Great Interior Design Related Careers

Are you interested in a career in Interior Design or Decorating? Well there are many different areas related to design that you could pursue. There is much more to interior design than you might think. The first thing to do is look at your strengths and determine the best career path for you. Some of the career choices in interior design include:

• Residential Interior Designer or Interior Decorator
• Commercial Interior Designer
• Artist, Painter or Faux Painter
• Furniture or Home Decor Sales Representative
• Professional Organizer
• Home Stager or Re-Designer
• Furniture or Product Designer
• Kitchen and Bathroom Design Specialist
• Feng Shui Specialist
• Window Treatment Designer
• Window Treatment and Upholstery Craftsperson
• Start a business with your crafts, flower arrangements or hand-made products
• Start an online business from home
  And So Much More!!!

(click here to browse a library of great business and how-to ebook titles)

Save Money during the Recession (but still have a nice home)

Even though our country is in a recession, you can still create a great looking home on a budget. In fact, it may even be a better time to redecorate because of all the great deals you can find. Many stores have significantly reduced prices in order to sell more furniture and decor. Homeowners are often selling things because they are looking to make some extra cash. Foreclosed homes are often full of furnishings which are then auctioned off at great prices. You never know where you will find the next great deal! Here are a few more tips to great decorating during a recession:

-Shop at garage sales and find great used furniture for cheap prices
-Look in the clearance section of regular furniture stores. They may have some great deals!
-Check out classifieds and craigslist.com for super deals.
-Use inexpensive ways to re-decorate your rooms, such as with paint, area rugs and ready-made draperies.

For more great budget decorating ideas, purchase Designing on a Budget! This no-nonsense budget decorating book will walk you through learning to design on a dime! When you order the e-book version, you will also receive 3 special bonus e-books:

1. Home Personal Organizer Forms
2. Kitchen Decorating on a Budget
3. Secrets on How to Sell Your Home Fast

Get started today! Order the e-book, or printed version by clicking here!

10 Tips for Decorating on a Budget

Most people are looking for great ways to save money on home décor, but still keep the designer look they are seeking. There are many ways to accomplish this. Below are some fantastic ways to decorate on a budget.

1. Re-use existing items: This is one of the best ways to save money! In fact, you won’t spend any money at all. Take an inventory of items in your home and try to look at them in a different light. Sometimes we get so used to seeing things in the same place, that we don’t even consider using them in a different way. Just try moving things around, and you may come up with something you love!

2. Paint, Paint, Paint! – One of the best ways to completely change the look of a room, and for only a few dollars per room! Try new colors that you never though of. Go to the paint store and pick out some samples. You can even buy a small container and test it out first. Budget decorating requires that you use paint to update and change the looks of things, whether it’s a whole room, a piece of furniture, or creating new artwork.

3. Make Artwork – This can be done by salvaging old items, or creating new works of art from photographs, canvasses, or a collage of interesting items or shadowboxes. Artwork is an important part of any interior design.

4. Clean up your act – Clear out all the clutter so that people can see the beautiful rooms you have created. Sometimes starting with a blank (or somewhat blank) canvas can give you a new perspective on your spaces.

5. Dress your windows – You get a lot of “bang for your buck” with window treatments, because they take up so much vertical space in the room, and draw the eye upward. Try looking online at different types of window treatments and see which kind you would like. Some of the easiest ones to install or create include mini-blinds, wood blinds, plain flat valances, square cornices, and pinch-pleated drapes. However, the array of window treatments available is endless.

6. Try new shops – Such as thrift shops, consignment stores, and auctions to find new and interesting items. You may come across a great conversation piece, or an antique that is worth much more than you pay for it!

7. Illuminate! – Be sure that your new design has plenty of lighting. It would be a shame to spend time and effort creating a new room, and the details not get noticed. Lighting is also a great way to add accents and unique touches to your budget design.

