Tag: budget decorating

Tips for Budget Friendly Makeovers

budget-friendly

Whether you’re looking for a quick makeover or a complete renovation, here are a few tips to help you stick to your budget.

1.  Negotiate.  Ask everyone if there’s any flexibility in the price and negotiate your heart out!  You’d be surprised where you can get discounts.

2.  Prioritize.  If you have a limited budget chances are you won’t be able to do everything on your “wish list,” but you can do the ones you care most about if you prioritize before you begin the work.

3.  Shop Surplus.  Ask vendors and showrooms about overstocks, floor models, closeouts and other sales and be flexible with your vision to include these deals when possible.

4.  Shop Secondhand.  Salvage yards, flea markets, thrift stores, yard sales and stores like Habitat For Humanity’s ReStore are great places to source inexpensive makeover materials.  You never know what you might find, so they’re definitely worth checking out.

5.  DIY.  Do-it-yourself is a good way to stick to a budget.  Doing your own grunt work can save you a bundle, just don’t try to do things you can’t handle, because then you’ll end up paying someone extra to come in and fix your mistakes before they can do the work.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-629-6693.

Budget Friendly Holiday Decorating Ideas

The holidays are just around the corner. If part of your home is bare, consider some of these budget friendly holiday decorating ideas:

The holidays are just around the corner.  If part of your home is bare, consider some of these budget friendly holiday decorating ideas:

  1. Dip pinecones in gold paint (a mixture of water, glue and glitter will make them sparkle) – add gold ribbon and place them wherever you need extra cheer!
  2. Tie your throw pillows with holiday colored ribbon and they’ll look just like Christmas presents!  Add bows, rhinestones and jewels for extra glitz.
  3. Create card swag – drape cards over a long strand of pretty ribbon and tack the ends to your mantle or across a doorway.
  4. Wrap your furniture – cover dining room chairs in holiday fabric and tie them with a bow for a more formal holiday look.
  5. Put cranberries to work – fill vases or bottles with water and float a generous amount of cranberries to add some Christmas red to any room – add some evergreen, holly, or other holiday plant for added decoration.
  6. Homemade luminaries – line a staircase, hallway, or outdoor walkway with homemade luminaries.  Use battery operated candles for a safer approach.
  7. Colored vases – fill clear vases with water and add a few drops of food coloring – make a grouping of several and float candles in the vases for a warm holiday glow.
  8. Jingle bells – tie jingle bells to your door handles for some holiday cheer!  Feel free to spray paint the bells any color you’d like.
  9. Tie it up – if you’re having guests for the holiday season, stack red, white, green or holiday guest towels together and tie with a  coordinating ribbon for a festive look in the guest bath.
  10. Create art – slide holiday wrapping paper into a matted frame for instant holiday art.
  11. Tie a bow – fill gaps in your tree with bows tied from beautiful holiday ribbon.
  12. Think outside the tree – hang ornaments in doorways, windows, entryways, hallways, and any place you could use some extra cheer.  Groups of Christmas tree balls make fantastic decorations for more than just the tree.
  13. Decorate with scent – Simmer any combination of apple slices, orange peel, cinnamon sticks, dried cloves, vanilla or peppermint in a few tablespoons of simmering water on the stove for a lovely holiday smell.
  14. Create your own ice sculpture – fill balloons with colored water, let them freeze and then remove the balloons – the colored ice balls will look like giant Christmas ornaments lining your walk.
  15. Bring the outdoors in – string up natural greens to brighten up any room!

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.