As I mentioned on Wednesday, one of the best ways to decorate on a budget is to reorganize and rearrange what you already have. Sometimes that's all it takes to make things feel new--or meet new needs. I'm loving how Yvonne of Yvestown did just that, turning her office into a snug! I'd never heard a room called a snug before, so I looked it up; it's a "small cozy retreat room in a private home." Yvonne plans to use hers as a space to read, relax, play the piano, plan trips, and get away from the distractions of the internet. I love this idea!

There is a photo of Yvonne's old office in this post. By simply rearranging furniture and the function of the room, it feels new and fresh!

I absolutely love the sweet polka dot wallpaper.

We have a little bonus room in our house that we planned to turn into a reading room (with games and puzzles too). This gives me some motivation to finish that room!

Yvonne got this sofa for free--in an ugly, dirty flowered burgundy fabric. She was able to reupholster it for half the price of a new sofa--and look how pretty it is now! Thrifty and it saved a lot of waste.

This is probably my favorite part of the room! The black mantel and piano work to ground all the whites and pastels in the room, and those colorful tapers are just adorable. I'd love to have a piano of my own to play one day...I'm not very good at it, but I like playing for fun anyways.

Yvonne says the fun in decorating is: "letting it go, living in it a little, change something, add something, remove something. It’s an ongoing process of evolution." I couldn't agree more!

Do you have a room in your house that you'd like to rearrange or repurpose? Or perhaps something on a smaller scale--like putting your dining room chandelier in the bedroom? Of course, sometimes repurposing is a necessity--when you have a baby on the way, or if you start working from home, etc. But even if you're just starting to feel a bit bored with the way your house is, a little rearranging can make a big difference! Rather than blowing a bunch of money on new things, try moving around what you already own to shake things up. You may be surprised by how new it feels!

See more photos and shopping sources here. Hope you all have an amazing three-day weekend!!

One of the suggestions you guys gave me was to share my tips and advice on different topics, such as decorating on a budget. Since that is the only type of decorating I've ever done, I figured it would be a great topic to start with! Sure, it would be nice to one day have an unlimited budget, but there is something about finding good deals and inventive ways to save money that is actually really fun, rewarding, and exciting. And it truly does inspire more creativity! Here are some of my best tips for getting the most bang out of your buck.

1. "Shop" your own house first. Before you go out and buy a bunch of new stuff, survey your own house (and shed) and think about how you could repurpose things you already own. A paint-splattered stepladder might look really cute as a side table or bookshelf. You could use a muffin tin or empty egg carton to hold earrings and other jewelry. Sometimes, just moving something from one room to another can make it feel fresh and new. Try using dining chairs as bedside tables, or switching around lamps, curtains, pillows, etc.

2. Shop thrift stores, garage sales, estate sales, and flea markets...even the side of the road. When I was a kid, before thrift store shopping became the cool hipster thing to do, my mom would take us to Value Village and garage sales to find the best deals on everything from clothes to dishes to our piano. Now, I'm the one dragging Ben to thrift stores and craning my neck to check out every garage sale we pass--just in case. You never know what you'll find, and the stock is always changing.

When it comes to thrift stores or garage sales, if you see something you love, don't wait. Get it. I know that sounds counterintuitive if you're trying to stay on budget, but you're more likely to regret the things you didn't get than the ones you did. It's different from shopping at a department store, where it'll probably still be there in a day, a week, or even a year. In thrift stores, once it's gone, it's gone forever...and you may never find another like it. Of course, that's also the great thing about shopping at flea markets, garage sales, and all those kind of places--the treasures you find are one-of-a-kind, they have a story behind them...and they're oftentimes better quality than the stuff you get these days.

Thrift stores are also a great place to get materials for crafts and projects on the cheap. When I was planning my wedding, I bought a bunch of old novels and music books. Most of them I got for about $1 apiece (or even less). I used the pages to make paper pinwheels, for everything from the guy's boutonnieres to the centerpieces to our photobooth backdrop. It was so much cheaper than buying patterned paper from a scrapbook store. I've also recently started buying patterned sheets from Goodwill. Most of the fabric at Joann's is at least $4/yard, so $4 for an entire bed sheet is definitely worthwhile. I'm planning to use the fabrics I've been collecting to upholster our dining chairs, but you could also use sheets as curtains...they're a great size for it! Just use clip rings or fold the sheet over at the top if you don't feel like sewing.

And let's not forget the side of the road. I am a sucker for a "free" sign! Don't just think about what it is, think about what you could use it for. You might see a desk with a broken leg that isn't really your style--but if you take the drawers out, they'll make really cute storage for bathroom necessities, craft supplies, or treats at your next party.

