I am currently on a kick to update my home decor.  I mean, we have lived in this house for 3 years.  About time to change some things up.  I was so happy with the outcome of Caris' room re-do that I want to keep it going.  In fact, as I type this, my darling husband is sanding our kitchen cabinets.  I have despised the orange-ish glow of the oak cabinets since we bought the house, so we are finally diving into the repainting project.  While it's a rather inexpensive project, I have 5 ideas to share with you for freshening up your home decor for FREE!

1.  Rearrange your furniture.  I feel as though I am stating the obvious on this one.  But we can get so stuck in having our couch exactly where it always has been or our bed in that particular spot that we don't even consider anything else.  You might want to grab a friend to help you on this one.  Because they may see options that you haven't even considered.   My friend Holly asked me about moving our bed in front of the window in our master bedroom.  Gasp.  A bed in front of a window?!  But, guess what?  It looks awesome!  It barely covers up any of the window, and the curtains flanking the window frames the headboard so nicely.  

2.  Switch out the photos in your frames.  People see the photos in their frames so often that they don't really even SEE them anymore.  But, swap them out, and your eyes find something new to take in.  It really is a great FREE way to update your look a bit.

3.  Shop in your own home.  Go through each room and find knick knacks, frames, or even wall decor that you might want to switch around to a different room.  Don't forget the curtains!  Again--my brilliant friend Holly realized how awesome our formal living room curtains would look in our living room.  They were perfect.  Look in your attic or garage, too, for items that you aren't currently using.  If you feel they're outdated, then grab some spray paint. 

4.  Less is more.  Try a little de-cluttering for a new look.  I don't have a TON of knick-knack things around my house, but if you do, then you might want to remove your least favorite things.  I've found that even if I clean out drawers or closets--which no one else will see--I still feel better about my house.  It functions better, so my feelings about my home improve, too.


5.  Bring in the nature. Now, here in drought stricken Texas where we are hitting actual temperatures of 110 day after day, this little bit of advice is not very practical.  About the only thing growing in my backyard these days is the poisonous sumac.  However, in cooler days, I enjoy looking at the roses or other flowers growing in our yard.  And, for some reason, I tend to forget about clipping them to enjoy in a vase INSIDE the house.   Fresh flowers are a great way to freshen up your home decor--and the great thing is you don't have to spend a dime!  If you, too, have only dead plants outside, it might be worth a try to grab some pretty branches, possible spray paint them, and put them in a tall vase in the corner.  Or how about some pine cones in a glass container?  


With just a dash of creativity and absolutely no money, you can do many things to bring some new life to your home.  Got some other ideas?  Please post a comment below and share your secrets.  Now, off to sand these cabinets--which I swear are multiplying as I sit here typing.