engaging in any Craigslist transactions.) And, as a general rule, if something doesn't feel right, leave immediately. Free may be great, but your safety is priceless.
So, you've come home with your free treasure, be it a coffee table, a shelf or a magazine rack. But, once it arrives in your home, you realize it just doesn't go with anything. That's where you come in.
"But, haven't I done enough?" you say. But, this is the fun part!
Take your found treasure and try to place it by itself without any distractions around it. By doing this, you can look at it from all angles, deciding how you can change it to fit it into your current decorating scheme.
Here are some sample questions to ask yourself:
If deciding to paint it, do some research to find out the technique to use on the item. For example, most items from IKEA (yes, IKEA items are given away for free, believe it or not) are composed of particle board and laminate, making it difficult for paint to adhere. However, with the use of some sandpaper and a strong primer, the paint will adhere and transform the item into the perfect custom piece.
If painting isn't an option or if it didn't work out as planned, there's always the option of covering the item or parts of it. If you're familiar with a sewing machine, it may be as simple as sewing a quick table cloth. This may involve taking the old fabric off the piece and simply replacing it with new fabric, either professionally or by yourself. If the idea of sewing doesn't appeal to you, there are plenty of No-Sew accessories available, such as binding that needs to be ironed as opposed to stitched.
Or maybe the design is a little bland for your taste. Consider decoupaging. Craft stores (as well as online stores) sell such a variety of scrapbook paper nowadays, almost any decor can be complemented with some Mod Podge (or similar sealer or glue) and scrapbook paper. Be sure to finish off a piece of furniture that will be used heavily with acrylic sealer, which can be found in most craft stores next to the adhesives. This will keep the decoupage intact and more resistant to stains and general wear.
Sometimes you may see a free item on Craigslist and you have to have it, but once you get it home, you realize it doesn't go with anything you currently own. Consider the above ideas and give it as a gift. No one has to know it was free on Craigslist (unless you're giving it to the seller as a gift).
Whatever you do with your Craigslist find, remember to have fun. The best part about decorating with the item is the fact that it was free in the first place. If you make a mistake and have to throw it out, you're not throwing out your money at the same time. Free items and Curb Alerts are great practice for honing your DIY skills, as well. So, no matter how you look at it, it's a gain and never a loss.
Happy crafting!
 | Sometimes the smallest alterations make the biggest difference. This is good news for those who live on a shoestring budget but strive to have a beautiful, well kept home. Let's take a look at some small changes that can make quite an impact. |
 | Just because you are living on a shoestring budget does not mean that your apartment cannot look fabulous. You can decorate frugally but still find plenty of enjoyment in it. Here are some cheap apartment decorating ideas to be a frugal and fun do-it-yourself decorator! |
 | Mock inlays and other fabric embellishments are terrific fixes for updating and polishing the look of decor items that might not otherwise seem too attractive. |
If your kitchen is a little drab or even if it's long overdue for an update, you can give it a pick-me-up in just one day or a decent update in just one weekend with these cheap but charming kitchen decorating ideas. |
Anyone who has vintage books lying around their home probably has often wondered if there was a way to put them back into circulation, or at least get them out from underfoot. Why not turn old books into furniture? Handmade furniture using books is not only chic, it's unique. |
