It’s no secret that I hold a firm belief that good decor can dramatically improve one’s mood and general outlook. Of course, you don’t have to take my word for it. There are several mental health studies that link depression with cluttered surroundings . Personally, one of my favorite ways to bust a bad mood is to do some straightening up.

There’s no doubt that proper organization is a large part of any design plan. There are many steps you can take to transform your unkempt abode into a clean zen retreat. Check out some of my tips streamlining things in your home:

- Schedule annual (or biannual) overhauls. When I was growing up, my mother called this “Spring cleaning”. This ritual can be as thorough as you’d like, but regularly cleaning storage spaces like the attic and basement keeps them from becoming overstuffed.

- Clean out your holiday decorations. These seasonal adornments often remain in nooks and crannies way past their prime. Know when it’s time to let go of your patriotic decor.

- Purchase appropriate trash bins and recycling containers. Attractive and high capacity waste bins will encourage the family to put trash in its place.

- Recycle, recycle, recycle. Turn unneeded items in art or make donations to your local Goodwill. Also, take the time to sort your paper, plastic, and aluminum from other refuse.

- Make lists. Spend a month making lists of the items you use on a regular basis. To make things easier, split them up into kitchen items, clothing, and cosmetics. At the end of the month, keep the things you’ve used and consider disposing of the things you haven’t touched.

- Use it or lose it. I have a whole stack of art and other accessories I would love to incorporate into a room one day, but it’s unlikely I will ever get around to using them. If you can’t find a place to hang that wall mirror or display the platter you got on your vacation overseas, give it away and let someone else enjoy it.

- Plan and implement an organization strategy. This can include buying racks and shelving for closets or getting drawer organizers for the kitchen utensils.

- Read my post on attractive storage . Aside from learning about my love of coat racks , you could pick up some quick tips on how to manage in small spaces.

- Archive, scrapbook, and display your prized possessions. Organizing your family photos into books will protect them from damage and allow you quick access to your memories.

There are many reasons I love interior design, but I have to say that the best thing about it is its accessibility. A destitute college student can have a room just as fabulous as that of a billionaire with just a little bit of know-how. One of the most effective tools in the designer’s arsenal, a can of paint, only costs $25. Money can’t buy taste, and great decor can be had on a tiny budget. With this in mind, I bring you a few cheap ideas that can transform any room:

1. Funky Frames. Well, they don’t have to be funky. This is one of my favorite DIY home decor projects because of the huge cost difference between finished and unfinished frames. Custom framing usually costs an arm and leg, but with a little know-how and a few supplies, you can create your own custom wall hanging .

2. Custom curtains, slipcovers, or pillows. Looking for a big change on little cash? Investing in a sewing machine is the best way to maximize your redesign budget. Raw fabric costs a fraction of finished pieces, and once you get the hang of it, construction is a breeze. Plus, sewing your own covers gives you an infinite number of choices of fabric and the ability to create a truly custom look.

3. Fun lampshades and chandeliers. There are thousands of ways to dress up lampshades with a spot of hot glue and a few baubles. Even the most drab lamp can be given new life with a few changes to an old shade. If you are looking for a little more drama, there are home chandelier kits that let you choose and arrange your own crystal and bulbs.

4. Simple woodworking projects. A quick search of the Internet will yield hundreds of step-by-step guides on how to build everything from shelving to cabinetry. The cost of wood, stain, and hardware for a beginner’s project is almost always much less than what the finished product would cost in a store. Just make sure to wear the proper safety equipment!

5. Personalized art. You can paint, sculpt, or even knit your way into a more beautiful home. Your art is perfect for displaying around your home, because it is absolutely free (except for supplies), completely custom, just your taste, and a guaranteed conversation starter. Why not make one of your favorite hobbies work for you?

Looking for more ways to add more for less? Check out your local thrift store and dumpster for pieces that need some DIY love.

We’ve already discussed how to turn your home into a tasteful rustic getaway . In doing so, we saw lots of fabulous accessories that would arouse anyone’s interest. There are many ways to decorate a cabin home with these natural accessories and wildlife decor, but they can also soften up a more modern space. Here are a few tips on how to give your room natural influences without switching styles:

-Think simple. The quickest way to keep things from feeling artificial is to add a live plant to the room. Flora is great for creating height, adding color, and improving mood. Aquariums and fish bowls may not be quite as easy, but they offer many of the same benefits.

-Choose patterns, materials, and colors that subtly recall nature. This technique is especially useful for warming up stark, slick palettes. Try throwing some leafy-green throw pillows on furniture that looks too stiff or working a high contrast floral fabric in with metallics and clean lines. The right mix of wildlife home decor and sophisticated fair can make the space surprising, yet homey. These details suggest the outdoors without overdoing it.

-Pay attention to what’s on your doorstep. One of the most effective ways to brighten a home is to draw in its surroundings. If you live on the beach, don’t be afraid to go tropical or nautical. Have a home perched in the mountains? Embrace the cabin lifestyle with some wildlife furniture. Trying to ignore the context and original style of a house is one of the easiest ways to miss the design mark. When you begin planning your room, open up the shades and think about the best way to bring in what you see outside the window.

