Frugal Living - How I've Decorated My Home for Less; a guest post

 

As mom of two children, I don’t have much time, money, or energy to spend on decorating my home, but I do have a desire to make it comfortable and attractive for my family. Through years of experimentation, I have found some really nifty ideas to do this without filing for bankruptcy.

One big lesson I have learned is that young children can wreak havoc on the fabric of couches and chairs, and stains can quickly ruin their appearance. The best and most inexpensive way I’ve found to remedy this problem is by using slipcovers. Modern ones come in some great styles, fit well, and can be easily removed for laundering. By using then, I’m sure I’ve added several extra years to the usefulness of my furniture. Besides that, I’ve also been able to change the look of my rooms more often. Slipcovers are a little change which can make a big difference.

Other small, inexpensive changes can add up as well. The following are some ideas that have worked effectively for me when the redecorating bug has bitten:

• After working a large puzzle, glue to a mat, coat with a sealant, and place in a frame for wall art.

• Enlarge photos of family members, pets, personal vacation scenery or important moments and frame to make a wall collage to line a hallway.

• Add new mirrors or put mirrored tiles on a small area to make it look more spacious.

• Use whatever leaves, blossoms, herbs, fruits, vegetables, or flowers available during a particular season to make pretty table arrangements in old crockery or baskets.

• Distress old furniture even more by using some paint remover and a hammer and pick. Then coat with a clear polyurethane.

• Buy a few inexpensive ferns or other green plants that are easy to care for to fill empty spaces and bring the home to life.

I like to make use of old items as long as possible. This makes me feel like a more responsible citizen of Planet Earth and helps me save a few dollars. Here are some ways that I’ve found to do some eco-friendly decorating:

• Pot some herbs in chipped coffee cups and set on the windowsills in colorful groupings.

• Hang old, outdated kitchen wear on pegs on the wall or on an old coat rack.

• Cover an old trunk with a tablecloth and use as a bedside nightstand.

• Sponge paint a wall in the kids’ room using paint colors left over from other projects.

• Use cracked teapots or crockery bowls to hold fresh flowers.

After surveying my own furnishings and materials, I often ask friends and family for their unneeded castoffs, or offer to swap, when I fancy a change of look for my home. Most are glad to share because these items are just taking up precious storage room around the house, but they give me more inspiration for my own decorating efforts; they are free, and they are new me and to the eyes of my family.

I get great satisfaction from finding creative ways to make my home look nice without spending lots of money on brand new items. These are just some of my tips for moms looking for cheap ways to decorate their homes.

 

This is a guest post from Caroline Smith, who has a website where you can find more tips for using sofa covers to give your furniture a makeover. She likes the challenge of finding thrifty ways to brighten up her home for less and loves giving pre-used items a new lease of life.

 

The ideas presented in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions and beliefs of Just Our Thoughts.

20 Things a Day Declutter Challenge

On July 16th, my friend Christi and I decided that we were going to get rid of a minimum of 20 things each day from our homes.  By the fourth day, I had to start looking a lot harder to find 20 items.  In the basement, there was lots, but I wanted to focus on the main floor for at least a week.

 

At the end of the first week, I moved to the basement.  On the first day in the basement, I removed 208 items from my home.  I started in my storage area with a few questions in mind:

• Do I love it? If not, it’s probably on it’s way out the door.
• Would I move it across the country?  If not, it’s probably on it’s way out the door.
• Would I purchase it second hand?  If not, it’s probably on it’s way out the door.
• Do I really need it right now?  In the next year?  If not, it’s probably on it’s way out the door.
• Will this item be easy to find in the future? If not, it’s probably STAYING here.

I continued with this line of questioning and thinking as my work in the basement progressed.

Other things I have counted in my declutter challenge is simply trash that goes un-noticed until you really look.  As FlyLady would say, look with the eyes of a realtor or a stranger.  What do they see?  In this house, they see a lot of trash and clutter!  This problem is slowly getting resolved.

I don’t always get 20 things every day anymore, but my mind is refocused to not accepting just anything.  I now have a specific list of things we need or want to make life here a little easier.  If something comes that is not on that list, it’s not an automatic “in” anymore.  I think about it now.  This is an important step in the fight against clutter.  At least it is for me.  I know others who have this trait (is it a trait?) naturally.

