Frugal Tips - sunroom

[peanut]

Okay, granted, most of you don't have a sunroom. But you could put family room or breakfast room or conservatory or whatever in here...it's the extra room on the main floor of our house.

In it we keep:

- until they died, my dbil's (the one who passed away) fish. In his aquariums etc. He was well outfitted!
- 2 x2'x 1' bookcases dh made when I was pg with dd#1 21 years ago! They are filled with...
- dyed wool fabric for rug hooking and
- rughooking books that were given to me.
- an old plywood camping box we're using as a coffee table. It stores more art/craft supplies.
- IKEA love seat...solid pine...part of a set of chair, chesterfield and love seat we bought for $200cdn. 19 years ago.
- I recovered the cushions with $3.49/m fabric.
- curtains covered with a matching print of $3.49/m fabric.
- sheers made by me from $1.99/m fabric.
- tiebacks are simply cord.
- curtains on front windows were given to us by dmil.
- mission chair was a find for $10 at a thrift store.
- the baby cradle is in it's second life holding more rug hooking wool. (Yes, I have a lot!)
- more rug hooking supplies (backings, etc.) are hiding in canvas bags under the love seat.
- my magazine stand is really an original M'iqmaq Indian shopping basket.
- plants in the sunroom were part of those bought at a garage sale for $6. A four foot tall dracena of some sort and a 30 yo jade plant. A Christmas cactus that was included in the deal.
- sculpture is dd#2's again.
- stained glass is a gift from dsis#2, who does it herself.
- this is where I keep my library books.
- paintings on wall are mine.
- lamp on wall is serving it's second life. It used to be above our bed. It has a compact flourescent bulb in it.
- I also have a portable Ott light for stitchwork that I got 40% off for $60cdn. at Michael's.

This is the room I do my stitchwork in. It has good lighting during the day and I use my Ott light in the evenings.

It is also my research area. I keep frugal notes here and go over them periodically to plan my next group of frugal activities to work on.

It is also where I write in my frugal homemaker's journal. This was originally intended for dd#2 when she leaves home, but I'm not sure she wants it. I have a ways to go to fill it!

This is also one of my favourite reading corners. The other is in my bedroom. I store my old magazines according to the month they came out in. I put them in magazine storage boxes I am reusing and some, found at a garage sale. Every month I bring up the magazines for that month. That way I always have something to do and read. I rarely buy new magazines now!

What about you? What do you do in your extra room? What functions does it serve? How do you go about meeting your needs frugally in that room?

[alabamagirl]

I use mine mostly as an exercise room for all those unfrugal exercise machines!

Last summer I bought cheap tinted sun block film from Wal-Mart and covered all the windows - really cooled down the area and gives us total privacy during the day.