Step #1

Decide on the that scale that you want to use. An easy scale to use is 1m: 4cm (for every meter measured, you will draw 4 centimeters). Draw a scale diagram of your basic room structure; include the door, windows and other permanent fixtures in the diagram.

Step #2

Now draw scale diagrams of your furniture on a separate piece of paper, and cut them out. Remember to keep the same scale for all your measurements.

Step #3

Play around with the scales in different positions, keeping in mind walking space. Walking space is essential, as you don’t want to feel like you cannot easily walk around your room. Keep in mind how far doors and cupboards will swing open.

Windows are a great way to bring in natural light and can change the whole feel of a room, make sure that these are not blocked.
Also, if you happen to have a television set in your room, you may not want to put it opposite a window in order to avoid the glare.

Step #4

Now that you have placed the furniture on your diagram in the perfect spot, it’s time to move your furniture around — just once. You may be left with some open space that could need filling; a nice way to use this space is to buy accent furniture.

This principle can be applied to any room in the house.

Step #5

Sit back, relax, and enjoy your new bedroom.

The introduction of dual analog sticks will be familiar to anyone who has used Sony’s home consoles. It is a welcome addition, allowing gamers more control of in-game characters. Furthermore, the 5″ OLED is backed by a behemoth of processing power. The PlayStation Vita also has front and rear cameras. Although, the cameras won’t exactly replace your smartphone,  they are good for a gaming environment.

Arguably, some of the best launch titles for the PSP Vita are as follows:

• Fifa Soccer
• Uncharted: Golden Abyss
• Asphalt: Injection
• Rayman origins
• Wipeout: 2048

To further enhance the gaming experience, the PS Vita has SIX AXIS control, just like the PlayStation controller allowing for motion-control to various games. The device also has a rear touch-pad and touch-screen capability.

From basics to brights, the predictions for Autumn 2012 colour trends have been announced by Pantone. See what they are, and how to wear them. Which do you think will be your favourite for the coming cooler months? And which do you think should rather be stuffed in the back of the closet?

Rose Smoke

Rose Smoke is a pretty colour. It’s understated and feminine and goes beautifully with dark greys, like Titanium,  because of its cool dark undertones. Warm it up with rich browns, and even dark oranges like Tangerine Tango.

 French Roast

French Roast can be worn as a basic if your bored of black. This soft brownish charcoal is the perfect Autumn hue. Pair it with warm colours like Honey Gold or cooler ones like Rose Smoke.

Rhapsody

Another cool tone for Autumn, Rhapsody is a serene purple that exudes comfort and calm. Like Rose Smoke, Rhapsody also has greyish undertones and goes well with Titanium. Wear it with Ultramarine or Olympian Blue to give it some needed energy in the freeze.

Honey Gold

Honey Gold looks like the mellow sunlight of a chilly Autumn day. Pair it with a strong colour like Olympian Blue to make it shine. It goes well with darker hues like French Roast too, but make sure to add a pop of another bright colour (Pink Flambé is a good one) if you plan to try out this combination.

Ultramarine Green

This misty green is not quite ‘earthy’; it has a bit of magic to it, a bit of shine in it. Although this is quite a bohemian-looking colour, it’s easy to keep it sophisticated by pairing it with Titanium; and add a bit of happy Rhapsody or Pink Flambé if you’re feeling more playful.

Pink Flambé

This  slightly burnt hue brings a bit of warmth to the cooler months, without making you long for the summertime. Bright Chartreuse, Tangerine Tango (if you’re feeling really brave) or Olympian Blue can be combined with this colour to make it pop. Keep it soft and blush by mixing it with Honey Gold or Titanium. This surprisingly versatile colour, will most certainly be making the rounds on side walks everywhere.

Olympian Blue

Orange and blue are colour wheel opposites, and the ignited Tangerine Tango was made to be worn with this strong blue. Rose Smoke also makes a pretty combination (or try all three for an off-the-catwalk look). French Roast and Honey Gold are also elegant combination colours, and will bring warmth to the look.

Tangerine Tango

The orange-crush that the fashion world has had since last year continues with a warmer, more accessible hue. Use this colour in the cooler months to brighten up your day, as a colour block or an accent.  A combination with French Roast will keep it warm, while mixing it with Olympian Blue or Pink Flambé will keep it happy and bright. Mixing it with the soft Rose Smoke will produce surprisingly pretty results too.

Bright Chartreuse

This foliage green contrasts the misty Ultramarine Green and should be used as an accent colour to brighten up a dreary, wintery outfit. It works well with Titanium and Pink Flambé.

DIY (do it yourself) covers everything from putting up shelves to building a house, as long as you do it with your own hands. That’s the important part.

But why bother with DIY when there is such abundance of ready-made stuff for everything you can possibly desire? (Just browse through bidorbuy.)

