Decorating Your Space By Shopping In Your Own Home

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Decorating my home doesn’t come naturally to me. I envy those women who can spot a random object in a store and immediately pull together a breathtaking living room display. Admittedly, as a stay-at-home mom on a very tight budget, decorating has fallen by the wayside until recently. I have discovered a new love for thrift stores, yard sales, and curbside junk (and no, I am not a hoarder or a dumpster diver!) Because I can’t shop at Target or Ikea whenever I want to change up a room, I keep an eye out for items on the cheap. It has turned into a slight obsession. 

Decorating your space by shopping in your own home

There is something beautiful about the imperfections in furnishings–they show character and history.

A little chip in a pitcher makes a beautiful vase for flowers. Weathered old books? These bring nostalgia to any room. As I think about decorating my home, I want to surround myself with the items I love and trinkets that remind me of those I love.

When I set out to do any project, I consider these three caveats: 

  1. Time–Is it something I can do while my kids nap? This is important to me because I don’t have any other time to myself during the day until the kids go to bed. And by then, I am too tired to do anything.
  2. Space–Will this item take up a lot of space while I am working on it?
  3. Money–Can I re-purpose something in my home or buy it cheaply at a thrift store?

My kitchen is the hub of my house. Friends gather here for meals and coffee. My kids play around me while I cook. My husband sits in his chair facing me while I get dinner ready and we catch up on our day. This space is precious to me, however it needed some TLC. A friend of mine had used the term “shopping in her apartment,” as she was decorating for a party. I was inspired to look around my home for items that could be moved around or re-purposed in other avenues. With a little help from my friend Pinterest, I came up with two simple projects.

PROJECT #1: Book Page Wreath

decorating your space by shopping in your home

My grandfather died a year and a half ago. He loved books. When he passed away, I was told I could take any books I wanted from his downstairs office. As I carefully looked through each shelf, I came across many old books of poetry and other classics. Old, yellowed pages sifted through my hands as I turned each page carefully.  

Even though I live in a small space and do not have room to display large bookshelves, I DO have some empty wall space. Two of my friends made book page wreaths, which I admire. I thought this would be the perfect way to display something special from my grandfather’s home and spruce up my kitchen. Click here for the tutorial I followed.

Don’t you love the vintage look it adds? The flower in the middle was left over from another project, along with the ribbon I used to hang it with. So not only do I now have a creative piece of decor, it also cost me absolutely nothing!

 

decorating your space

PROJECT #2: Burlap and Lace Garland

I am a burlap addict. I have now openly admitted it. So when I came across this project, I instantly fell in love and, even better, I had all of the material already on hand! (Thanks to a roll of burlap left over from gifts I made at Christmastime and a lace table cloth I purchased at the local thrift store for $1). 

This is so easy to make! I completed it when my one-year-old was napping and my four-year-old was playing with a friend. All it entailed was cutting up strips of fabric and tying it on twine. 

I have a small window right over my kitchen sink and spend quite a chunk of time there each day. I love how it dresses up the window and ties in with the rustic look that I adore. 

Other small decorating touches I love:

  • Old poetry books propped up on my baker’s rack
  • My wedding bouquet preserved in an antique style frame
  • A vase filled with scraps of lace and burlap with a strand of my grandmother’s pearls weaved throughout which sits upon a silver platter that my grandfather had once owned.

decorating your space by shopping in your home

Decorating is something that doesn’t have to break the bank because you may have the materials already on hand. Fill your home with love, comfort, and memories with creativity and a little vision.