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You're off to a good start, just by "thinking out loud" here. PAY someone to do the heavy cleaning, washing walls, carpets, windows, and you'll feel even better. Also get a tape measure and make a floor plan, on gragh paper, (with the little squares, which you can download) and which will help you discipline yourself to the priorities. I've used local Channel 13's QVC shopping especially for bedding, linens, fabric items,window treatments, online at QVC.com. I've had great luck with pleated cellular window blinds, inexpensive, a million sizes, and max. privacy, buffering from the weather. Also J CPenney, and Sears, with stores at the N. Shore Shopping Center, intersection of Rte 114, and Rte 128. I've just found great new microfiber blankets, bedspreads there. You can do your bargain search online, and they'll let you know if the item is actually IN their closest store, to you. You can access them all online and save bigtime on the gas.
Also just purchased a carload of stuff from the Christmas Tree Shop, on Rte One South, couple miles south of Rte 128, on the way to Boston. Candlestick lamps and shades, cottage style bedside tables, and a tall folding screen (hand-painted, with N. E village scenes ) for privacy in a passageway.

The Curtain Shop on Main St. on the right, always has bargains, and excellent service. You have to ask them for specifics, which are sometimes upstairs in their attic, but they are so accomodating. I've also found great bargains in ESSEX, at the WHITE ELEPHANT SHOP, and its "BUCK HUT," open on weekends only, 10-5, on Rte 133 west, on the right past the Exxex golf course out there. Not only is it a $Buck Hut, but it also has great reductions way OFF the buck.

The best bargains are always at yard sales, imo, often in cardboard boxes, underneath the tables. People get rid of whole boxes of curtains, drapes, towels, etc. and often offer them FREE, if you'll just take them away! :) The GDT has area yard sales posted weekly, in alphabetical orderby area city,town, in the classified section, in a big section with a dark border around it. Sounds like a fun project, Hope you DO have fun. :)