If you are on a budget (and who isn't?), a wonderful place for find home decorating accessories is auction sites like eBay. But before you go a'baying, here is some advice based on personal experience (make that major disasters!) to keep in mind:

1. Before you bid on anything, check the shipping cost. This cost varies greatly among vendors. That $2.99 artwork isn't such a great deal if you are charged $80 for shipping! And believe me, there are even higher shipping rates out there!

2. Try to buy color neutral. Never try to match a color in your room with the color on the screen. It simply does not translate well. Everyone's screen shows color a bit differently. Any you might end up with hot magenta when you wanted apple red. So stick with neutral accessories!

3. Check measurements! Don't assume because of how it looks in the picture! The mirror that looks so large on the dresser in the picture may look tiny in your room. That dresser may be very small in reality, making the mirror appear large (an old photographer's trick!). So ask for measurements if they are not included.

4. Choose to buy from a reliable seller. Check the feedback on every vendor you deal with. If there is a lot of negative feedback, take that as a warning and shop elsewhere! Don't set yourself up for a bad experience!


Ebay is fun and can be a great source of accessories, if you use your brain before you use your charge card. And if you buy something all wrong for your room - it can be a great place to get rid of it. Remember - one man's hideous eyesore is another man's chic treasure. Just make sure the eyesore doesn't end up in YOUR mailbox!

About the author:
Pamela Cole Harris has been a writer and designer for 35 years (Yikes, has it been that long?) Enjoy her tongue-in-cheek approach to inexpensive interior design at:
http://www.homeandgardenmakeover.comand http://www.diy-homedecor.com