Some people DIY because what they make with their hands looks better than anything comparable that can be found in shops, not to mention the uniqueness factor.

Some turn to DIY because they can not find what they want ready-made. Take a look at these two garden solutions. Both serve the same purpose, acting as a support for fledgling jasmine bushes. One is ready made. The other was “insourced” because the DIY-er was unable to find something similar in the shops:

Ready-made fence	DIY trellis

The majority of us, of course, go the DIY way because it’s more affordable. A global overview confirms that. DIY is extremely popular in countries where labour is very expensive, like New Zealand or Norway. The situation is quite different in countries with cheap labour, for example China or Brazil. The Chinese tend to turn their noses up at DIY, because they think that manual work is for… well, manual workers. In Brazil, DIY is marketed as a low-cost solution for families with low disposable income.

And where does South Africa stand?

On one hand, it’s in the cheap labour group of countries.

On the other hand, the economic downturn is drilling a hole into the pockets of South Africans too. And, judging by crowds at DIY outlets and the brisk trading in the bidorbuy Home improvements and Tools sections, South Africans seem to have a penchant for doing things themselves… or are they just buying supplies and hiring others to do the work?

What’s you take? Ready-made, do-it-yourself, or hire-others-to-do-it–for-me?

You don’t need to know too much about fashion, as long as you have a bit of business savvy and you know how to use a computer.

Many stay-at-home moms, or people looking to earn a bit of extra cash on the side, have cottoned on to a new way to make money in online fashion. The idea is this:

• Raid factory shops of well-known brands for good deals
• Negotiate prices with these factory shops for buying in bulk for even better deals
• Then put these branded pieces onto bidorbuy for sale at excellent prices and still make a profit.

Why does it work?

People love buying brands when they are buying clothing online because they have a good idea of what to expect. They know how well Levis jeans fit them. They know the quality of the leather used for Nine West handbags. They know what size Nikes to buy, because they owned a few pairs before.

A common thread in strategies like this is to source items in factory shops. They are the best places to find good prices. Plus, if you can develop a relationship with the store as a loyal customer buying in bulk (which you will be able to do as your business grows) you’ll get even better deals.

Online buyers love a good deal, and that’s a material fact. They would much rather pay R500 online for a pair of heels worth R1000 than go into the store and pay full price, especially if they know and trust the brand.

Granted, the items you will find in factory stores are usually a season or so old, but most people don’t really care. What’s the difference between a Polo Golfer from last year and one from this year really? Unless you are super fashion conscious, which most South Africans are not.

Want more information? Email natalie@bidorbuy or me, at alison@bidorbuy

Remember your moral fabric: don’t sell fakes! 

Has any one tried this? What are your experiences?

Like those Nine West heels up there? Or those Adidas Sneakers? Or even that Guess Sling Bag to the left? Find them all on bidorbuy.

So it’s the beginning of a new year and time for some change, the DIY way. If you’re thinking of changing your bedroom a little, a quick and relatively cheaply way to make a big difference is to paint an accent wall. You could also change it up a bit with different wall papers. It is a fun way to bring balance and change into your room with very little effort.
Determining suitable colours for your accent wall depends on the colour of your walls currently. Follow the steps below to find out how to choose the right colour for your accent wall. And the find everything you will need to do it on bidorbuy.

Finding the Right Colour for Your Accent Wall

Step 1

• Find yourself a good colour wheel (There are many images on the internet)

Step 2

• Find the current colour of the walls of the room on the colour wheel

Step 3

• If your current wall colour is light, choose a dark colour for your accent wall. Accent walls are usually brighter than the other walls so that they stand out as a feature.

Step 4

• Decide which type of colour scheme you want to follow: analogous colours (these are close together on the colour wheel), complementary colours (which fall opposite each other), or split complementary colours (a colour on one side of the wheel, with the two opposite secondary colours, as seen in the diagram).
• It’s best to choose an accent colour that stands out from your base colour, so make use of complementary or split complimentary colours for your accent wall.

More on Colour Schemes

An example of a complementary colour scheme that can be used is a dull shade of green as a base colour and a dark shade of red wine colour for the accent wall.

A split complimentary combination uses three colours. One as a base colour, one as an accent colour, and the third can be used as a trim along your walls or for decor items. Alternatively, you may use one colour for the walls and the other two colours can be used for finishings. For example, a base colour that you choose may be light, soft blue; it’s split complimentary colours are red-orange (a dark shade that can be used as an accent colour), and yellow-orange (a medium shades that can be used for finishings).

Find anything you will need to paint an accent wall on bidorbuy:

• Paint roller
• Paint brush
• Masking tape
• Plastic sheets, to cover the floor
• Old clothes

Have you painted an accent wall? Tell us your experience.

You told us in more than a hundred ways why you love bidorbuy. We loved all your I-love-bobs, but we had to select five finalists. We then asked bidorbuy fans on Facebook to vote for their favourite.

