You don’t need a lot of money to decorate your Orlando apartments in style. What you do need, however, is an eye for bargains. With a little creativity, you can turn trash to treasure and enjoy an apartment that shines with decorator touches. Garage sale finds can work perfectly as home accessories if you know where to look and how to transform them.
Hit Up the Sales
Quick tips for Orlando, FL yard sale shopping:
- Carry cash and have small bills for change.
- Bring a tape measure to determine whether large furniture items will make it through doorways and fit in your apartment.
- Don”t drive your new sports car to the sale. Two reasons. #1 It will be harder for you to haggle down the seller if you give the impression you have money. #2 If you stumble on lots of great stuff or even one large piece, you won”t be able to fit it in your car.
- Test any electronics before purchasing to make sure they work.
- If you plan on racking up, bring a small crate or canvas bag for your purchases. Buble wrap will also be helpful for any fragile items.
To get started decorating your new place, you’ll need a plan to go treasure hunting. Orlando apartment complexes sometimes frown on tenants holding yard sales, so you might want to pick up a newspaper instead and visit sales in other neighborhoods. Plan to get up early on a Saturday morning to go shopping. If you run from yard sale to yard sale, you will run into some excellent items that can look great in your apartment.
Turning Trash to Treasure
Some of the things to look for as you’re out exploring Orlando’s many neighborhoods and sales include:
A garden trellis – If you don’t have a headboard and really want one for your bed, this will work very well. You can transform an old trellis into a one-of-a-kind headboard by cleaning it up and painting it. If you want to add a few extra touches, consider looking for silk flowers or other small items you can affix to the trellis for decoration.
Old, but beautiful sheet sets – Should you be lacking window treatments, these can serve the purpose perfectly. No, you don’t want to hang them up untouched! Sew them into basic rod curtains for a nice decorator touch. Better yet, get a little creative and make them into drapery panels with insulated backing.
Great picture frames – Scope out yard sales for old, decorative picture frames. When these are cleaned up, repainted (if necessary) and retooled, they can work well to hold mirrors. This is a wonderful way to enjoy a distinct look that doesn’t cost a bundle.
Antique plates – As you’re out shopping at different yard sales, look for antique or designer plates. You can turn old dishes easily into a funky and fun wall art display. Antique stores often sell special holders for collector’s plates.
If you’re on the prowl for home accessories and don’t have a lot of money, you’re still in luck. Even with a shoestring budget, you can enjoy some excellent designer touches. Just learn to turn trash into treasure and hit the garage sale circuit on a weekend morning.
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