By Josette Keelor — Daily Staff Writer

Moving into a new home can be an exciting time but also a stressful one when it comes to filling a new space.

New homeowners and people moving into larger places might suddenly find themselves with a lack of accessories but also an empty wallet. Decorating on a small budget is possible though and can add character to any home.

Pick a theme

Linda Keen, of Skyline Country Home Furnishings in Winchester, suggests bringing a sample from your home when you go shopping for furniture or accessories. Having something that you are trying to match, such as a specific color you are looking for, will be handy, especially if you are unsure of what might best suit the space you are trying to fill.

"Knowing what they're starting with" is something that Keen says is important for people to consider before they go to the store in search of more decorations or furniture.

"What color are their walls, their floors?" she gives as possible questions that people should be asking themselves. "Do they already have pieces that they're adding to it?"

"I think that color plays an important part," says Tricia Strother, president of Naturescapes in Winchester. Having just a few vibrant items in a room can say more about your personality than a room full of decorations will, and it will cost a lot less.

Strother suggests adding plants as part of the decorative theme in your house, in order to add color and to save money on decorations.

"Plants are by far more affordable than furniture," she says, explaining that instead of buying a chair, simply for decoration, buy some plants to fill that space instead. Also, plants can match any color or style in your house.

Some of Keen's customers bring items with them that they bought elsewhere so they can see how their purchases look with other items.

"We're glad to help people when they come in," Keen says, explaining that she will move pieces around the store for customers so they can tell which items look good together.

Be thrifty

Once you know what you are looking for, a good place to start looking is at thrift stores and consignment shops. Etc. Consignment Shoppe in Winchester offers discount furniture on a regular basis, says manager Robbin Orndorff.

"We sold about $3,000 worth of furniture today alone," she says of her March 7 receipts.

Fridays and weekends are the store's busiest time of the week, she says, but customers can find bargains there any day.

"We do pictures, paintings, vases, home decor, lamps," she says.

Orndorff says that anyone starting out in a new house or apartment will also find nice dishes at a good price.

"Pretty much, you name it," she says of the store's options.

The type of furniture that customers will find there depends on the day and on what the store brings in, Orndorff says. People who want to sell their furniture to the store will receive 60 percent of the profit, once the item is sold, she says, adding that the store will take almost anything.

"What we don't take is appliances," she says.

The store will accept smaller items, such as coffee makers, but nothing larger, such as a microwave.

Ads and sales

The season of yard sales is just around the corner and can offer everything that any thrifty — and patient — shopper could want, from furniture to frills.

Estate sales are another option, especially for people who are looking for an entire living room or bedroom set. This can be a way to find matching furniture for discounted prices.

Another option is to surf the Internet or scan the classifieds section of a newspaper for advertisements of furniture for sale. Judy Cox, of Front Royal, had success selling furniture through the newspaper and is once again selling a table and chairs for a deeply discounted price.

She received a large, glass-top table and chairs from her daughter, but because the set was not her style, Cox decided to sell it to make room for a smaller, wooden dining room set.

"I want to get something more country looking," she says.

The Internet also offers bargain seekers great options on furniture that people are selling. Web sites like Craigslist.org and Ebay.com offer ways that savvy searchers can buy or sell items quickly and for a reasonable price.

*Contact Josette Keelor at .