Furnishing on a Shoestring

Moving sales are great places to pick up good furniture bargains. You can find them in the classified section of your local paper or most shopping magazines like the Thrifty Nickel or Penny Saver. If your budget constraints are more pressing than your time constraints, don't rush into anything. Bide your time and you are going to find someone who needs to be out of their place tomorrow. They'll often negotiate the price down, especially on larger, heavier pieces they don't want to risk having to pay to have hauled away.

Unfinished furniture stores offer great bargains on everything from knick-knack shelves to dining room tables because you do the finishing. A can of stain or paint and a couple of hours can save a you couple hundred dollars or even thousands.

Used office furniture is low-cost and usually in pretty good shape. Check the local yellow pages under 'Furniture - Used.' Check out the used furniture places and don't be afraid to haggle.

Bring new life to your kitchen by painting older or fading furniture with bright colors! Unattractive kitchen chairs and side chairs can be given a new life with a fresh coat of paint. If you're crafty, you can even add stencils for a unifying theme. Plain or decorated, you'll save money and stroke your artistic side by giving your furniture a facelift.

As a side business, many lumberyards sell simple hand made furniture, like tables or bookshelves. They often have skilled woodworkers on staff who could even craft you a piece for less than a retail store if you already have a design in mind.

Buy cups, saucers, dishes, plates and other table items at tag sales. Then, when company comes, mix and match your finds on a colorful tablecloth for that shabby chic look.

Two sawhorses, some plywood cut to size and a nice tablecloth and you've got a dining room table. Two old filing cabinets and some plywood and you've got a desk for the kid's room. Bookcases, stereo racks, tables, sideboards all can be 'created' with every day items like planking, bricks, cinderblocks, plastic crates - you name it.

Can't afford prints for your kitchen? Plates and dishes make great wall artwork. They're shabby chic and they make a great wall display for a fraction of what you'd pay for framed prints. Purchase seasonal plates if you feel like changing things up a bit. Purchase plate holders at any art store.

When considering an item such as a family room sofa that needs to withstand many years of hard use, it's wise to check the weight. Generally, the heavier the furniture the more likely it is made of solid wood and will be able to withstand many years of wear and tear.

Next time you are faced with a scratch in a piece of wood furniture, find the nearest box of crayons. A bigger box will give you more flexibility with wood tones, but always remember to start out with lighter shades. You can always go darker. All you need to do is rub the matching crayon into the scratch, then buff with a piece of cloth.

You'll get more for your furniture dollar by just flipping your upholstered cushions every 4 months. You can do it more frequently if the piece is used daily, but this will cut down on the wear and tear that causes the fabric to break down after time.

Visit the fabric store, find a bright, colorful print and buy a couple of yards. Then, go to the art store and pick up a large stretcher - basically a wooden frame. Staple the fabric to the stretcher and hang it to cover that big, empty space.

Keep your eye out for freebies in the daily classifieds. Free washers and dryers, fridges, furniture are offered daily by people who are moving, or just trying to clean out the garage. Make someone's trash your treasure.

If you are shopping for a kitchen table and find one at a tag sale or scratch and dent sale but it's sturdy, buy it. With a little work, you can strip and repaint it to look like new. Another option would be to simply find an attractive tablecloth or, better yet, some oilcloth to cover the eyesore.

We all tend to collect things - lamps, an odd end table, a dusty old bookcase. Ask your friends and family if they'd like to donate to furnishing your new space.