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Decorating your apartment can be a fun and exciting experience. You get to take your space and mold it into a direct reflection of yourself and your personality. By using different colors, textures, and techniques, you can use your creativity and imagination to transform your living quarters into a relaxing getaway. Your apartment can be the type of space that you can’t wait to come home to!
Unfortunately, redecorating can be extremely expensive. New furniture and decor items can cost a fortune, and things like paint or carpeting can leave you with little left in your wallet. Fortunately, there are many ways that you can create the apartment rentals of your dreams without overspending. With a bit of planning and some elbow grease, you can save your money and your outdated apartment simultaneously.
Here are nine budget-friendly décor ideas that you can implement in your apartment unit:
1. Make it yourself
There are so many decorating tricks that can help you make anything yourself. Even if you have no construction or crafting knowledge, you can create innovative furniture pieces or exotic decor items with very few supplies and even less money. Check out sites like Pinterest and Hometalk for do-it-yourself ideas and start creating the apartment of your dreams from scratch.
2. Check out thrift stores
No place can make you feel more like a treasure hunter than a thrift store. Hidden around every corner are unique and attractive design pieces, all of which are one-of-a-kind. With a good eye and some creativity, you can find everything you need inside a thrift store, paying only a fraction of the price than if it were brand new.
3. Visit yard sales and online marketplaces
Yard sales and online marketplaces like Kijiji, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace are excellent places to search for items to furnish and decorate your apartment. You can find everything that you are looking for and more at a bargain. Just remember, if you plan on going yard sale-hopping, set your alarm and get up early to hit the streets before the best deals are gone.
4. Use scratch-and-dent
Many stores have a scratch-and-dent room where you can search through floor models or slightly damaged items sold at reduced prices. Most of the items for sale look brand new or can easily be touched up. This is a great way to get brand new items at a significantly lower price than they would normally retail for.
5. Repurpose what you have
Finding ways to repurpose what you already have can go a long way in saving you money, helping you stick to your budget. Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh coat of paint, a new picture frame, or a slipcover to transform your old stuff and make it look new again.
Try looking at the furniture and decor items that you already have through new eyes. Can you see the potential in them? Sometimes, just a tiny change, like a new color of stain on a coffee table, can make for a significant transformation.
6. Don’t be picky with paint
A fresh coat of paint can do wonders for sprucing up worn-out walls. Unfortunately, paint can be very costly. If you aren’t too picky with the colors you want, head down to your local paint shop or hardware store and look through their premixed paints. These were mixed by accident or were returned by customers. If you can find a shade that you like, you can save yourself a lot of cash.
7. Always be on the lookout for deals
Sales are happening all the time. If you keep your eyes peeled for them, you can find the home decor items you want for a price that you’ll love. Scour the internet for coupon codes or look for in-store savings. Black Friday and Boxing Day are great times to stock up on new things for your apartment without having to spend full price.
8. Rearrange your space
If you are really low on cash and don’t have the budget to make any major changes to your apartment, why not try rearranging what you have? Sometimes, all it takes is a new set-up to alter your space completely. Changing how your furniture is arranged can alter the entire flow of your room and finding new places for your decor items can change the whole vibe.
9. Spread the word
If there is something specific that you are looking for to redecorate your apartment, don’t be afraid to ask! Talk to friends and family to find out if they have what you need. Chances are, someone will be willing to sell or even give away their old items, especially if they know it’s going to a new home where it will be well-loved by someone else!
Decorating your apartment is a great way to spruce it up, make it more modern, and ultimately change its vibe. While this can be an expensive endeavor, it doesn’t have to be. With a bit of ingenuity, creativity, elbow grease, and a keen eye, you can transform your outdated apartment. It will turn into a completely new and exciting place, all while staying on budget.