3. Don't be afraid to check out the kid's section. I mentioned in this post that I like to shop at kid's stores...for myself! You won't find dirt cheap deals, but their price point is definitely less than the adult counterparts. The kid's section is a great place to look for pastels, bright colors, cute decorative accents, white painted furniture, and simple, graphic patterns. In particular, look for pillows, rugs, baskets, and lighting.

4. Look in nature. I wrote a whole post on this here, but it bears repeating. Nature is definitely one of the best places to look for decorating supplies. A long driftwood branch makes a great exposed closet or an anchor for a pendant light. Rocks, leaves, pinecones, seashells, moss...they all have potential. And best of all, they don't cost a thing!

5. DIY -- wisely. I'm a huge fan of the DIY movement, and it's really satisfying to create something for your home and be able to tell people "I made that!" when they compliment you on it. But be smart about it--if a project ends up costing more in materials than it would be to buy it, it's not worth your time and effort. I prefer simple DIYs that are inexpensive and quick, especially those that breathe new life into things you already have. After all, the best way to save money and stretch your personal finances is not to buy anything new at all. My favorite way to do that is with paint! Whether it's furniture, picture frames, lamp bases, silverware, drawer knobs, or kitchen cabinets...almost everything can get a fresh new look with a coat of paint.

What about you guys? I know you have your own tips and tricks to save money...feel free to share them in the comments!

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Thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway this week! I read each and every one of your responses. I'm going to try to put together my FAQ page next week with answers to your questions (you asked me some good ones!) and I definitely want to incorporate the feedback and suggestions you gave me into future posts. So many of you asked to see more of my own home! Which is good, I need some motivation to keep working on the house. I have so many ideas but they keep getting put on the back burner (we've been having great weather in Seattle, so clearly spending time outside has been the priority). While I definitely don't feel like the whole house is ready for a tour, I am going to start sharing little corners of it, plus in-progress pictures of projects I'm working on. I'm a little bit of a perfectionist, so I have a hard time with in-progress pictures...there are still parts of every room that I really don't like. But hey, maybe you guys can help me figure out what to do with those areas! Let's start small, with a decision I've been thinking about for our living room...

If you remember from this post, last month Ben and I bought a new armchair (the one above). I really like this chair. It's probably not the color I would have picked if I had gotten it upholstered myself, but for $90 with all those tufted buttons, nailheads, and velvet in really good condition, I wasn't about to be picky. As a side note, pictured in the back of this photo is my least favorite part of our living room--the front door. I hate that brick red color and would really like to paint it something bright and cheerful...but I'm not sure if our landlord would allow it. Ben says it's probably not worth it. I think it is :) But back to the chair decision! We'd like to get another armchair so we can have a pair of chairs across from our sofa, which is a stone-colored linen. My question is...what kind of chair should I get to pair with the velvet one?

Should I go for another tufted wingback, in a different color? (I love this blue one...and that whole room, really).

What about something that is a similar shape, but a different material? Like this leather wingback...or maybe a patterned one!

I do love floral...

Or should I go for something totally mismatched--a different shape and a different color?

I do really like the mismatched look, especially with a chic floral armchair like the one above. I like how the pink flowers pick up the pink in the armchair, so they work together...but in a subtle way. Then again, I'm also digging the half and half chair below, with the cushion a different pattern than the rest of the chair!

I'd love to hear your opinion--what do you think I should do? I'm going to try to take more photos of my home over the weekend so I'll have more corners of my house to share with you all!

Aaaaand as I promised on Monday, it's time to announce the winner of my giveaway! I just used a random number generator, so there was no bias or picking favorites...but I think it's pretty cool because it the winner has her birthday today! What? How crazy is that! Congratulations to Maria Malaveci...and happy birthday!

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Don't forget, Mother's Day is this Sunday! And if there is anyone who deserves a day of celebration, it's moms. I love my mom, and although it hasn't always been easy between us (high school was pretty rough), I'm so grateful to have a mom like her. She's always looking out for my best interests and so caring. I've never met anyone who so genuinely loves to take care of people. When Ben first started coming home with me, she found out all his favorite foods and tried to make sure she had all of them...including gallons of chocolate milk because she heard him say he liked chocolate milk. How sweet is that? Plus, my mom is seriously hilarious (oftentimes without meaning to be). It's so cute! You can't help but start laughing when my mom cracks up. The older I get, the more I appreciate her and the more I enjoy talking with her. Mom, I love you!

What did you get for your mom this year for Mother's Day? Do any of you have fun traditions that you do as a family? Or are you a last-minuter? If so, make sure you at least get a card for your mom. I'm doing my part to remind you!