The comment that got most of your votes is this charming acrostic, composed by Esmerelda van Jaarsveld:

B – Best
O – Online Shopping
B – By Far!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Esmeralda wins the first prize: the Lover’s Bliss Couples Package at the private couple’s suite of the Renaissance Day Spa. The massage lasts three and a half hours and is valued at R2400. He gets a hot stone massage and an Indian head massage. She gets an aromatherapy massage and a sole revival. Both get a glass of sparkling wine and a fruit platter.

The runner up is this comment, posted by Amy Leibbrandt:

I <3 BidorBuy because I’m a single mom who works full time – so BidorBuy helps me to not only earn a little extra cash on the side to pay for all the little luxuries that most mom’s feel guilty paying for (sparkly shoes etc) as well as saves me time as I can do a lot of my shopping online without the hassle of having to venture to a crazy mall with my toddler in tow. Love you guys!

Amy wins the second prize, R1000 cash to spend on bidorbuy.

All in all, more than 240 people cast their vote on the bidorbuy page on Facebook for one of the five finalists in the I-love-bob competition. One of them was chosen randomly as the recipient of R300 cash to spend on bidorbuy.

The winner of R300 is Thabo Winston.

Congratulations to all the winners and a big thank-you for all who participated in the 2012 I-love-bob competition and in the voting process!

By voting, you’ll be entered into a competition and stand a chance to win R300 cash to spend on bidorbuy.

In our Valentine’s Day competition, you told us in so many ways why you love bidorbuy. Thank you all! We love you too!

It was quite a task, selecting only five I-love-bob comments. But it had to be done. Now it’s up to YOU to choose the best of the best!

The author of the comment that gets the most of your votes in our poll on Facebook wins a couple’s spa, and the runner-up gets R1000 to spend on bidorbuy.

As for you, you may win R300 to spend on bidorbuy just for voting! Simply tick your favourite comment in our Facebook Vote for I-love-bob poll.

Here are the five finalists, in random order. Read all five carefully, and then head for the bidorbuy page on Facebook to vote.

•    Esmerelda van Jaarsveld
B – Best
O – Online Shopping
B – By Far!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

•    Nicola
I am a bargain lover and BOB is perfect for picking up great bargains.
Until a few weeks ago I had never used BOB. A friend of mine told me how she got all her furniture on BOB at fantastic prices. This peaked my interest and I registered the next day. Before I knew it I had won 9 auctions including one for a hanging chair I have always wanted (at a fraction of the retail price). It now feels like Club Med at my own house
Thanks for saving me money on so many things I have always wanted.
I love you BOB!

•    Nikita Lume
Bid or buy, the greatest invention.
Shopping, shopping with no redemption.

I love the clothes, games and jewellery too.
Wondered what I was gonna do with my dog when he needed the loo.
Then I found and bought a doggie potty.
No to mention the clothes that are sure to make me a hottie.

With just one button and an EFT.
So easy to buy, with no added fee.

When I win the bid I feel so proud.
I shout with joy, oh so loud.

Buying goods at a cheap price.
So much variety, oh so nice.

I LOOOOVVVVVEEE BID OR BUY
and I’m not even shy

•    Sammy Mofokeng
This is my favourable site, love it, my wife always complains about it, she says I am married to BoB

•    Amy Leibbrandt
<3 BidorBuy because I’m a single mom who works full time – so BidorBuy helps me to not only earn a little extra cash on the side to pay for all the little luxuries that most mom’s feel guilty paying for (sparkly shoes etc) as well as saves me time as I can do a lot of my shopping online without the hassle of having to venture to a crazy mall with my toddler in tow. Love you guys!

Terms and conditions of the Vote for the best I-love-bob comment:

• To vote, you need to have a Facebook account and to Like the bidorbuy Page on Facebook.
• The voting on the bidorbuy page on Facebook is open from morning 15 February until morning 17 february 2012.
• The winner’s name will be pulled out of a hat on 17 February.
• The winner will be contacted via Facebook on Friday 17 February.
• The prize is R300 cash to spend on bidorbuy.co.za within 3 months from the date of the draw.
• The general bidorbuy competition T&C apply.
• By entering you accept our competition terms and conditions.
• Facebook is in no way involved with this competition.

The Designer Collection Sale has hit full swing in our Fashion and Jewellery sections.

If you’re looking for gorgeous accessories like Fossil watches , Pierre Cardin Handbags and Mercedes Benz sunglasses at insane prices, you’ve definitely found the right place.

Have a look at some of our favourite pieces. Is there something you like?

D&G Ladies’ Gold Watch

Nicole Miller Venus Sunglasses

Calvin Klein Shoulder Bag

Men’s Fossil Twist Watch

Tommy Hilfigher “Classic Lines” Sunnies

See more of the Designer Collection Sale