Real Simple: No-Money Home Makeover Ideas
Photos by Real Simple
My home is a sty right now, as we’re sorting our worldly possessions into various large piles for Goodwill, recycling, or selling on eBay or Craig’s List, in order to make room for the baby, otherwise we’re going to have to shove her in a box under the bed. Uncluttering is our number one priority right now—seriously, how on Earth do two people accumulate so much useless junk? “Living with less” is my renewed mantra—but if beautification were even on our radar, I’d be all over Real Simple’s zero-cost home makeover ideas.
My favorite: Draping a quilt over your bed frame and turning into a headboard. (Of course, you’d actually need a bed frame, which I don’t, for this to work, but a girl can dream.) I also love the idea of using mismatched china as catchalls for makeup paraphernalia on your vanity, although in my case I’d need 1) a vanity, 2) a pair of well-behaved cats who wouldn’t even DREAM of knocking over fragile tableware and smashing them to smithereens on the floor below.
hari said,
October 5, 2008 at 9:37 am
Hahaha, I can totally sympathize with the “if only I had well-behaved cats” comment.
I go to peoples’ houses and think, DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN.. oh wait, my cat doesn’t live here. I mean, toilet paper left dangling, even a sheet… a plate waiting on the table as you bring the rest of the dinner in; bread in its plastic bag sitting outside of a protective drawer; jewelry hanging on the wall; yarn as you’re knitting; the tapestry you hang by your bed (pulled on top of you, tacks and all, as you sleep)…
Someone posted this to the saucydwellings community on LJ and maybe you’d dig it as well, as it’s along a similar vein: http://www.nytimes.com/glogin?URI=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/02/garden/02student.html&OQ=_rQ3D1&OP=7792995aQ2F!rsc!dQ5DmQ3D(Q5DQ5DiQ60!Q60Q3EQ3EQ3F!Q25Q3E!Q3EQ60!Og(dsN!Q3EQ60Q3DiQ2BdsNixqiEQ51
(you have to log in to the NYT website, argh.)
Laume said,
October 9, 2008 at 2:36 pm
I too have ill bred cats hell bent on breaking, knocking over, destroying, rearranging, or otherwise wreaking havoc on any vignette I attempt in my home. Keeping my flat surfaces covered up with hefty and well balanced stacks of clutter is perhaps a defense mechanism. At least, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.