Malta Development Blog

Decorating a new home can be fun, but it can also get expensive if you’re not careful. If you buy everything new from a store, it’s possible to spend thousands of dollars. You can save by buying used items, but no one really wants a house that is full of things that other people didn’t want in their homes. Instead of filling your house with throwaways, why not turn those items from neighborhood yard sales into something that’s unique and actually stylish for your home? Avid DIYrs use these tricks.

Artwork 

New gallery pieces can cost thousands of dollars, but there are plenty of ways to create your own unique decor from art found at garage sales. Look for outdated or stained pieces that you can purchase for pennies. Then, cut apart the old canvases and rearrange the pieces to create a modern, stylish mural. Old landscapes, postcards, and calendars can be used as matting material for family photographs. Be on the lookout for great frames that hold terrible art -- the painting might not be worth much but the frame can be a great addition to your walls.

Learn more about decorating your home.

TV Stands and Shelving Units

As people get rid of their large, CRT televisions and replace them with wall-mounted flat screens, many of them are willing to sell their old TV stands for a few dollars. While you probably don’t need them to support a TV, they can make excellent pieces for the dining room or kids’ room. Be on the lookout for items that are made of solid, sturdy wood. Use a stripper to remove old paint, stains, and sticky varnish; then repaint or refinish the wood. In a dining room, you can use taller units as a sideboard. In a kids’ room, consider using low tables as art nooks (the shelves and drawers are perfect for holding art supplies).

Cribs

Many older, “drop-style” cribs aren’t considered safe for babies anymore, so people are willing to give them away. These pieces of baby furniture could be made out of high-quality materials, and are a real find. Use a screwdriver to separate them into their five “walls." Use long pieces to create a headboard (a standard crib is the width of a full bed). Shorter panels make great trellis material for vegetable gardens. Finally, consider using a crib’s solid wood base as a low table in a child’s room.

Used Clothing

Adult clothing is one of the hardest things to get rid of at a yard sale, making it possible to pick up a lot of it for just a few dollars. The key here is the fabric, not the style of the clothes. High thread count shirts and long skirts have a lot of usable fabric that can be turned into throw pillows, blankets, and plenty of other items. Sheets and blankets can be transformed into curtains. Items with vintage buttons are great finds for adding a decorative touch to furniture and smaller items. Also be on the lookout for beautiful lace panels and attached jewelry.