An Easy Way to Save Big Money on
Home Decorating

Ever had inspiration and decided to redecorate a room? You ran out to the local supercenter, bought a pretty paint, some curtains, a couple of throw pillows, some candles that smelled really good and then you got home and realized you had no idea how to pull it all together? Most people don't realize that planning a home-decorating project is one of the simplest ways to save wasted money. Believe me, I know! There is a simple way to keep you on track while decorating your room so that the end result is pulled together, and yet you don't waste bucks on things that end up not working. It's called a theme. Theme decorating does not mean the "Jungle Paradise" room at the local motel. What it means is creating a vision for your finished room with a few well-chosen words.

Step One - Identify how you want to feel in your room. Calm, energized, fresh, intellectual, etc. You get the idea.

Step Two - Flip through magazines and find styles and colors that give you that feeling. Tear them out, and use them to create your own theme.

Step Three - Create a name for your theme using what you've learned, such as "Romantic Blue Cottage by the Sea," "Sleek Modern Minimal with Blacks and Reds" or "Fishing in the Woods with Humor." Use as many descriptive words as you need to keep you on target.

Now, the next time you go shopping for home décor items or projects, think "Is this Romantic Blue Cottage by the Sea"? Your vision of your finished room will now be clear, and your purchases will practically make themselves! No more wasted money on things that just never fit, even though they looked great on the shelf!

Kathy Wilson is an author, columnist, and editor of The Budget Decorator and other popular websites. For hundreds of free budget decorating ideas, visit her at www.TheBudgetDecorator.com. Also visit her other websites at www.Women-on-the-Net.com and www.StressLessJournal.com.

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