8. Don’t buy everything you see – Just because it’s cheap, it doesn’t mean you should buy it. If it doesn’t work for your room, you won’t like it when you get it home. You will just be stuck with an old piece of junk with nowhere to put it. Focus on buying things that you have planned for and budgeted for.

9. Have a Plan – Know what furniture you need (and don’t need), what your color scheme is, and what your style is. This way, you won’t waste time and money by purchasing things that you don’t need, and don’t like. Budget decorating is all about know what is a good deal and what isn’t.

10. Have Fun – Don’t get stressed out over your room! Sometimes it takes time, and trial and error to get it right. Just make sure to have fun and enjoy the process of making your rooms beautiful as well as enjoying the end result.

Find more great ideas for budget decorating at http://www.designingonabudget.com. Angela Sullivan is an Interior Designer and budget decorating enthusiast. This article may be reproduced as long as it is not changed, and remains intact, including all links and this statement.

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Garage sale decorating, why not?

Summer is a great time to get outside and have some fun! One great way to save money and get some fresh air is to visit garage sales in your area. Garage sales can be a great way to save money on home decor. You may want to do some pre-screening in your newspaper or on Craigslist to check out the larger garage sales in your area. You can find great bargains on everything from furniture, draperies, accessories, dishware and more!

There are a few key points to remember when doing garage sale decorating:

1. Don't buy things you don't need. Have a plan before you go out, and know what specific items you are looking for. Don't buy things just because they are cheap, otherwise you will just end up with a bunch of "junk".
2. Look for quality. Many homeowners are just looking to clear out their basement or garage, and are selling items that are otherwise valuable. Others just have a bunch of miscellaneous items that could easily be thrown in the trash. Thy to find that diamond in the rough.
3. Everything is negotiable. Don't just pay the marked price. Try bargaining with the seller, or try getting them to throw in something extra for the same price. You never know what kind of bargain you may get.

And most of all, have fun out there and stay cool!

Are You Creative? Design Your Own T-Shirts & Stuff

Spreadshirt is a great website where you can design your own t-shirts. You can simply type in the text, then add pre-designed graphics, and if you are creative, and know how to use a graphics program like Photoshop, you can import your own photo or graphic to put on a t-shirt.

You can upload your images in almost any graphics format. You can then choose from hundreds of t-shirt, sweatshirt, baseball cap, even home decor products (like pillows, clocks, prints). You will see what your product will look like as you create it.

This is also a great way to make merchandise for your group or organization. You can also start your own store to make money with your designs as well.

Check out Spreadshirt here!

Great Home Organization Solutions

Springtime comes around, and everyone is ready to start tackling those big spring projects. Cleaning out that cluttered closet, re-organizing the pantry or garage, and finding a new home for things that are out of place. Here are some helpful tricks and tips that can make spring cleaning a whole lot easier:

1. Give everything a place. This is very important in keeping a house neat and tidy. Use clear plastic bins and organizers to keep things separated by category and function. Label everything so you will know where to find it later. Always put things back in their home when finished using them.
(Click to purchase)


2. Recycle. You can use old shoe boxes, pretty jars and bottles, grocery bags (paper and plastic), and boxes to store your items. There's no need to spend lots of money on fancy new containers. Just cover them with a pretty gift wrap or contact paper, and you can even color-code them and customize them to match your decor. A grocery bag dispenser is a great way to re-use bags, and keep them neat and tidy. This great stainless steel bag dispenser matches with todays stainless appliances!

(Click to purchase)
3. Maximize your space. Those nooks and crannies that you never used can be great places for storage. You can store things everywhere, just be sure to keep it organized and neat. Also, re-evaluate your current storage situation, and determine if there are places that could be better utilized. You may want to sort through old boxes, or re-organize an area that you don't find yourself visiting often.

(Click to purchase)
When it comes to spring cleaning and organization, there are always lots of things to do! Just remember to have fun, and break down your large tasks into smaller projects so that you don't get overwhelmed. For more great storage and organization products, visit Organize.com and check out this great Organization Kit