-As always, personalize. Think about some of your favorite plants, animals, and places. Try to translate what you like about those things (lushness, exoticness, fragility, etc.) into a few items. Import stores are a great place to peruse for ideas. They often have tribal art and decor items made of unprocessed materials. An empty wall is the perfect place to add a piece of wildlife scene etched glass or framed pictures from your last hiking trip.

-Use renewable, recycled, and sustainable products. There might not be anything intrinsically pastoral about an earth-friendly fabric or piece of furniture, but they are still good for the environment.

Bringing a little bit of the outdoors inside is a great way to get rid of the decorating doldrums. A few strategically placed items can even take your beautiful space to the next level.

Home renovation projects are a good way to update your home and maximize it’s value. Smart upgrades and additions can help boost future resale value, but aesthetics aren’t the only thing to consider when you’re looking to do an overhaul. Environmentally friendly and low-impact products often look just as good as more expensive and more wasteful materials. With concerns about the future of the planet mounting, the demand for more green homes here to stay, and many of these smart choices will improve energy bills for years to come. No matter the home improvement project, there is an attractive, cost-effective, and sustainable alternative. You just need to know where to look.
Kitchen remodels make a dramatic difference in a home, but they can certainly have a hefty price tag. One of the biggest expenses is certainly appliances. These sparkling state-of-the-art machines are inescapably expensive, but you can offset some of the cost by choosing them wisely. High-efficiency appliances are ideal, but you can save even more money and energy by being realistic about your needs. Very few families actually need double ovens, a stand-alone freezer, and a separate fridge for drinks. Not only do they use power all the time, they can make the space look more cluttered than high-end.
Granite and marble make a beautiful addition to any home, but they are definitely not eco-friendly. The rock is ripped out of the natural environment, and lots of fuel is used to quarry and transport it to your local stone dealer. Recycled products cost a lot less and put trash to good use. Some of my favorite countertop alternatives are recycled glass and concrete composites . They are less porous than marble, have all of the heat and scratch resistant properties of granite, and are simply gorgeous. Of course, post-consumer glass and ceramic can also be used to make any style and color of backsplash or floor tile. If you’d like a natural material to compliment your green kitchen, try cork flooring. Cork is fast growing and makes a durable and fun floor covering.
Like cork, bamboo grows fast and can replace many kinds of wood in the home. Many hardwoods have become expensive and rare because of over-harvesting, but demand has pushed younger (and therefore weaker) wood out onto the market. Bamboo does needs only a fraction of the time of other woods to grow just as strong. For this reason, some bamboo products are cheaper than traditional wood cabinets and floors. Personally, I love the uniqueness that bamboo’s knots gives to these finishes; it lends instant personality to any piece.

Keeping things in their place is an essential part of maintaining an attractive home, but straightening up is harder than it sounds. Honestly, clutter is the bane of my existence. I tend to prefer a sparse design aesthetic, but I also have a penchant for collecting shoes, books, coats, and tchotchkes. I have so little “out of the way” storage that it’s hard to keep things looking crisp. So, what’s a girl to do? Store things with style, of course.

Losing the Bulk
The first step in developing storage solutions is always to get rid of the unnecessary. If you haven’t gone through your closets, garage, basement, or attic in a while, chances are that you could stand to shed a few things. Start by sorting things into “keep” and “lose” piles.

There are many ways to get rid of unwanted items, so there is no excuse to throw everything away! Be kind to the environment by donating, selling and recycling as much as you can. Garage sales are a pain to set-up, but they can bring in some much-needed redecorating cash. If you don’t feel up to the challenge, find a local charity to give the items to. Some will even pick it up free of charge.

Decorative Junk
Don’t start shoving that “keep” pile into boxes just yet; there are plenty of ways to maximize your space if you know where to look. While things like Christmas decorations and luggage should stay tucked away, many items can be incorporated into a practical home layout. Start by looking for obvious things to unpack. Use that box full of books to fill the built-in shelving. Buy coat racks for your winter wear instead of overstuffing your closet. (Wall-mounted coat racks have the added advantage of saving floor space.) Look for places to hang unused art and pictures. Using these items wisely can improve your space if used correctly.

All too often, priceless collectables and family heirlooms often get stuffed under the bed and out of the way. Get your treasures out of the closet. There are a millions ways to showcase and display even the most odd collections. Try framing your grandmother’s quilt and making it the focal point in your bedroom. You can even make your action figures into a high-style architectural feature with lighted display cases. A wall mounting coat rack can even be used to showcase your hats and scarves.

Hiding in Plain Sight
Have you put away as much as you can, but still find yourself buried in clutter? Now it’s time to start adding practical decor. If you find yourself with a surplus of stuff and a deficit of space, look for multifunctional furniture. Many ottomans and coffee tables feature secret places for toys, magazines, and other things that end up on the living room floor.
Some baskets and colored boxes are decorative enough to leave out, and if placed on shelves or inside cabinets, they don’t give away what your hiding inside. When paired with similar magazine holders and organizers, these solutions can even become a style statement.
Go out and buy a coat rack, china cabinet, and a few new baskets. Once you get the hang of making storage a part of your home design, you may find your crawl-space empty.