Decorate Your Walls On the Cheap With These Affordable Art Websites

While you may not be able to afford a priceless work of art for your walls, that doesn't mean that you can't decorate your home with beautiful paintings and inspiring prints. From works by independent artists to reproductions of well-known pieces, there are a number of smart ways to turn your home into your own personal gallery. Here are just a few great websites that sell affordable artwork online.

Society6
With art for everyone from the minimalist to the bohemian, Society6 is one of the most modern and varied art websites. Not only can you purchase framed and unframed prints in all sizes, you can also buy the same designs in the form of smartphone cases, T-shirts, and even tapestries.

AllPosters.com
If you still love the look of hanging a poster of your favorite movie or band on your walls, try All Posters. This expansive online store offers high-resolution posters of almost any pop culture icon, as well as reproductions of classic works of art.

Etsy
Etsy is well-known for its handmade jewelry and quirky vintage apparel, but you'll also find handmade art from little-known artists. Browse abstract paintings, original photography and colorful prints for very affordable prices.

Where to Shop Monogrammed Items on the Web

Select the perfect personalized gifts for the special people in your life from one of these fabulous websites. Give a lovely set of monogrammed towels as a holiday gift or give that special person in your life a beautiful inscribed piece of jewelry. Find an array of options and a little something that is just for you.

Mark and Graham
Mark and Graham offer hundreds of home and personal items that can be inscribed however you wish. You’ll recognize their sleek, stylish offerings from Williams and Sonoma as a brand that is classic and now, personal.

Preppy Monogrammed Gifts
Monogram the whole family at Preppy Monogrammed Gifts. Get fun kids' gear, a classic scarf or sweater seat, and office supplies emblazoned with the letters of those you love.

Everything Green is New Again With These Cool Ways to Display Houseplants

Instead of the usual terra cotta pots and windowsill planters, why not try displaying your houseplants in a new and innovative way? If you're feeling a bit blue about the current state of your in-home greenery, try out one of these fun and stylish ways to show off your plants.

  • A hanging air plant. Air plants are truly unique, as these spider-like greens require absolutely no soil to grow. Because of this, it's easy to display them just about anywhere you like! Search the web for hanging ceramic planters that dangle from the ceiling to display your air plants.
  • A framed wall hanging. Love succulents? Rather than displaying them in the usual pots, line a picture frame with chicken wire and moss and grow a succulent garden right on your wall.
  • A zoo of planters. If you're a fan of all things fun and whimsical, create your very own "zoo" of clay plant pots. Browse stores or websites for planters in the shape of animals (you might be surprised just how many you find!) Fill them with succulents, cacti, or small plants and arrange the whole gang on a tabletop or sunny shelf.

Planters [Etsy]
20 Unforgettable Indoor Plant Displays [Decoist]

Chemical-Free Ways to Clean Your Oven at Avana Woodridge

You’re always on the hunt for chemical-free ways to clean your home, but when it comes to really heavy duty cleaning in areas like the oven, it may seem almost impossible. Luckily, it is possible to clean your oven without using chemicals—it just takes a bit of ingenuity and a few smart tips from the pros.

  1. Take out the oven racks and let them soak in a tub of hot water.
  2. Make a paste of ¼ cup of baking soda, 2 tablespoons of coarse salt and just enough warm water to create a thick consistency.
  3. Using a durable sponge, scrub the paste into the stained parts in your oven. Concentrate on areas that see a lot of spills and drips, such as the bottoms and around the racks.
  4. Let the past sit on the stains for an hour or two, depending on their severity.
  5. Using the same sponge rinsed out with clean water, wipe away the paste and give it a second good scrub. You may also want to use a finer grade steel wool for difficult stains.
  6. For extra cleaning power, spray the entire oven with a spray bottle filled with white vinegar, then wipe it away with a clean cloth.
  7. Before replacing the oven racks, scrub them using simple steel wool and an all-natural dishwasher detergent to break down grease.

How To Clean an Oven Without Harsh Chemicals [Apartment Therapy]
Natural Oven Cleaning Recipe [Wellness Mama]
How To Clean an Oven With Baking Soda & Vinegar [The Kitchn]

Fun DIYs to Give New Life to Unwanted Household Items

Instead of tossing out those household items that seemingly have no use anymore, give them new life by repurposing them into something useful. This not only helps you to save a bit of cash, it also helps to reduce your waste production and show a little love to our environment. Here are a few fun DIYs for making over unwanted household items!

  1. Turn empty condiment bottles into squeeze bottles for dispensing pancake batter. Just make sure you thoroughly clean them out first—no one wants to eat ketchup-flavored pancakes!
  2. Turn an ornate vintage picture frame into a vanity tray. Simply add a pretty fabric instead of a photo, lie it flat, and fill it with perfume bottles, makeup, and more.
  3. Clean the fine “hairs” out of corn on the cob by using a dry toothbrush that you don’t use anymore.
  4. Hang an old rake upside down and use it as a rustic necklace holder.
  5. Portion toddler snacks perfectly by filling the cubes in an ice cube tray. They are the perfect size for berries, pretzels, cheese cubes, and chocolate candies.
  6. Purchase a vintage window shutter from a garage sale or thrift store and use it to display important memos, mail, and photographs. Simply clip wooden clothespins along the slats and even add S-shaped hooks for keys.

