6 budget-friendly ways to give your space a refresh.
I don’t know about you, but I get bored with the same old living room set-up and tend to switch up the pictures on my walls and knick-knacks more than one should. Since I’ve been working remotely for almost two years, I feel like the urgency for a sense of change is more often, and even if I make the smallest one, it’s enough.
Call me crazy, but it inspires me and somehow tricks me into thinking I’ve purchased something new. Even if you do get a new piece for your living room or home office, it doesn’t need to break the bank.
I’ve taken a deep dive into all the tips and tricks of switching up your decor without even going to the store and remaining budget-friendly.
Move some furniture around
One of my favorite rainy afternoon activities to do is move a space’s furniture around. It’s like playing that once-wildly popular computer game, The Sims, and creating something new. To me, there’s a sense of calm and almost therapeutic benefits to rearranging a room, and as I mentioned before, it tricks the brain into thinking there’s something “new” about the space. Before you go to the nearest Home Goods or Pottery Barn, try moving pieces around; you’ll be shocked at what it can do for you mentally and for the layout and feel of your room!
Start small
Okay, so if you do some updating to refresh your space, start small before you try to make a significant change. We’ve all heard of the saying, “it’s the small things,” and it really does make a difference in certain aspects of our lives. Trying new curtains with a fun pattern or maybe a couple throw pillows that complement certain moments in the room; getting curtains or a throw pillow or two can still be budget-friendly and can spruce up a room in no time.
Also, investing in a large patterned rug is always a good idea, and discount stores like TJ Maxx, Ross, and Home Goods have great options.
All the greenery
This is my favorite one! If you’ve ever had a snake plant or a couple of succulents, you’ll know what I’m saying. I never owned plants when I was younger because I thought I’d kill them in two days. As a woman in her early-30s, I can safely say that hasn’t changed, but I just know which plants I can keep alive and has a life span. There are no “green thumbs” in my house, but when I stick to cactuses and snake plants, I can set one in a patterned pot and give my office or living room a face-lift.
Having greenery around completely shifts the mood in the room, and I’ve even heard having plants case be a mood-booster and give you a healthy responsibility to keep it alive and water it when it’s thirsty. I know some plants and pots can be expensive, but you’ll find that not every place is like that if you shop around. Try fake plants if you have pets that eat or destroy your greenery (hello, Mr. Kitty Cat!). It gives off the same vibe and still brightens up a room. As a bonus, it’ll never die on you.
Add a statement wall
In the thick of the pandemic, I was getting tired of looking at stark white walls but didn’t want to buy any more wall decor and didn’t want to make any more holes in my walls; that’s when I decided to shop around for peel ‘n’ stick wallpaper.
Gone are the days of messy wallpaper your mother put up in the 90s, and welcome the beautiful patterns you can find at Wayfair, Amazon, and even Home Depot. You won’t have to commit to decades of seeing the same pattern; after getting the hang of it, it’s relatively easy to do yourself, and it looks great! Even though you’ll have to do some heavy measuring and some light calculating, going the peel and stick way is the right way.
Prices do range depending on what pattern and where you get the wallpaper, but for the most part, planning a statement wall is a fun project that is budget-friendly.
Print some pictures
I know I just mentioned I don’t like to put holes in my walls if I don’t have to, but it can be avoidable if you switch out pieces or become savvy in how you hang your pictures. I found this article from Food52 that explains how you can avoid nails (because, hello renters) and use other products to safely hang up pictures of your dog or maybe of you and your partner.
My point is, we’re all in that constant technological world of wanting to capture the moment, and we all have thousands of pictures on our camera roll. Sometimes we forget about them and leave them to virtually die in our phone, so why not go through them instead? Maybe even take a walk on the wild side and print some off...Woah.
Recently, for my partner’s birthday, I decided to do just that. I used Shutterfly to create a collage because I loved several photos and decided to make a thing of it. I printed out a collage of just us for a very affordable cost and then one with our combined families. It was a small change, but now every time I pass the photos, I’m reminded of the unforgettable memories we made in those photos, which is a positive for me.
Set the mood with lighting
Okay, let’s start with candles. One of my favorite things in the entire world are candles and excellent lighting. I have them year-round and love my house to smell inviting and cozy. I also have pets, which tend to smell, so that’s another reason. Adding battery-operated flickering tea lights to a vase or candleholder is always a nice touch, too, and super affordable in your nearest Target or even Amazon. Placing those around a space creates an intimate and inviting feeling, and who doesn’t love that?
Lighting fixtures can be expensive, and I’m fully aware of that, but sometimes you can find deals if you look hard enough. Thrift stores are a great place to start looking or even IKEA. A lovely corner lamp or dining room fixture can transform the entire room and is even a conversation starter. I was also gifted a chic chandelier from my future mother-in-law that I adore and will never get rid of. There’s just something about a trendy light that makes me happy, and as I mentioned, it doesn’t have to break the bank.
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So there you have it! I’ve done each and every one of these tricks to revamp or refresh the spaces around my home, and let me tell you, they work every time. Your home should be a place you want to be at and be proud of, but don’t let anyone tell you, you need some expensive product to do so.