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

Sharing Some Great Posts

Okay, while I’ve been spending a lot of time in my chair and on the couch, I’ve been reading a lot of blogs.  Here are some gems I’ve found in the past couple of weeks.

If You Don’t Ask, The Answer is Always No

Join the Maximize Your Mornings Challenge – it has already started, but it’s not too late to jump in!  Here’s another link to the Maximize Your Mornings Challenge – Consider This Your Wake Up Call.

Why Moms Need Mission Statements

A Dirty Little Secret – One day I will have this dirty little secret too!

Limit Peer Time

I am keeping this next one for a great reference.  I actually need to print out this list and put it in my homeschool planning file.  Homeschool Supplies List.

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

 

Tightwad Tuesday - So I have this fridge . . .

Tightwad Tuesday is about helping each other as we strive to be good stewards of all our resources: money, possessions, time, energy, and health.

(http://homeschoolblogger.com/reviewsandmore/)

You see, I have this industrial sized refrigerator that needs a new job.  The cooling parts do not work anymore.    It’s dead, kaput.  What do we do with this monstrosity that is no longer useful for keeping food cold???  You Google “uses for old refrigerators” and other such phrases.  What a wealth of information I found!!!!  

Here are some links:

From ThriftyFun.com: Tips and ideas for using an old refrigerator. Post your ideas.

• make a 'Kegerator'
• make a compost bin
• make a smoker
• storage for large dishes, pots, etc
• a pantry
• a bookshelf
• animal feed storage
• out of season clothing storage
• tool chest
• root cellar

From AnswerBag.com: Any good uses for an old refrigerator

• watering trough
• fish pond
• yarn or cloth stash for the creative
• smokehouse
• doghouse
• “red-neck” canoe???

From red’s random rambl’ns: Uses For Old Refrigerators (for some of these to make sense you need to know that the family had two fridges sitting on their deck)

• Turn the frig on it’s back and get some friends and can sit side-by-side in the side-by-side frig and go down a hill with ice — doubles bob-sledding.
• Take the doors and use them for snow sledding.
• Use upright as extra shelving for storage.
• An elective class for homeschoolers — fix’n frigs (would that be mechanics or something?).
• Turn over as a table.
• Place bricks under the doors as benches.
• Make 2 picnic tables.
• Make an outdoor bath.
• Make a water fountain.
• Other types of water features anyone?
• Make a lily pond and use it as science experiments.
• Fishing bowl/pond thingy where the kids can go fishing.
• Harvest games — bobbing for apples.
• Big sand boxes — one for cats and one for kids  (if only cats could be happy with just one).
• Make into an elevator for a really big sturdy tree house.
• Turn on it’s side long ways and stack — book shelves.
• Take to local cabinet shop that does custom residential cabinets for them to use as a template when designing cabinets to go around refrigerators or as a display item to show what the finished product will look like around a refrigerator.
• Boats (does anyone know if refrigerators float?  If they don’t, then the boat idea would sink. [tee-hee-hee] ).
• Put wheels and a motor on them and enter kids in the next homemade derby race.
• Planters for flowers, herb garden, or veggies (lots of potatoes!).

From eHow.com: Uses for Old Refrigerators

• Store Extra Pantry Goods
• Store Gardening Materials
• Put Garbage in it until Garbage Day
• Store Beverages
• Sort Your Dirty Laundry in it

From Instructables.com: What should I do with this old fridge?

• blow it up
• cooler for ice at a big party
• make a robot
• age homemade cheese
• a bed or emergency baby crib (with all doors etc removed)
• air hockey table?
• time capsule
• air compressor
• water cooler for computer case
• a hydroponics system
• fermentation chamber (beer-making)

Another eHow.com link: New Uses for Broken Refrigerators

• Make an Icebox
• Flowerbed
• Root Cellar
• Donate or Recycle

From GardenWeb forums: old fridge

• cold frame
• worm bed
• pond
• store potting soil for mixing and such
• pet house
• chemical storage
• container garden
• not recommended as a smoker – plastic of newer fridges is combustible

So what have we decided to do with our industrial refrigerator that died?  If we don’t “recycle” it ourselves, then we have to pay to have it recycled at the dump.  I believe J said that he decided to use it as a toolbox.  He’s going to put a frame under it that has wheels and store his tools in it during the renovation of our kitchen.  Currently these tools are taking up all the space where the new kitchen is meant to go.

