Category: Deals, Steals, & Thrifting

Good deals and thrift store shopping.

Recent Ross Deals

Published on by Our Humble Abode1 Comment

Did you know I am having a love affair with Maxx and Ross?  TJ Maxx and Ross Dress for Less, that is.  Yep, I love ’em.  Can’t get enough, in fact.  Why do I love thee?  Because they have great deals on awesome items.  Like this stoneware bowl by Target.  Original retail price: $11.99, Ross price: $3.49.  Sold!

I guess the bowl was designed to hold baguette, but it actually works really well as a fruit bowl.  I also found this ugly gold decorative vase for $6.49. 

I do have a plan for it, just need to carry it out.  Then, I found a large decorative outdoor planter for $6.99, talk about a deal!  The cheapest thing Home Depot and Lowes had in a similar size was $30.00.  Both TJ Maxx and Ross are great places to look for bedding, too. 

The comforter in our guest room came from Ross and I recently picked up a set of King sized 400 thread count grey sateen sheets from TJ Maxx for $29.99.  Yep, it’s love at first sight.

Gimme a Giveaway: Our Humble A{Bowe}d

Published on by Our Humble Abode61 Comments

*This giveaway is no longer accepting entries, Thank You!*

This post is a little early because I’ll be pretty busy tomorrow, so you’re getting this now!  We’re back with another giveaway from our print shop, Our Humble A{Bowe}d.  The winner can choose their favorite print from the options below.

Carved Initials:

Bird Family:

I Love You This Much:

Love Math:

Love Tree:

Want a chance to win?  Here’s how it works:

Prize:  One 8 inch by 10 inch customized print of your choice.

To Enter:  Subscribe to follow Our Humble A{Bowe}d, if you’re not already.  To subscribe, click the “Sign Me Up!” button under “Be the first to know.” 

Bonus:  Comment on this post with the words “PRINTED” and tell us what patterned (chevron, faux bois, etc.) item you’re lovin’ right now.  (I shared my love for FLOR’s Sophistikat rug)

Contest Closes:  Thursday, September 30th at 9:00 pm, central time.

Number of Winners:  One!

Ships:  Anywhere in the U.S.

Other Info:  Only one entry per e-mail address.  The winner will be selected using random.org and announced on Friday, October 1st.  Good luck!!

Simple Solution: Crown Moulding

Published on by Our Humble Abode8 Comments

Do you love the look of crown moulding but can’t afford it?  Maybe it’s just a little too difficult for you to install on your own?  Well, we have a solution for you.

Rather than using actual crown moulding, use decorative casement trim.  Choose a trim with one 90 degree angle and a flat back, similar to these:

Place the square edge along the ceiling and secure with nails. 

This trim is very easy to install and is more affordable than actual crown moulding.  Of course, the ‘crown’ moulding won’t have a 45 degree angle from the wall to the ceiling.

Paint the ‘crown’ the same color as the rest of the trim and it will make the room look polished.

Hit the FLOR

Published on by Our Humble Abode4 Comments

I love me some chevron these days.  As you may recall, I recently painted a chevron pattern rug.  And now, I’m drooling over this new pattern from FLOR.

Yep, more chevron!  I was wondering when FLOR would jump on the proverbial bandwagon.  Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen.  My name is Amanda and I’ll be your captain for the day.  Please welcome our newest member, FLOR.  Welcome to the chevron bandwagon, please enjoy the trend while it lasts.  Thank you and have a great day!

Now that I got that out of my system, let’s move on.  I’m loving the pattern and the $12.99 price tag isn’t too bad, either.  So, what’s stopping me from buying this beauty?  My children (and I’m cheap)!  We already have two rugs made up of FLOR tiles, but they get everything dirty.  True, you can remove a single tile to wash or replace, depending on the soil level, but I’ll stick with my current rugs until my boys can be trusted.

The Sophistikat pattern isn’t the only new design I’m lovin’.  Check out these puppies.

Posh Croc is a nice subtle pattern at $14.99 per tile.

Road to Damaskus (love the punny name!) is a pretty pattern that will set you back $12.99.

Faux Bois by Ms. Martha Stewart herself is $19.99 per tile.

How about Lattice by Martha?  Only $18.99 per tile.

FLOR designs have come a loooong way.  I remember when they had only solid colors in a few textures.  Ahh, those weren’t the days…

Green Equals Green: Cloth Napkins

Published on by Our Humble Abode6 Comments

Today is the start of a new series: tips and ideas to help you live a greener life style, while saving some green.  Some ideas are super simple to carry out and very cheap (level 1), while others are slightly more difficult, but a knowledgeable DIYer could tackle (level 2).  Others are best left to the professionals (level 3), but all showcase eco-friendly options. 

Our first idea is a level 1, so easy a cave man can do it.  Let’s say a family of four uses 1 roll of paper towels every two weeks, at the price of $1.17 per roll (if you buy the cheapest paper towels in bulk from Costco).  The total spent in one year on paper towels (used only as napkins) is $30.42.  If you want to do something a little more eco-friendly, but still use paper towels, you can  buy Seventh Generation Recycled paper towels.  If you opt for this route, you’ll spend $46.54 per year. 

Compare those prices to $1.99 for four cloth napkins from IKEA, ours are IRIS, but I can’t find them online.  Our napkins are white with a subtle checker board pattern.  I chose not to buy pretty napkins, as they’ll look ugly after one use, but I love not having to buy a ton of paper towels.  I think the Earth loves us, too. 

If you don’t have an IKEA, you can always buy fabric and make your own.  Definitely invest in at least 8, so you always have some on hand.  Just throw them in the wash with a full load and reuse!