Save Money during the Recession (but still have a nice home)

Even though our country is in a recession, you can still create a great looking home on a budget. In fact, it may even be a better time to redecorate because of all the great deals you can find. Many stores have significantly reduced prices in order to sell more furniture and decor. Homeowners are often selling things because they are looking to make some extra cash. Foreclosed homes are often full of furnishings which are then auctioned off at great prices. You never know where you will find the next great deal! Here are a few more tips to great decorating during a recession:

-Shop at garage sales and find great used furniture for cheap prices
-Look in the clearance section of regular furniture stores. They may have some great deals!
-Check out classifieds and craigslist.com for super deals.
-Use inexpensive ways to re-decorate your rooms, such as with paint, area rugs and ready-made draperies.

For more great budget decorating ideas, purchase Designing on a Budget! This no-nonsense budget decorating book will walk you through learning to design on a dime! When you order the e-book version, you will also receive 3 special bonus e-books:

1. Home Personal Organizer Forms
2. Kitchen Decorating on a Budget
3. Secrets on How to Sell Your Home Fast

Get started today! Order the e-book, or printed version by clicking here!

Great Home Organization Solutions

Springtime comes around, and everyone is ready to start tackling those big spring projects. Cleaning out that cluttered closet, re-organizing the pantry or garage, and finding a new home for things that are out of place. Here are some helpful tricks and tips that can make spring cleaning a whole lot easier:

1. Give everything a place. This is very important in keeping a house neat and tidy. Use clear plastic bins and organizers to keep things separated by category and function. Label everything so you will know where to find it later. Always put things back in their home when finished using them.
(Click to purchase)


2. Recycle. You can use old shoe boxes, pretty jars and bottles, grocery bags (paper and plastic), and boxes to store your items. There's no need to spend lots of money on fancy new containers. Just cover them with a pretty gift wrap or contact paper, and you can even color-code them and customize them to match your decor. A grocery bag dispenser is a great way to re-use bags, and keep them neat and tidy. This great stainless steel bag dispenser matches with todays stainless appliances!

(Click to purchase)
3. Maximize your space. Those nooks and crannies that you never used can be great places for storage. You can store things everywhere, just be sure to keep it organized and neat. Also, re-evaluate your current storage situation, and determine if there are places that could be better utilized. You may want to sort through old boxes, or re-organize an area that you don't find yourself visiting often.

(Click to purchase)
When it comes to spring cleaning and organization, there are always lots of things to do! Just remember to have fun, and break down your large tasks into smaller projects so that you don't get overwhelmed. For more great storage and organization products, visit Organize.com and check out this great Organization Kit

Maximize Space in Your Home as you do Spring Cleaning

Springime rolls around, and everyone is ready to start tackling those big spring projects. Cleaning out that old cluttered closet, re-organizing the garage, and finding a new home for things that were previously out of place. Here are some helpful tricks and products that can make spring cleaning a bit easier:

1. Give everything a home.
This is very important in keeping a house neat.

Use organizers and clear bins to keep things separated by category or function. Be sure to label everything so you will know where to find it later.

2. Recycle.
You can use old shoe boxes, grocery bags (paper and plastic), and boxes to store your items. There's no need to spend lots of money on new containers. Just cover them with gift wrap or contact paper, and you can even color-code them. A plastic grocery bag dispenser is a great way to re-use bags, and keep them neat and tidy.

3. Maximize your space.

Find all those nooks and crannies that you didn't think of. You can store things everywhere, just be sure to keep it neat. Also, re-evaluate your current storage situation, and determine if there are places that could be better used. You may want to sort through, or re-organize an area that you don't find yourself visiting often.

When it comes to spring cleaning and organization, there is always lots to do! Just remember to have fun, and break down your tasks into smaller projects so that you don't get overwhelmed.

For more great storage and organization ideas, visit
The Home Marketplace, and Organize.com


Home organization , budget decorating

Winterizing your home interior

As winter comes around, and heating bills rise, there are some simple things homeowners can do to fight the cold, and keep energy costs lower. Here are some great ways to winterize your home interior:

1. Check for air leaks- Go through your home, looking for places air can escape. This could be windows, gaps or cracks in basement walls, underneath doors, or drafts from an attic or basement. Seal any cracks or gaps with an expanding foam product such as "great stuff".

2. Install weatherstripping around windows and doors to keep drafts out. Check old weatherstripping and caulk to be sure that it's not old and cracking.

3. Use a Programmable Thermostat to keep the temperature slightly lower when nobody is home, and slightly higher while you are there.

4. Use solar heat. Keep blinds and curtains open when the sun is shining, and allow the light to warm your home. When it's dark or cloudy, you may want to close them to prevent the radiant cool from the window panes out.

5. Update window treatments. Using thermal window treatments can drastically reduce cold air from coming off the glass window panes. Honeycomb shades (or cellular shades), are a great choice, as well as insulated curtains, and roman shades.

These tips should help keep some of the winter cold from chilling your home. Winterizing your home can be an easy task, and doesn't need to cost a lot of money.

Additional Resources:
Alternative Energy Sources

Insulated Drapes from Linens-N-Things

Programmable Thermostat

Insulating Honeycomb Shades from Blinds.com