50 All-Time Favorite New Uses for Old Things [RealSimple]
6 New Uses for Old Things [Country Living]
25 New Ways to Use Your Old Stuff [HGTV]

Basic Tips to Keep in Mind on Laundry Day

Laundry day is likely your least favorite day of the week, but it doesn’t have to be quite so difficult. By attacking your piles of laundry with a bit of pre-planning, you can make laundry day much more manageable. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

  1. Separate lights and darks ahead of time. To avoid the tedious task of separating lights from darks, separate them as soon as you toss your dirty clothes in the hamper. Invest in a double-sided hamper that does the separating for you.
  2. Invest in good detergent. Using the wrong detergent (or a cheap brand) can make your clothes come out dull and dingy. Instead, choose one detergent designed for washing dark clothes in cold water, one for keeping colors bright, and a separate stain treatment to put on spots.
  3. Treat stains as soon as they happen. The most important thing you can do to remove a stain is catch it as soon as it happens. You can even rub in a stain treatment and toss your clothes in the laundry, leaving the stain to deal with on laundry day.
  4. Turn clothes inside out. Avoid fading and shrinking by turning your clothes inside out before washing them.
  5. Fold right away. To eliminate the need for ironing, prevent wrinkles by folding your clothes as soon as they come out of the dryer.

Laundry 911: Color care basics [She Knows]
How to Care for Your Clothes [How Stuff Works]
Laundry Basics – Sorting it Out [For Better Living]

How to Start Selling on eBay

Do you have a few unused yet still valuable things lying around your home? Whether it’s an old cell phone or collectible comic books, eBay is a good place to sell almost any of your unwanted items. Here are a few tips to help you get started on the online auction site.

  1. Choose worthwhile items. Functional electronics, name-brand clothing, and collectibles are all good items to sell on eBay. Things that are poor quality, broken, or very outdated, however, are not.
  2. Take high quality photos. While eBay offers a feature that includes stock photos for certain items, it’s usually better to upload your own photo so that the buyer can see exactly what they're buying. Use a high quality cell phone or digital camera, and be sure to include photos of every part of the item, including any possible defects.
  3. Create a detailed description. The more detailed your description, the better. Answer all of the questions that eBay asks about your item, and then add anything else that an interested party should know in the description.
  4. Check out other prices. To better your chances of selling your item, check out how much similar items sold for and list your item for about the same.
  5. Ship quickly. Once your item sells, be sure to ship it quickly so that the buyer will give you a good rating — and hopefully improve your chances of selling again.

How to Sell Online With eBay [eBay]
Top Ten Mistakes by Beginning eBay Sellers [About Money]
Sell on eBay [For Dummies]

Let the Sunshine In: DIY Spring Home Decor Projects

After your spring cleaning is complete, you may start to feel like your home could use a bit of a decorating revamp, as well. No matter your budget, you can easily give your home a springtime makeover with DIY home decor projects. Here are just a few of the best spring-themed decorating projects for every room in your home.

Colorful Egg Window Dressing [familycircle.com]
Set to work crafting colorful paper eggs that will dress up those newly cleaned windows. This simple tutorial only requires multicolored construction paper and some scissors to complete, and it’s easy enough that even the kids can help out.

Heart-Shaped Sachets [countryliving.com]
Freshen up your drawers and closets with these adorable DIY sachets. Simply take some scrap fabric in a pattern that you like, cut out two heart shapes, and sew them together around the edges. Fill them with potpourri just before you sew them closed, then seal them shut and enjoy the scent.

Daffodil Flower Care [marthastewart.com]
One of the best ways to spruce up your home for the springtime is by adding fresh flowers wherever you can. Freshly cut daffodils are the picture of spring, but they can often be difficult to care for. This tutorial will show you how to properly cut daffodils and arrange them in a vase in a way that even a florist would admire.

Budget-Friendly Ways to Decorate Your Home at Avana Woodridge

While you can’t make permanent renovations in a rental, there are a number of ways to add your own personality to the space in a truly budget-friendly way. Here are just a few ideas for decorating your home at Avana Woodridge — even if you’re on a budget!

  • Spraypaint large, wall-sized canvases (or a series of two or three) from the local art supply store in bright, bold shades. This is an easy way to add a pop of color to your walls that mimics the effects of a new paint job, and it makes it affordable to create your own simple artwork.
  • Mix and match furniture from the local resale store to create a kitschy, cool effect that looks straight out of a design magazine. This is also a great way to save a good bit of money on big ticket items, such as sofas and lounge chairs.
  • Bring in elements of the outdoors to create a warm, natural look throughout the home. Fill vases with stark branches, add seashells to small bowls, or fill a large jar with pinecones for seasonal dwcor.
  • Create your own headboard by simply covering a flat, wooden board the size of your bed with a high quality fabric. Leave the top open and stuff it with pillow filling, and then add tufted details or nailheads along the outer edges.

32 Budget-Friendly Home Decorating Ideas [Country Living]
Budget Decorating [HGTV]
20 Low-Cost Decorating Ideas [Real Simple]
20 Thrifty, Frugal & Inexpensive Decorating Ideas [Apartment Therapy]

Where to Shop Host and Hostess Gifts Online

Going to a party in the near future? It’s polite to bring a gift for the host or hostess, but it may be difficult to decide what to give. Luckily, there are a number of fun and affordable websites are packed full of great ideas that anyone will love. Here are three of the best places to shop for host and hostess gifts online.

Uncommon Goods
This foodie-friendly website is filled with gift ideas perfect for any avid entertainer. From self-chilling wine glasses to sets of unique salts and pizza cutters in silly shapes, these unique items make great host or hostess gifts.

Mark & Graham
If you’re looking for a gift that’s a bit more personal, Mark & Graham offers many items that can be customized with the recipient’s initials. Add etched initials to the side of a set of goblets, a copper ice bucket, or even trendy Moscow mule mugs, or create your own complete set of stylish barware.

Terrain
For the host with more romantic tastes, Terrain’s selection of pressed flower sachets, bottleneck vases, and enamel candlesticks are truly a delight. You’ll also find decorative candies and bottled cordials that are a bit more affordable for those on a budget.

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