Keeping in lines with my last post, money does not grow on trees. So in order to refresh your home, you need to spend as little as possible. My last idea was free, this one could be as well. I feel that I'm a pretty respectable person, but I'm not above diving into a dumpster for a rug. (True story, the rug is in my dining room.) It comes back to vision. It's easy to visualize something beautiful when it already is. Rooms in magazines look amazing, furniture in a showrooms look amazing. I want my house to look amazing too, it just might take a little more work.
Most towns have 'bulk days' or days when you can throw away big stuff you can't normally with your current garbage company. These days are golden - they get marked on my calendar! I have all the schedules for the towns around me and what areas at which times, etc. Put your ego aside, grab your flashlight and go curb shopping. You wouldn't believe what you will find. Yes, A LOT of it is true trash, like carpet and really sketchy looking couches... BUT there are treasures out there. If you are not afraid of some elbow grease, paint, screws whatever, you can take a broken down piece of furniture, art work, (or rugs) from trash to treasure soon enough. Here's a good story for you:
I was driving to my sisters to pick up my kids when on the curb I saw a big base kitchen cabinet staring at me. It was 30 inches wide and 24 inches deep. Perfect. The door was off and it looked like it was a cat's scratching post, but what did I see? A kitchen island. So I stop, loading that beast into the back of my van and continued on. I spend 30 dollars and I know have an amazing kitchen island. I painted it red (leftover from my accent wall color in my kitchen.) I put two shelves on the side of it with some scrap wood I had and some cute shelf brackets from Lowe's. I keep my cook books on there. And I bought a piece of plywood, backer board and tile to match my counter-top. I cut the ply wood a 36 inch square and left one foot hanging off the back and six inches hanging off over my two cook book shelves. Next was the backer board, and then the tile. After the finishing touches, I had a new kitchen island that everyone loves! I have room for two bar stools under the part that hangs over a foot and now my kids can eat breakfast there in the morning. All for 30 dollars and because I wasn't ashamed to trash pick.
So go driving around and look for weird shaped little tables that could be painted a vibrant color or old lamps that would look great with some cleaner and a new shade, or anything really. Don't be afraid to love trash, it will love you back.
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