After bills, entertainment, loans, and other expenses, it often seems as if there are insufficient funds for home decorating. Nevertheless, most everyone wants to live in a fashionable and functional apartment or house. Want to learn how to decorate on a budget or no budget at all? Then stick with me as I share some cheap decorating ideas, DIY décor hacks, and more.
Play with your home’s lighting.
Many people view their home’s lighting as purely functional, but lights can transform the entire vibe and look of a room.
Natural light makes a room look larger than it is. However, if your room doesn’t have windows or if the windows are too small, you can position light fixtures differently to give a larger and more open look.
When you place light fittings higher up on walls or add hanging lights, your eyes trick you into seeing the room as bigger. Recessed lighting has the same effect. If you’re renting an apartment or house and don’t have the option of adjusting the light fixtures, you could always buy a light dimmer.
A well-lit room will not only appear larger but will also improve your mood, some scientists suggest.
Learn to propagate plants.
One way to decorate on a budget is to incorporate live plants into your design. Yes, I know that houseplants aren’t free but propagating them is!
If you have a friend who is about that plant life, ask them to start you a baby plant. Plants come in so many shapes, colors, and designs, and propagation is usually really simple.
You can start many succulents simply from the leaf. Pop a healthy leaf off of a friend’s plant and let the cut end callus over for about four days. Choose a container, and add a layer of well-draining soil. Place the leaf on the soil, and place the container somewhere where it will receive bright, indirect light.
Spritz the soil with water once daily, and in a few weeks, you will start to see roots and a succulent baby growing out the cut end. Pop that sucker into the dirt, and watch your baby succulent take off.
You can propagate many varieties of plants through leaf cuttings or root cuttings. Some plants also produce offsets or pups. These are baby plants identical to the mother plant that can be safely and easily detached from the main plant and will continue to grow on its own.
Take advantage of Mother Nature’s beauty.
Sure you could take a ride to your local craft store and buy some decorative pieces for your home, but you could also step into your backyard and make them yourself.
Many ornamental pieces are made from things that are probably in your backyard right now: twigs, sticks, moss, flowers, leaves, pinecones, and the like. Sure you could purchase them premade, but if you’re trying to decorate on a budget, going the natural way will help you save.
Pinterest has tons of ideas for cool things you can do. Wreaths, lamp shades, candle holders, wall art – all made using things you can find in your yard or the park.
Upcycle!
Upcycling is kind of like recycling. You just use your old stuff that you’d otherwise get rid of and turn it into something fabulous. Once again, Pinterest is your go-to for these kinds of things. Old ladders turned chic, wine bottles serving as front yard décor, and even old books can all be put to good use with a little help from the DIY experts at Pinterest.
Seriously guys. Anything you have that you’re about to throw it, Pinterest can probably help you upcycle. A nightstand, tire, shower curtain — anything you have that you’re not particularly fond of. Shoot, they even have ways to upcycle toilet paper rolls.
Check out yard sales, thrift stores, and the “free” section of Craigslist.
I used to be sketched out by thrift stores. They smelled funny and felt dusty, I thought. Well, even though I still think they smell funny and feel dusty, I can’t get enough of thrift stores. They say one person’s trash is another person’s treasure, and I’m pretty sure we can all agree.
Same situation when it comes to yard sales. It’s nice to be able to get great deals on stuff that you need while simultaneously getting to know members of your community.
The “free” section of Craigslist is also a great asset. The only downfalls are that you have to continually check the site so that someone doesn’t snag an item before you do and you have to go and pick it up, but hey, it’s free!
If you are trying to decorate on a budget or have no budget at all, don’t despair. Getting your home to look the way you want can be simple and cheap. You are probably sitting on a goldmine of gorgeous décor to-be and don’t even know it. So don’t wait. Armed with some of these tips, let your creative juices flow, and have your home looking like one out of the magazines in no time.
Author’s Bio
Darlene Mase lives in Newnan, Georgia with her husband and daughter. She is a stay-at-home mom and works as a freelance writer for Zumper.com and other popular sites. During her free time, Darlene enjoys traveling, hiking, camping, cycling, gardening, caving, kayaking, or anything else outdoors.
