The easiest and best way to go about bettering the environment is simply by using stuff you already have to create something new. There’s no need to create a whole new wheel when you’re able to just patch it. Save money on apartment decor by re-purposing your finds!

1. Paintings: One of the best things to find at a garage sale is old paintings. Old paintings have multiple parts you can use for other things. For example, the canvas can be reprinted. To do this, you can also give strip pasting a try. You can use newspapers, wrapping paper, or even paint samples to cut into strips of various sizes. From there you layer them on the canvas and get your glue on – just make sure the glue you go with dries clear. After the canvas is covered, let it dry and it’s ready to be hung. Of course you can re-frame it, or maybe not frame it at all. Your choice!
   The frame is useful as well. Just by repainting the frame, you’ll give it new life. If by chance you find multiple old frames in different sizes, shapes, and textures, you can uniform them and paint them the same color.
2. Objects as Art: In one small find, you can create plenty of inexpensive new art pieces to use in your home. You could quite possibly accent an entire wall used of recycled items. Old mirrors and frames can be used together to form some type of collage.
3. Art in Record Time: Keep your eyes peeled for your favorite classic record LPs. It seems like every garage sale ever has a box full of records and who knows, you may just find some cool looking ones. I once had a roommate whom collected a ton of Neil Diamond records and hung them on his wall in a design. (It was definitely eye-capturing, but sticking with just a single artist might be kind of odd for some people.) With that same roommate, we had records of all sorts bordering around the edge between the wall and ceiling all around the living room. I always thought it was neat looking. To hang them up, just pick out some nice looking screws and nail them in. You may even want to make a design out of the record itself, and not just the record cover.

With spring arriving, and summer just around the corner, garage sale season is just upon us. Get moving: Garage sales are a great place to pick up some materials for recreation projects.

Related posts:

1. Not Allowed To Paint? Don’t Sweat It, You Don’t Have To!
2. Alternatives Ideas to Painted Walls
3. Let’s Have an Art Party!
4. DIY Décor – On the Walls
5. 9 Ideas for Unique Decorating Touches

Tags: apartment decor, art, Canvas, Collage, Decor, decorating, Living room, paint, shopping, Visual Arts