Interior Refresh for the Budget Challenged

Part One

Correct me if I'm wrong, but most average people don't have a regular line item in the budget for decorating.  (Who am I kidding?  Most people don't even have a budget.  And very few of those who do, actually stick to it.  Including us.)  So when I see an article in a magazine (BHG July 2010) about budget decorating, I dive right in thinking it's going to answer the long awaited question of how to create a classy room with virtually no money.  But much to my dismay, I see that the "budget" was $350.  That's not "virtually no money" to me.  It's quite a lot when your budget is $0 to start with, right?

So here's my brainstorm of ideas for refreshing your my home for truly little or no cost...

#1. Clean, clean, clean- I decided on Saturday that I am never again going to go around rearranging stuff without my house first being clean. And I mean spic and span clean. Sometimes my need to rearrange is harmless, impulsive and just for fun, sometimes it's a purposely calculated response to my desire for something new ("I know it's annoying that I moved the couch again, honey, but better that than a hay day with the credit card, right?"), and other times (like right now) it's a hugely drawn out process (like two weeks) where I absolutely can't make up my mind about anything. And the morning after David hangs the mirror (with those huge drywall screw things), I have secret and very serious doubts about whether I like it there. Anyway, what it all boils down to is that I somehow become completely dissatisfied. I know it's horribly wrong and absolutely inexcusable given that we literally live like kings compared to the majority of the world's population. Read or watch the statistics from "If the World were a Village". Or watch Black Gold like I did the other night. Either way, be prepared for some serious conviction.

I love my house best right after I've cleaned (everything from the inside of the microwave to mopping the floors and sweeping the unfinished basement). Can you guess what chores don't get done on a regular basis around here? So the moral of the story is:

a clean house = a loved house = a satisfied homemaker

#2. Organize- Something, anything. Right now I have a junk drawer, a spice drawer, a bathroom drawer, a closet, and an office that need organizing. If I spent a Saturday and finished those five things I'd feel like a new woman! Remember that you can use fun dishware, unused vases and candle holders to organize your bathroom and office drawers. And Velveeta boxes are the perfect size for pens in your desk or junk drawer or combs in your bathroom drawer.

Velveeta boxes and glass votive holders put to good use in our bathroom.

Also, save your coffee cans and smallish glass jars with screwtop lids for your husband to organize all the stuff he needs for his mechanical hobbies (go-carting, anyone?).  David's gearing up for a big race on July 3rd... I'll have to make sure I get some pictures... it's serious stuff.

more to come...