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

Tightwad Tuesday – July 13, 2010

 Tightwad Tuesday is about

helping each other as we strive to be good stewards of all our resources: money, possessions, time, energy, and health.

(http://homeschoolblogger.com/reviewsandmore/)

My tip for today is:

MAKE AND USE A MASTER GROCERY LIST.

When we go shopping, we often go without a list.  When we do that we end up spending more money; we purchase “impulse items” that we wouldn’t necessarily buy if we had the list.  When the flyers come in the mail, my dh goes through and circles or marks everything that is a deal and that we need.  I take the flyer and highlight the items on my master grocery list.  Then I add other things that are needed – toilet paper (sometimes you need it whether or not it’s on sale!) or diapers a spice that I need for an upcoming recipe.  With a master grocery list, I feel like I have things more under control.  Also, the whole list is in front of us in the store, we might catch things that I didn’t catch at the planning stages.  I love my master grocery list and I am continually updating and modifying it to adjust to the changing needs of our growing family.

I know that many families make a menu before they go shopping, but for us, we do it the other way – we shop from the flyer and make our meals from what is on sale.  This doesn’t always work and we are working out those kinks.  For example, sometimes we forget to purchase meat (now it’s on the master list though, so we don’t forget as often).  Or there ends up being too many snack foods on the list.

I hope you will join us for Tightwad Tuesday.

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

Menu Planning Monday: Living in Lean Times

This is definitely going to be a week of planning.  I don’t know that I have any meals lined up; we will play each day by ear.  But I am planning.  It has been suggested to me to make a Master Lunch Menu and eat the same thing for lunch every day.  So Mondays will be …. and Tuesdays …. and Wednesdays …  Well, you get the picture.  So here’s what I’ve got listed so far:

• beans and buns
• leftovers
• soup and sandwiches
• crackers and cheese
• veggies and dip
• grilled cheese
• ramen noodles
• sandwiches
• sliced fruit

With our new schedule, I have us eating two small meals in the middle of the day – at 11 and at 2.  So we will probably rotate through those ideas by having something more substantial (like soup or sandwiches) around 11 and something more like a snack around 2 (veggies and dip or fruit).
I’d like to get our suppers on a similar rotation.  W likes the “chicken Thursday” commercial and every time we have chicken he asks if it’s chicken Thursday.  And if it’s not Thursday I say, “No, it’s chicken Saturday.”  So I think I’ll put chicken on Thursday, just for the boy.  We all like Nuggets and Fries, so I think that will go on Thursday.  Thursday is a crazy mixed up day (as long as dance happens on Thursday next fall as well).  I think nuggets and fries will work great on Thursdays.  I can pop them in the ovens before taking the kids to dance and they will be done when we get home.  We will follow up with a movie.
So far, here are my ideas for supper “themes” each week:

• Sunday – fish
• Monday – pork
• Tuesday – ground meat (beef or moose)
• Wednesday – breakfast for supper
• Thursday – chicken; such as nuggets and fries or chicken fingers, or a crock pot chicken meal
• Friday – beef; such as roast, steak, stew meat
• Saturday – outdoor cooking; such as burgers, hot dogs, grilling

Because we are eating what’s in the house right now, this will not take place until we figure out some income issues.  We are really living on faith.  And although it’s not easy, we’ve been here before and God has always provided.  I’m not worried, it just makes planning a pain.  I am so glad that I have the internet for a resource to find frugal meals and menus, friends to give guidance and support and that my dh has had two days of work in the last week!  (That translates to some income, right???)
NOTE:  Writing about our financial situation is hard but I think it’s important.  I think I can help others see that it’s not the end of the world, that there are ways to make ends meet.  I want people to know that we have hope and faith in God.  I don’t want anyone (local or otherwise) to think that this is a plea for help.  I just don’t know how to share what I’m thinking and planning without mentioning our situation.  We’ve gotten used to asking for and accepting help when it comes when it’s needed.  And we will continue to do so.  We will not let our little ones suffer because of our pride.  We don’t use the system.  We are hardworking and try to be thrifty.  We like to live in the fat times but we certainly know how to tighten up the belt in the lean times.  When you are a large family, living on one income and without credit cards, with minimal coupons, you learn a few tricks and dollar stretching ideas.  I guess I could start sharing some of what we do. 

