A few months ago I visited my best friend and helped her decorate her otherwise sparse apartment. Given her tight budget, we made only one big-ticket purchase, which she had been saving up for. Mostly what I did was help her find the best way to use what she had on hand but wasn't sure how to showcase. Here are some ideas for taking what you've got to make your home more like what you want.
Collections: My friend happens to have a trove of colorful, patterned cigar boxes. Instead of letting them keep languishing in a drawer, I stacked several of them around her apartment. Maybe you collect figurines or stones, ticket stubs or records; whatever it is, displaying them in an organized way will add a creative personalized touch. See the links below for ideas for corralling your collection.
Souvenirs: Travel finds are another great ways to add character to your home — highlight them! My friend is lucky enough to have traveled to some very interesting places, and I helped her find spots on her tables and shelves for her Russian nesting dolls, Tanzanian "crown" and necklace, and Uzbek tile. We also used colorful foreign money as art in an Ikea frame.
Your wardrobe: When your budget and your space are tight, make your stylish duds and accessories do double-time as decor. Hang them neatly (Images 1, 2, 3, and 7), and the clothes and jewelry will add color and texture to the room.
Storage: If you, like me, have lots of little knickknacks, try rotating them. Keeping a portion stored away can not only help you avoid clutter but also make your possessions feel like new when you rediscover them.
MORE RESOURCEFUL DISPLAYS ON APARTMENT THERAPY:
• Creating Displays Out of Ordinary Objects
• From the Guys: Collections on Display from Our Archives
• Artistically Displayed Collections
• Flickr Finds: 10 Best Collectibles Display Ideas
• How to Show Off Your (Fashion) Style at Home
• Creating a Practical and Beautiful Jewelry Display
• Look! Frame Your Records With a Little Color
• The Best Ways To Display Your Tech Collections
• Wardrobe Organization: Hat Storage & Display
Images 1. Pure Style Home 2. Amanda Johnson for Apartment Therapy 3. Kim Rinehimer for Apartment Therapy 4. Lindsay Wood for Apartment Therapy 5. Design*Sponge 6. Infarrantly Creative 7. Sarah Rae Trover for Apartment Therapy 8. Lauren Naimola for Design*Sponge 9. Gregory Sparks for Apartment Therapy 10. Sonia Smith
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Monica & Austin's Charming Bungalow
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Ercol Bar Stool
Why I Became a 1-Gallon Homebrewer
True Greek Recipe: Paximadi Bread Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Capers
I'd love to see a picture of the "colorful foreign money as art in an Ikea frame." My mother has such a collection and that would be a fun project for us to do together.
this is a great post especially for january. i just repurposed cookie cutters and shoestring to hang my daughter's hair barrettes. it might take some time but when its free its worth it
Yes! I love to go "shopping in my attic".
I like the idea of the money in a frame. I recently made an 'artwork' using vintage stamps, a money picture next to it would look awesome. Thanks!!
We do this all the time as well; we call if shopping our house.
Ha - Candy Land & Chutes and Ladders! Ah, childhood memories. Does anyone else feel that if you have one, you have to have the other?
I find myself "shopping at home" when I am working on home projects. Re-purposing has become a mainstay with my limited budget (unemployment) and it's a great feeling to re-use something for free rather than go out and buy MORE things for the house. Thanks for the great ideas!
I am the third generation of my family in my house...so shopping in my attic or workshed is definitely a favorite source!
I redecorated my mom's guest room using 99% of things found around the house and garage. All I bought was some paint, a chair cushion and some cheap little stuff for a couple DIY projects. It made the room much more attractive and functional for guests.
If your folks don't mind you borrowing or making use of something they aren't using, their yard or room of "stuff" can also be a good resource. I have my mother's old scrabble game (the new ones just aren't the same), a regency style corner shelf and a wooden patio shelf from my mother. She lives next door to me so doesn't mind, it is better than it sitting around not being used.
Most of the vessels on my bathroom vanity or desk (both at work and home) are items that were intended for other purposes (mugs, wine bottle holders, crystal candy dishes and even a vintage jewelry box. I also use serving bowls and trays to hold produce or organize items in my pantry on my dresser. A handbag holder (the type made of fabric with flaps and snaps for the bag handles now hold bikinis and wrap bracelets).
no matter your decorating budget, reusing is satisfying. a couple weekends ago, i sorted through the giant plastic bin of ticket stubs, sea shells, rocks, souvenirs, found items, foreign money etc. in my basement. i put them in a glass fishbowl and i love to look at it sitting on the shelf. it reminds me of past adventures and gives me hope of some more.