Decorating Your Home for Pennies

Are you looking to spruce up your home but find yourself a little short on cash? Do you have some favorite items laying around but can't find uses or places for them? Here are some tips on decorating that will have your house looking great and radiating warmth through personalized touches.

*Show Off Your Collections: If you have a thing for collecting things and have racked up quite the clutter in storage, start utilizing your collections in your decor. Group similar vases or glasses on tiered shelves. Don't be afraid to use your items in unexpected ways. We took advantage of our kitchen window sill to display our collection of sake cups and bottles. When they're available, I gather flowers from the yard and place individual blossoms into each vessel. The combination of formal Japanese porcelain and bright wildflowers is breathtaking.

*Create Family Clusters: I love photographs and have dozens of family pictures floating around the house, framed or free. It got to the point where they were everywhere we looked, something I enjoyed but somewhat suffocating to guest. The pictures scattered all over seemed to strangle the rest of our decor rendering it pointless. I massed all of the pictures atop an antique buffet, overlapping each other and splattering the wall behind. I threw in some personalized touches to mix it up a bit, like my grandmother's metal vases and orphaned teacups that glow with tea lights when evening strikes.

*Ambiance Isn't Just Visual: You can have the most beautiful home, filled with priceless art and gorgeous decor, but remnants of last night's dinner still hang in the air. Or maybe the odor of a pet is constantly lingering... You've seen the commercials, it can happen to anyone. Candles and reed diffusers can help--I myself am a huge fan of candles--but sometimes they can get over-powering, or leave an artificial scent that mingles with the other aromas. Here's a trick that I adore that fills your quarters with a natural smell that is warm and soothing. Put a pot of water on the stove and toss in some cinnamon and cloves, putting in as much as your nose is comfortable with. Let the water simmer away as long as you'd like. The steam will spread the heavenly blend making guests swear that there is a pie in their near future. (Realtors have been known to utilize this technique to make the houses they're showing more welcoming and homey.)

*Breath New Life Into Tired Linens: A tablecloth was passed down to me from my grandmother... A very pretty piece that I adored. Through accidents and aging, the linen became riddled with stains and unsightly marks. Unable to part with it, I kept it around, hoping for some inspiration. Inspiration hit in the form of my toddler coloring a decorative pillow. The marks wouldn't come out so I opted to cover them with the patterns cut from the poor old table cloth. The two paired perfectly and it's not unusual for our house guests to ask where they too can purchase the pillow.

*Work With What You Have: The house we're renting is lovely but it came with some less than stellar curtains and drapes. The set in the kitchen wasn't horrible, but it didn't quite scream me. I remedied the dilemma but stringing crystals from an old chandelier strategically around the border. I dangled a glittered metal maple leaf from the center strand to finish it up. The bathroom curtains remained untouched until our second Christmas in the house. I sewed on several vintage Christmas ornaments that matched the color scheme in the room. When Christmas was over, I decided that I liked the look so much that I kept them hanging. As long as they don't have Santa or Frosty on them, I don't have any problems with showcasing my favorite holiday decor.

In the end, your home should reflect you. Create your own DIY projects to match the things you love. The projects are fun, something kids can sometimes get into with you. Have fun with it and always enjoy the process!