8 Quick, Budget Friendly Ideas to Update Your Space

Just like your wardrobe, your home needs a refresh every now and then. However, furniture and home decor are often way more expensive than clothes—meaning it can take a lot of cash to run out and completely redecorate! Luckily, there are quite a few wallet-friendly ways to spice up your space and scratch that redecorating itch when it strikes. Here are a few of our suggestions, from crafty DIYs to thrifty updates.

1. Paint something.

A fresh coat of paint is an excellent way to give your place a facelift, and depending on the scope of the project, can be completed in an afternoon or a weekend. Try spray painting a knick-knack gold to up the glam factor, or if you’re feeling ambitious, paint a whole accent wall or room!

2. Swap out your hardware.

Sick of boring rusty cabinet knobs and switch plates? Switching them out is super easy, and decorative handles and hardware are available at a variety of price points. We love options from Anthropologie, Cost Plus World Market, and Schoolhouse Electric.

3. Refresh your gallery wall.

Sites like Minted and Society6 offer plenty of affordable art pieces to add new life to a gallery wall. You could also go the DIY route and display pages from favorite magazines or an arrangement of personal photographs. It’s as simple as hanging them on the wall with washi tape or displaying on a clipboard. Prefer the framed look? IKEA’s Ribba frames are great for gallery walls thanks to their versatility and low price point. Have a favorite hat or necklace? Toss those on your wall too! The possibilities are nearly limitless.

4. Add fresh flowers or plants.

Make a habit of purchasing fresh flowers during your weekly grocery runs. A bouquet from Trader Joe’s will cost you as little as $4 and can instantly brighten a space. Succulents and air plants are budget options, too—not only are they super trendy, they’re pretty easy to care for as well.

5. Bring in new accents.

If you’re more of a shopper than a gardener, there are plenty of places to score new, budget-friendly accent pieces. Think big-box stores and chains like Home Goods, Target, and Urban Outfitters, as well as local boutiques and resale stores (we love The Brown Elephant in Chicago, for example). We’re fans of this piece and this one—both under $25!

6. Shop your own home and rearrange.

Just because something lives in your bedroom now doesn’t mean it has to stay there. Bar carts can turn into side tables and desks can serve as nightstands. Think outside the furniture boxes, too! For example, try moving a piece of art that’s always been in your living area to somewhere more unexpected, like the kitchen or the bathroom.

7. Layer a new rug.

Rugs can be a surprisingly affordable way to add a pop of color to a room—even a large area rug! They’re also useful to define areas in smaller spaces or open floor plans, like studio apartments.

8. Restyle your shelves.

Similar to shopping your own space for big pieces to rearrange, try switching up your “shelfie” by changing which items are on display. Small decorative objects, pretty books, and candles can all be rearranged for a completely new look. Move a favorite candle to your nightstand or try arranging your books by color.

Tell us, what are budget-friendly ways have you updated your space?

This post was originally published on August 4, 2016.