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How to stretch your Decorating/Remodeling Dollar

Stick to the plan.

Establish a plan of action including a time schedule, items needed etc. and stick to it!! Costs can race out of control if changing course midstream forces you to tear apart-completed work. Have a goal in mind and proceed with the project until all the 8 elements have been completed. 

Visualize before decorating or remodeling.

Use furniture templates and scaled room dimensions to determine the need and size of furnishings to be purchased. This will keep you from buying a sofa, sectional, chairs, tables etc. that are too large or small for the area. Visualize the color scheme you will be decorating with. This is one of the assets of the Decorator Secrets color guides. They will allow you an opportunity to live with a color scheme and style before any expensive purchases are made. You can also accumulate magazine pictures of rooms that you like. A preference and style will eventually emerge, that can help you visualize your intended projects. The Decorator Secrets kit will also include furniture templates, graph paper, ruler and colored pencils to help with the visualization of your decorating projects. 

Educate yourself.

Search through magazines, books, videos and the Internet for information about decorating. Learn about the different products available for your home. Decorator Secrets Kit will include a workbook “Secrets to a Beautiful Home” which will provide much of the needed information about home decorating products and tips on how to purchase in the most economical manor. Also, many home centers will offer seminars demonstrating –how to make, install, build etc. many home projects for decorating or remodeling.

Avoid the domino effect.

Changes in one room inevitably affect adjacent spaces; a single room decorating or remodeling project suddenly mushrooms into a three-room mega-project. Coordinate your plan of attack so the design of your current project will easily accommodate the needs of follow-up projects, even it they won’t be started for some time.

Hiring professionals can save you money.

Because of training and experience, architects, design/building contractors, interior decorators/designers, specialty contractors, and other professionals can spot solutions that amateurs miss. It’s false economy to save on professional fees while paying for your own mistakes. 

Become a buy-it-yourselfer.

Big savings can be achieved by buying products your-self at home centers, retail stores, factory direct, auctions, newspapers classified ads, salvage yards etc., especially if you are remodeling. 

Reuse and Recycle.

Don’t discard all old cabinets, wood flooring, millwork, doors, windows, furniture etc. These pieces may be valuable architectural salvage. Cabinets taken from the kitchen make excellent storage bins for the garage. Solid wood doors are easily adapted as workbench or desk tops. Or, an aging mantel might become a folk-art treasure. 

Pay as you go. 

This is often easier said than done, however the savings of interest can be used for your home improvements better than providing an improvement in your creditors’ home. Stretch your dollars by planning renovations and decorating so you can pay for everything out-of-pocket. 

Happy Decorating,

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