Decorating Your Kitchen on a Budget

Want to decorate your kitchen but don't have a lot of money?

With a little persistence and time, you can find decorative items at yard sales for pennies!

Of course, it will take a bit more work then just walking into your local Home Interiors store, but you will spend far less and end up with some unique items that will add interest to your home.

You can find items at yard sales that will go with any kitchen decor. If your kitchen is country style, look for old baskets and chunky old pottery bowls and pitchers. Put them above the cabinets for a decorative display or use them on the counters to store fruits or everyday items. Look for old wooden boxes or silverware trays that you can use as decorative items - this old wood adds warmth and character to your kitchen.

Yard sale finds are perfect for decorating a retro style kitchen. You can still find many kitchen items from the 1970's and 60's in good condition. Some of these are true collectibles but many are just fun and decorative. I always look for old bread boxes, canister sets, salt and pepper shakers, napkin holders, wall clocks and other bric a brac for my retro kitchen.

If your kitchen is more of a 1940's look, you might have a harder time finding vintage items of the era, but you can come up with some good finds if you scour the yard sales and dig into those old boxes. Kitchens decorated in this era, beg for vintage linens to be used as tablecloths and displayed hanging from the stove and cupboard handles. These old linens are stamped with colorful designs and add cheer to any kitchen. Some of the state map tablecloths are quite collectible and can be very expensive in antique shops, so if you find one of those in your travels, you have a real gem on your hands!

If you prefer a modern or contemporary kitchen, you can find many almost new and gently used items to suit your tastes at every yard sale. Try hitting the sales in the upscale section of town and you might find some very expensive items for much less than you would pay at the retail store. You may have to look around a bit to find exactly what you want, but your persistence can pay off big time!

Sometimes you can find items at yard sales that have antique or collectible value. If you find that you gravitate towards collecting a certain type of item like old pottery or vintage linens, it might be worth your while to invest in some reference books on the subject. That way you will be able to recognize a good piece when you see it. Who knows, your yard sale find could turn out to be a real winner!