Guest Author - Donna Coogan

When was the last time you visited a Dollar Store? Their merchandise changes with each season and you can find some really cheap, but interesting things to create decorative items for your home. Read on for some fun budget decorating tips.

Frames have a multitude of uses and come in assorted shapes and sizes. Paint them, decoupage them, or wrap them in ribbons and glitter. With a little imagination you can use them for all sorts of groupings for your home to hang family photos, display favorite birthday cards or just showcase by themselves.

Or buy a calendar and matching black frames and instantly have 12 pictures to display. Use scrapbook paper for matting.

Check out resin figurines. You can find really cute and whimsical items to set out on a table in your foyer to create a playful vignette to greet visitors. Display them on a table runner or placemats for contrast. Add other items to make it more interesting.

Some examples are seasonal figurines of bunnies for spring, flowers for summer, squirrels for fall, snowmen or angels for winter. Add birdhouses or miniature pumpkins and gourds or wooden sleds and pinecones to go with the corresponding seasons. Or group like items such as mythical unicorns and fairies or different types of birds. Setting these figures inside plants can also add some unexpected surprises in your home. Vary the heights of your pieces for more appeal.

Another tabletop idea is to fill a glass bowl with a candle surrounded by marbles or rocks for an instant centerpiece. Use several of these bowls on your fireplace mantel, dining or coffee table and you will have a beautiful and colorful display for only about $10. Or buy a large glass platter and just load several fat candles of assorted sizes on it. Imagine thick white or pastel candles surrounded by seashells. Or bright red or blue candles in a bed of black rocks or sparkly marbles.

Use wrapping paper to decoupage onto any number of items in your home – cabinet doors, furniture pieces, lampshades and more.

Make a collage on a wall using assorted items geared to your favorite hobby. Pick out several sewing supplies – scissors, fabric scraps, measuring tape, thread and hand on a wall. Or try the same thing with kitchen utensils or tools.

Also look for ready-made items like pillows or dishes to accessorize your home. If you just want some solid color, these items are quick and cheap ways to add it and provide decorative function at the same time.

No matter the style of your home, when you tuck in little pieces of your personality it makes it that much more personable. Dollar stores make it easy to do this inexpensively so that you stick to your decorating budget. Just start walking up and down the aisles next time you’re in one with an eye for interior decorating ideas. It’s fun to find bargains and realize you can have decorative accessories on a shoestring budget.