When facing home decor on a tight budget forget about the whole ‘swim or sink’ mindset. The odds are that you will sink. Instead carefully plan in advance so you can create the cosy elegant home you’ve always dreamed of instead of a cheap-looking shack. In case you view this as mission impossible don’t forget the wise words of the beloved Dr. Seuss: "Think left and think right, think low and think high. Oh the things you can think up if only you try." Before you you declare this a gibberish, look up our money saving ideas for a clean and stylish home decor:

Plan

As we’ve already established, a proper plan will save you the headache. Make haste slowly. First, decide on your budget and then look around and decide what is absolutely necessary to throw away, what is necessary to buy and what can be renovated. Your old furniture can look like new with some retouching and cheap reinforcements. Not to mention a simple rearrangement of the furniture or its repurpose will give your home a whole different feel. Take your cabinet outside in the garden and use it to store pots on it or take a flower framework inside and transfer it into a wall covering. Don’t shy from matching things that aren’t supposed to go together. Work with what you have to create new things.

Shop

If shopping needs to be done, however, follow some simple rules. Study the market and buy things off season to get the best price offers. Thrift store items are your best bet for a retro style that can give your home a unique look. Even better, throw a garage sale, so you can get rid of your old stuff and buy some new ones with the money.

DIY

Now is the time to put to good use those do-it-yourself skills you’ve been honing for some time. Wallpapers are expensive so grab paint from the local store and let your imagination run wild. If you’re not sure how to apply a paint technique, there are plenty of video materials on the Internet, and home decor series that will teach you a thing or two. And you can always consult with a friend who’s more vested in the area. You won’t have enough money to make use of the service of a cleaning agency so you have to find some willing friends to help you with the cleaning up process. Refurnish the wood furniture and change a few it knobs and handles to create a new look. Make yourself some new pillow covers from old sweatshirts, new bedding from old T-shirts or sew a slipcover to disguise any worn-out places on your sofa.

Declutter

To keep a simple, clean look of your rooms you need to let it breathe. You can make space even if you don’t have space by using storage furniture. That way you can personalize the place with accessories and decorative items of your choice, like framed pictures or souvenirs, that will actually stand out. You don’t need pricey paintings to hang on your walls. Instead, hang old poster prints from your childhood or magazine covers or anything else you treasure as a keepsake to create that vintage ambiance that is so trendy right now. Even your old toys can be used as decoration.

Hopefully these tips will entice your imagination further and you will come up with a few suggestions of your own. "Think and wonder, wonder and think" as Dr. Seuss would chime in. There’s no universal problem-solving technique when it comes to decorating on a budget. It all depends on your house. The only thing you can do is make do.