UPDATE! (on the CHEAP)

To update the look of my home on the cheap, here are a few things I do every 6 months or so, sometimes more if I really want to annoy my family.  And I thought I'd share my madness with you.

Update your home for free (that's how we all roll right?) and keep it looking new and fresh, whether it's for the changing seasons, or if you're like me, you just get distracted and bored very easily.  That's when I end up mixing it up in my house.  Here's a little insight as to how my brain works when, for instance, I sit down to write this blog:

HEY, LOOK, A TRUCK IS GOING BY!  OH, I FORGOT TO GET THE MAIL.   MAYBE I SHOULD VACUUM NOW.  I HAVE TO MOVE THIS SOFA, WAIT, THAT DESK WOULD BE MUCH BETTER IN HERE.  I'M HUNGRY, I SHOULD GET THE FISH OUT OF THE FREEZER, HEY, LOOK, WE DO HAVE WAFFLES!  WHAT ARE MY KEYS DOING IN HERE?  WHAT IF I SPRAY PAINT THE FREEZER!

I think you can relate, can't you?  Anyhoo.  As I was saying, when my brain so rudely interrupted me, there are millions of easy ways to update your home, and you don't have to spend much money!  Sweet!

Move the furniture around.  This is my favorite past-time!  Really, I do it all the time.  In fact, I just did it last week.  The kids are to the point that they no longer notice the entire living room, or that their own bedrooms are completely moved around.  BUT, in my defense, you can update the whole look of a room without spending a penny!  (You might even find some $ if you shake the sofa down.. who knows).  SO, change your focal point, move a large item from one side of the room to another, swap chairs from a different room, or change the placement of a large rug.  Just give it a try.

Pillows and Curtains.  Pile the pillows on one sofa.  Add fringe to the pillows, or lamp shades, and find a new tie back to curtains.  This week I found some awesome napkins (no, not the paper kind), and hung them as curtains in the kitchen window.  Voila!

Lighting.  We have pendants, recessed and all kinds of overhead lighting.  But in general, we use table lamps, and our under-cabinet lighting to light our home.  It's so much warmer and homey.  And, I'm a big fan of white twinkle lights all year round.  Pile them in a bowl, string them over your cabinets or hutches, stuff them in a clear vase, or wrap them around your headboard.

Check out this picture from http://thatbohemiangirl.tumblr.com/.  It's sooo pretty!



Change small accents.  You can paint your kitchen cabinet knobs, or paint all of your picture frames one color, and update the color of an old vase - this is where spray paint comes in handy!   It comes in all colors, metallic, textured... And I get it for .99 at Wally World.

Plants.  I love plants.  They help the air quality in your home (so they say, I can't tell the difference...), and they're a cheap solution to decorating a table top, or filling a corner.  Check Lowe's and Home Depot (or your local garden shops).  They usually have a clearance section on house plants.  AND, Lowe's will re-pot your plant for you for free if you have a new pot!



Paint. You do have to spend a little bit of your hard earned cash on paint, or maybe you have some in your basement!  Accent a wall, the ceiling, or even just a door.

Check this out from Budget Wise Home: