Are you getting ready to entertain for the holidays, but are feeling like your house is looking a little “frumpy”? Or are you ready to ring in the New Year, with a new “feel” to your old house?   But…money is tight and the “decorating budget” is non-existent? What do you do? In our house, the answer is not only simple, but the only option – get creative!

1.       Paint picture frames a new color to change the mood of the room. You can even get the little ones involved with this. Lay out an old towel, buy a little thing of craft paint at Wal-Mart for under a dollar, and change your décor to shabby chic with a little distressed white paint, go modern with espresso brown, or anywhere in between! 2.       If you want to get even more creative, or don’t want to paint but still want to spice things up, add a piece of ribbon to the top of the frame to act as a decorative hanger for the frame. It adds new color and change to an old frame. 3.       Take out all the candles in your candle holders and replace them with a new candle color. Big Lots and Wal-Mart are where I find the best prices! Or, if you don’t want to buy new ones, just switch out the candles in one room, for candles in another. You don’t have to stop with the candles, switch, pillow, blankets, pictures, plants etc! 4.       As you are changing your pictures frame color, change the pictures in the frames. Simply updating the pictures makes the room look updated and fresh. If you want to frame art but don’t have the cash for a nice print, look through your favorite magazines, for pretty pictures or sayings that inspire you typed out in a decorative format, and frame those. My favorite piece of art in my grandmother’s house is a ripped out magazine page that says, “Family is Who Ever is Sitting at the Dinner Table”. 5.       I saw this idea on the Oprah show. It similar to raiding your friends closets for a new wardrobe, except you raid your friend’s living room for a home makeover! Switch out pillows, furniture, wall decorations, plants, whatever each other is interested in. 6.       Have the kids make your art work or wall decor. Pull out paint, collage, and mosaic materials. Frame them in cheap frames from Big Lots or Wal-Mart, or even frame them in your newly painted frames. It looks good, and add’s a modern family feel to the home. 7.       Of course, my constant favorite is also on the list. Scour “Free Cycle” or “Craigslist” for free finds. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Remember, with a little dusting and a coat of paint, an old piece of furniture or decoration is as good as new.   Have fun and involve the kids as much as possible! They will love it and the new décor will not only look good, but it will give you that warm feeling that only a special memory can do.