Many more menus at: Org Junkie.

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

No Money Swap - a guest post

Are you looking to get rid of some leftovers that didn't sell at your garage sale this year? Perhaps your looking to get rid of Annie's last year's clothing that she outgrew and has no one to pass them down to?

You can organize your own no money required swap.Whether this will be amongst friends or a community type thing, you decide.It can be big or small.

• make a list of friends you feel may be interested, if you feel it will be a small friends and family thing.
• find someone who has a garage or basement they can spare the space with for one afternoon or evening.
• make invites and mail out or e-vite- with date, time and place. Either it will be an all clothing swap or perhaps just housewares- or a bit of both- you decide.
• put out a few beverages or snacks....remember, we're trying to save money here so don't go putting on a smorg-hee hee
• let all attendees know that there is no limits to what they take- just that it needs to all go..
• donate leftovers either back to their owners, a charitable thrift store, or save for the next year's garage sale...
• and by all means, make it a family affair!

by Monique at Stretching the One Income Dollar

Monique is a fellow Canadian who has written a book called: Stretching the One Income Dollar. You can purchase this book on her website. Right now, Monique is selling ebook copies of her book for $5. Some of my favorite posts of hers include such topics as how photographers can make money, ING Direct, plastic bags, and making extra money.

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

Date Night - Quiet Nights At Home

I was so excited to see that Christi's theme was Quiet Nights for Date Night this week, because our dates were spent at home, either while the kids were outside playing or when they were already in bed.

There were a couple of nights when J's activities (fire department stuff or helping a friend) required him to be away just as I was serving supper. So I decided that I would serve the children, get the meal cleaned up and get the kids to bed. When J got home, I got away from the computer, and sat with him while he ate. We talked and just enjoyed spending time together in a quiet house.

Then yesterday, the children (except Baby R) went to one of the back alley neighbor's homes to jump on their trampoline. We sat and had coffee and chips and dip together while chatting about the week and what this weekend held for us. It was so nice just to spend time with him uninterrupted, in my own home. It was cheap and comfortable.


Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

Don't forget to check out the great giveaways at Simply Sensational Divas Review.

A Mommy Smart

My kids claim to hate leftovers. I am so tired of food going bad in the fridge. And I'm so very frustrated with them leaving food on their plates. I don't give them too much (although I have cut back on the portions some) and it is food they like; they just don't eat. So we wrap it up and throw it in the fridge and there it sits until it is icky and we toss it and wash the dishes.

Sound familiar? I hope not, but it probably does.

So I had an idea. And I know it will not work for every home, but it works here, so far. Money is tighter than tight. I can't throw food out.

The children were all busy with this and that while I made supper tonight. I took all the leftovers out of the fridge, including that which was on individual plates from the night before - the four kids had all left food on their plates. I took it and mixed it all in a casserole dish, added a can of peas. Then I threw it in the oven to re-heat it. If I'd had cheese, I'd have melted cheese on top, but I didn't have cheese. :(

I even made the dinner table up all nice for them. I put matching place mats, with matching cloth napkins. Everyone got a spoon and a cup and a bowl (all the bowls matched). I didn't go as far as candles because W would have just put food in them. And then I dished up their supper into their bowls.

I got ooohs and aaahs from them all. And, "why did you make the table so pretty?" And I answered with, "Because you are all so special to me, and I wanted to do this for you." They ate and put themselves in the tub and made a mess in the bathroom and they all got out and basically put themselves to bed. It was a really stress-free evening. :)

Now, at 10PM, I'm going to go eat supper with my man. We're having leftovers too; stew from the other night.

While on the topic of tricks for saving food, I'll just mention one other things I've been doing. I throw the leftovers directly into the freezer, even if there isn't enough for more than one person. Those leftovers can eventually all be thrown into a stew or soup.