When Decorating, Recycle, Reuse, Repaint!

Sometimes we may find ourselves feeling ummm somehow disappointed or let down when we walk through our front door. Could it be we are a little disappointed with our decor? Our surroundings can influence us in ways we may not be aware of. Do we need a creativity transfusion? We don't need alot of money to do this. We have been given a beautiful brain that stores a wealth of brain cells that we can tap into and use that wealth creatively. Don't say "I'm not creative". Yes you are. Maybe your creativity is in a sleep mode right now because you are allowing yourself to think negatively about the whole pursuit of decorating. We can turn our creativity ON folks. Get excited about it. Say you can do it and you can and YOU WILL! Are you at least a little bit motivated yet?

First of all, we need to look at things around us in a different way. Most of us have a lot of "stuff" sitting around already that we can somehow repurpose, recycle, reuse, repaint or repair. Use what you have first. Don't even begin to think about going to a store yet. Let's think of using what we have already. We are already beginning to think "out of the box"! Let's brainstorm a bit here....Here are some ways I have found you can recycle, reuse and repaint creatively:

Books:
Cover books with white or brown Kraft paper. This works well for "contemporary" looks or "shabby chic" looks. Depending upon how you label each book you can add to the simplified look of this for your bookcase. For a contemporary look, you can write in block letter style or use a labeler...for a shabby shic style, print the titles in calligraphy...for a beautiful contemporary look, don't label the books at all...just stack them in a bookcase (you can remember what they are or only use them for "looks"). In a children's room, let the kids make their own book covers. Look for cloth you hadn't been using or maybe old sheets...

Side idea: Need a neat poster for a kid's room: Blow up or enlarge a page from one of their favorite books!

Picture Frames:
Paint them! or decoupage or even glue leaves or twigs to them. Collect them together and use them without pictures inside.