This is a subject very near to my heart for multiple reasons:
- I love to decorate!
- I love to shop!
Combine those two, and I’m sure you can imagine that it’s hard to steer clear of my favorite home decor and diy stores (or even my local thrift shops, since I find many of my favorite pieces there!)
But thankfully I’m also pretty good at sticking to a budget, so I love to find creative ways to revamp and refresh my home decor often without spending a dime!
These are 7 tips that I use all the time to change up my spaces when the budget doesn’t allow for buying anything new!
1. Borrow something from a different room
Sometimes all it takes is switching out a lamp, rug, throw pillow, or some wall art from a different room to breathe new life into a space.
If you take a moment to really look around, you may be surprised by what you already have!
I think the best way to do this is just to move something around from room to room, until you find that perfect spot for it!
Actually seeing something in a space is so much more helpful than just trying to imagine what it would look like there!
I’ve found that whenever I get bored of a certain piece, all I have to do is move it to a different room and it feels fresh and new all over again!
2. Rearrange furniture
This has always been one of my favorite ways to update a space!
I know I learned it from my mom because I remember helping her rearrange the rooms in our house all the time when I was a kid haha!
But it worked back then, and it definitely still works now! A new layout can completely change the feel of a room.
If all of your furniture is pushed up against walls, try moving things away from them!
If you have a large space, try arranging the furniture to define multiple separate spaces.
I think this is another one of those times where rather than just trying to imagine what your room would look like rearranged, it can be best to actually just move things around a few times, until it feels right to you.
3. Use free printables
There are SO many beautiful free printables out there that you can use to decorate your home.
If you can imagine it, you can probably find it to print for free.
With a price like that you can even easily switch out your printables for every holiday, season, or as often as your heart desires!
If you’re feeling creative you can even try making your own for free using a site like Canva or Picmonkey! They are both very user-friendly and you can find tons of guides for both of them online!
4. Pick flowers from your yard
Or leaves, branches, pinecones, even wildflowers!
If you look around, I bet you can create some beautiful arrangements using what’s in your backyard!
And if you want to skip the usual vase and do something different, I’ve seen many people use leaves as a garland, display painted pinecones in a bowl, or frame dried flowers as wall decor.
The possibilities are endless!
Plants are an incredible way to bring a space to life, and so important when it comes to decorating!
Look at any professional interior decorator’s work, and you will always see plants of some type.
If it feels like something is missing from your home decor, it’s probably greenery!
5. Use everyday items as decor
What do you keep tucked away in drawers or cupboards that would look beautiful displayed somewhere?
This may take a bit of imagination, and looking at things in a new light, but hear me out!
Vintage kitchen utensils can be hung on the walls or arranged in a display on a tiered tray or shelf. Now they’re both functional and decorative!
Jewelry is another great item to do this with, especially if you have pieces that are sentimental!
Just imagine the little burst of happiness you’ll get every time you walk by and see them! That couldn’t happen if they were tucked away in a drawer or jewelry box somewhere.
Other items that would also work well for this include books, dishware, wooden cutting boards, baskets, collections, and vintage items.
Grouping items together by color or type is also a great way to create a cohesive look!
6. Remove something
It may seem odd to decorate by taking something away, but sometimes less is truly more when it comes to decorating.
If you have something that’s been hanging on the wall or sitting on your mantle forever, try removing it to make that space feel fresh again!
You can replace it with something or else, or you may just find that you actually like the area better with a little more empty space!
Try the item you removed in some other rooms to see if you can find a new home for it, or put it up and out of sight for awhile until it feels new to you again.
If you feel like it’s just something that doesn’t fit your space or style anymore, then the next idea will be perfect!
7. Exchange
After you’ve removed some things you no longer want to use in a space, why not try exchanging decor with some friends or family?
Chances are that you can find someone who has something new (to you) that you’d love, and they may even love the pieces that you’ve grown tired of as well. And all without paying a cent!
You can do this in person, or even arrange a FB group or video chat exchange!
Once everyone has picked their item, the item can either be dropped off at their home, or shipped to them!
Hopefully these tips have sparked some ideas about how to decorate your house for free, and shown how easy it can be to refresh your home decor without spending anything!
The next time you are planning to buy something new, try taking a look around your home first to see what you already own! Don’t be afraid to get creative with it, and you’re sure to add character and interest to your decor that you just can’t get with something brand new!
Have you tried any of these tips yourself? Let me know in the comments how they worked for you, or what other tricks you’ve used to decorate your home for free!
