My original title for this post was Dollar $tore Decor (which I thought was so clever), but when I googled it I found out someone actually wrote a book with that title!  I guess that just goes to show I’m not the only one who likes to find frugal ways to decorate my home.

Our home is a mix of expensive and inexpensive items.  I want my home to look nice, but sometimes you have to get creative so you don’t break the bank.  I don’t like to pay full price for anything, so even for expensive items like our flat-screen tv we looked for the best bang for our buck before buying.  The furniture we just bought before the holidays was purchased from the clearance center at a big name furniture store.

Shopping at places like your local dollar store, thrift stores, and clearance areas at big name stores can be a smart way to find great-looking items while saving some green
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One of the projects I did in my bathroom was to buy 3 picture frames from the dollar store- I found some that were a shabby chic cottage/beach look, they already had the shells glued to the frame but if not, that’s something I could’ve easily added.  I also found a bath mat that went with the colors of the bathroom.  The plan was to print out some pictures to put in the frames after I got home, but here’s what ended up happening.

Inside the frames is the bathmat I had purchased.  It ended up being horrible as a bathmat (it didn’t stick to the tub and it didn’t work as a mat outside the tub since the water goes thru it).  So I cut it up and placed it inside the frames.  I also used leftover pieces as a no-slip liner in our horribly old, ugly, and outdated medicine cabinet.

Another great item to get at dollar or discount stores is baskets…. lots and lots of baskets!! I organized and de-cluttered our closet with some fun colorful baskets. They now hold all the girls craft and coloring supplies, as well as mittens and hats.  I also added some dollar store baskets to the bookcase in my daughter’s room.  It keeps all her little toys neat and clean- everything has a place now!

I’m Susan (aka. Susie B. Homemaker), stay at home mom to 3 beautiful girls ages 6 and under.  I write about life as a mommy, share crazy toddler stories, pictures of my kids, along with occasional cleaning, recipe, & craft posts, as well as family-friendly product reviews and giveaways.

You can read more about me, check out some of my photos, or just take a peek at my blog… hope you’ll stop by and visit.  🙂