Hold a Trading Spaces Party

Have you ever watched the show Trading Spaces, where the families trade homes for a week and have a budget of $1000 to redecorate one of each other's rooms? It is always neat and usually turns out to be a win / win situation for both families. They both get a newly decorated room that they truly love. If you have a room in your home that needs to be redecorated, but you simply don't know where to start, why not start with letting someone else do it? It will cost you about $1000 or less, depending on the limit that you set for the party.

FIND A FAMILY: Decide who you would trust to decorate a room in your home. Make sure that you feel that the family would also trust you to decorate a room in their home for them. You could get disappointed a few times, with the answer "no" before you find a family that is willing to do this. Do not be discouraged, but be sure that you will trust this family with your home and decorating choices for your home.

SET THE GROUND RULES: Once you have found the family to "trade spaces" with have a meeting and set some rules. First, let each other know which room they will be redecorating. Next, each family should give the other some ideas about how they want the room to be decorated. What colors to use and what colors to stay away from. Simply give some guidance ideas for the decoration of the room. If you had a theme in mind for the room, let them know what you are thinking. Also, set a budget at the meeting.

DECIDE HOW LONG: Next, the two families should come to an agreement whether they will live in each other's homes during the "trade" or if they will go to their own home every night and PROMISE NOT TO PEEK. This could be tough. It could be accomplished better if it is decided to redecorate the rooms over a long weekend and each family can stay at the other family's home during the weekend.

TRADE SPACES: When the time come, trade spaces. Each family will go to the other families home and start redecorating. Have fun with color, murals, new furniture, new pictures, and be creative. Get online to find unique and cheap ideas to redecorate a room. Decorate the space as best you can according to the other families style. Simply be sure that you stay within the budget set.

REVEAL: When the time comes to reveal, have fun with it. Decide which room will be revealed first and go from there. Hopefully each family will love their newly redecorated space.