If you walk through Linda and Roy’s home, you can find something—and sometimes multiple things—from Deseret Industries in every room. Linda says that her niece calls her the queen of DI.

As longtime DI fans, Linda and Roy recently took on the #ProjectDI challenge to redo a room in their home for $500 using only items purchased from Deseret Industries. They decorated and furnished a master bedroom. Check out their challenge here.

We think Linda and Roy’s #ProjectDI challenge turned out amazing. Want to do a #ProjectDI of your own? Here are some of their tips:

1. Start by looking for a statement piece.

Whatever room you’re decorating, start by looking for the most important pieces. For a bedroom, start by looking for a bedspread or a headboard. For a living room, start by looking for a couch or a coffee table. These pieces will set the tone for the rest of the room.

2. Look for items for all areas of your home—including outside.

You can find great items at DI for every room in your home. It’s smart to check DI for items you need before buying them new because you never know what you’ll find.

Remember that DI has items you can use outdoors for your porch or deck. Think beyond just lawn chairs and porch swings—although you can find those things too. Look for side tables that are metal and can withstand the weather, or vases and other decor. At DI, Linda and Roy have also found some great cabinets and storage shelves for their garage.

3. Trust your instincts.

When the right item comes along, you’ll know. Trust yourself and go with what you like.

4. Learn the magic of spray paint.

You can totally change the look of an item with a coat or two of spray paint. It’s easy and quick to use. Spray paint can be used on metal decor, wood furniture, and more. Linda and Roy used spray paint to change the look of their headboard, wall decor, and nightstands.

Once you’ve picked colors for your room, buy one or two of those colors of spray paint, and you can use them for a lot of things.

To spray-paint an item, start by wiping it down to get a nice, clean finish. You don’t want any dust or dirt to get caught under the spray paint. Then use sandpaper to sand out any nicks or cuts. You can sand metal or wood items.

When you’re ready to spray-paint, lay everything out on a tarp. Take out any drawers or furniture items that need to be painted separately. Then apply spray paint in long, broad strokes. Try to spray lightly and avoid getting the paint too thick or heavy. It’s better to do multiple coats, so it’s OK if you miss a spot.

5. Shop early for seasonal items.

DI is a great resource for holiday and seasonal decor. Look for seasonal items all year long to get the best finds.

6. Use furniture gliders when arranging a room.

If you’re redoing an entire room or moving a lot of heavy furniture pieces, it can be helpful to use furniture gliders to move items around easily.

7. Look for spare parts, and be willing to buy items in pieces.

Have an item that you need spare parts for? Check DI. Linda and Roy have a blender with individual serving-size cups, but the blender came with only two cups. Whenever they’re at DI, they look for more blender cups so they can have enough for their entire family.

You might also need to mix and match items. Linda and Roy found a headboard that they loved, but it was missing the sideboard pieces. They found a separate set of side pieces and used them with the headboard.

8. Leave yourself open to variations.

You might not find exactly what you’re looking for, but keep your mind open. You might find a chair that would be perfect with a new seat cover, or a table that would match your style if you gave it a quick coat of spray paint.

9. Donating is just as important as shopping.

If you want to find good items, it’s important to donate good items. Donations keep DI operating. And most importantly, shopping and donating both help support DI’s job training program.

What #ProjectDI tips would you add to Linda and Roy’s list? Tell us at blog@deseretindustries.org.