Use whatcha got!

As many of you know, we have been on a budget around here...really and truly on one for the first time ever!! As a result, that means that one of my favorite hobbies is gone......shopping. I love to go to places like Pier 1, Kirklands, Bed Bath & Beyond...really anywhere...to browse. In the past, the browsing always led to a purchase of some sort. Let's face it. Shopping gives us women a high of sorts, doesn't it?! Well, I can only go to the stores if I NEED something and have a SPECIFIC item in mind, with a coupon too. I know myself too well, and know that I am tempted to buy pretty stuff. So, what's a girl to do?? I now "shop" my own house. I have been sitting in each room of our house, and really taking a long look at how everything is arranged. In turn, I have found a need to change things around, just to "change things up a bit". Really, when you think about it, we love to buy something new, because we are tired of all of our stuff. But when you simply move furniture from one room to another, change out pictures in frames, paint frames a different color, maybe even CUT YOUR DRAPERIES and hang them on a rod you've had in your basement for years (yes, i just did this last week) the first pic is "before", you instantly have something "new" to look at, using your old stuff. I recently simply turned my kitchen table horizontally in the room, from vertically...and I love it that way. I also took the buffet table from the kitchen and moved it behind our desk in the living room. (Our desk faces out like in a real office setting. ) I love the buffet there, and it allowed me to move a lamp from the family room to place on it, instantly giving us a little sitting area to read in. Yesterday, we started the work of adding some scrap wood from our garage, onto our brick "mantle" to make it bigger and give it more of a presence. I have been thinking about doing that for about 6months now, and finally got around to doing it. Tomorrow I will paint it, and then post a pic. Organizing the closets last weekend felt good too. Again....free. What items can you move from room to room to give you a different look in your house? If you don't like it move it back, right?! Use this time inside, during these long winter months, to look around and get some of those things that have been on your mind done, once and for all. I promise, you will feel great!! Plus, once the weather turns warm, your attention will turn to the yard and flowers.....Let me know what you are thinking about moving around and post pics!!