Hanging Light Fixture for $10!

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Finding affordable ways to decorate is seriously my favorite. I get the biggest thrill out of finding a way to live beautifully on a budget – it’s like a game. So when we needed some light in the nook but didn’t have a big budget for it, I got creative. I spotted this basket we’d had in the family room for blankets…and the wheels started turning. We have a ton of baskets, so we wouldn’t be missing this one if I used it for something else…

I went on amazon and found this light cord…(affliliate link)

…and the wheels were a-spinnin’!

I cut a hole in the bottom (I used an exacto knife because this is a very thin almost cardboard-y material and wasn’t hard to do – might want to use a drill if you have a different material).

And BAM! Instant light!

(Sorry for the awful phone photos – hard to snap with one hand holding a basket light!)

The cord actually came with hooks, so I put one directly above the lamp in the ceiling, and another way by the corner – I’ll show pics in a sec.

We had to solve the cord issue – I didn’t love the way the dangling cord looked, PLUS the cord was shorter than I should’ve bought, so the on/off clocker is smack dab in the middle. (I’ll show you how I solved that in a sec too!)

I went to Home Depot and bought some raceway for a few bucks, and stuck that on to hide the cord. I cut two small pieces to go around the clicker so I can still access it, and to hide the clicker, I hung strategically placed greens from Hobby Lobby;) (they’re called Lamb’s ear).

As you can see I painted it Revere Pewter to match the top of the wall, and Alabaster to match the bottom…

Then it just sneaks behind all the pillows and plugs into an outlet behind the curtain!

And ta-da!

We have a light fixture and only spent $10! (Well, if you add the basket I’ve had for a while – I think that was about $12 from Hobby Lobby, it’s more like $22, but still – can’t beat that!)

I love it!

And it gives off such a cozy glow at night – should’ve gotten a pic of that for this post! Maybe I’ll snap one and edit this later;)

Next time you think you can’t afford this item or that, think outside the box a little. That table in these photos: $14. The ottoman: $11. The light fixture: $10. You CAN have a home you love and stay on a budget, it just takes a little creativity. I hope this inspires you and please share your proud success stories with me! 🙂 Happy DIY-ing!