Spruce Up Your Space On A Budget
Article By | Lizzie West
Sometimes life gets busy – especially coming out of a hectic holiday season. You’ve just finished putting away the holiday décor and realize some of your spaces may not feel as exciting without your family’s favorite seasonal decorations. It’s also natural to feel a little cash-strapped after all the travel and gift exchanges that pop up last minute. Take a moment to treat yourself to a little updating to your favorite spaces without spending a fortune or all of your time. The key is picking one major statement to make while updating the area that’s making you yawn. Here are 7 ways you can turn that boring space into something bold!
1 Paint a room (or just one wall) – Whether you want something trendy or classic, this is a great way to give any room an instant facelift. A Classic Blue (the 2020 Pantone color of the year) wall could be the answer for this; or maybe a cool gray tone that goes with everything and plays the supporting role perfectly for another, bolder update you have planned down the line. If you can’t afford an entire gallon at the moment, a quart of paint may be enough to create an accent wall and provide a fresh take on that room.
2 Get a “new-to-you” statement piece of furniture or repaint one you have with a pop of color. Whether you see a friend selling their coffee table online or you are walking through an antique store and just can’t pass up that bookshelf with unique carved details – don’t be afraid to get something that isn’t brand new. You can always add paint or stain to something to make it shiny again. If buying a new piece is in the cards, read the reviews before buying online. A bargain buy doesn’t always mean it’s bad, but it isn’t always worth it in the long-run, and may take hours to put together every cam and bolt. Weigh the pros and cons of your options. Lastly, couch covers can make mom’s old loveseat look like a high-end designer piece where you’ll want to relax and binge your favorite show.
3 Rearrange what you have – Think about what you can swap from different rooms. Perhaps even a used piece of furniture isn’t in the budget right now. That’s when creativity really comes in to play. Swap bookshelves or dressers from different rooms to give something that has been blending into the background new life – it can be transformed into the belle of the ball again.
4 Add throw pillows (or recover ones you already have). 
There are many options in the clearance aisle and they don’t all have to match. You could modify another pillow case or piece of fabric to suit your re-covering needs. This can really brighten up a couch that has started to look a little sad.
5 Wall art and greenery – Printing out some of your favorite graphics or family pictures is always a terrific option. Repainting frames you already have or getting something funky from the thrift store is a fantastic way to showcase your prints. Keep an eye out wherever you go for inspiration and ideas. You can even get the multi-photo frames and print out pictures from each holiday and birthday to update them each seasonally. Adding a 
new plant to the mix can literally add life to the party. If you’re too busy feeding your family to remember to also feed a plant (no judgement, this is life) there are a lot of very convincing artificial plants that can still add something to the mix that will minimally attack your pocketbook.
6 Update your floors. You can pull up carpet and easily choose a stained concrete look, or if you’re on a tighter budget, check out sales for a cool and funky area rug to add some spice to your updated motif. Thrift and discount stores are great for this, also. If you aren’t afraid to go on a short road trip, search online for an outlet that sells area rugs and call your closest buddy with a truck or SUV to go with you. (Treat them to lunch as a thank you for their time and fuel)
7 Light is your friend.
Even getting a new set of lamp shades you love, or a different tone of light bulb can make a huge difference in the feel of any area. If it’s in the budget a new lamp, some LED candles, or a completely new light fixture may be the way you want to go. Light can be a game changer in altering how you feel about a space – so don’t underestimate what adding a floor lamp can do to make your space feel literally and figuratively – a little brighter.
BONUS Budget tips:
Honestly – check with family – see if anyone has furniture that is in good shape that they would trade with you, are eager to part with, or if you have parents, grandparents, or siblings that are downsizing and need to rid themselves of “stuff”. Re-purposing is the key here and can really be your bank account’s best friend.
Social Media Marketplaces – These are flooded with new and used items that you can always add a new coat of paint to, or re-cover a seat cushion with fabric scraps and a staple gun. An extra tip here is to meet in public places and definitely don’t go alone for an added measure of safety.
Thrift Stores – You may not even know what you want until you see it. You may see that 1973 prom dress for $3 as a killer set of throw pillows with a funky pattern to liven up your living room. Go for it – get creative!
Check the “returned paint” section of your local home improvement store – they can be a treasure trove of options for very little coin.
Don’t be afraid to try something new – even if you aren’t so sure about it, live with it for a few months and see if it grows on you.
Hopefully these tips will inspire you to make even just one new decorative statement to help your family get excited about hanging out together in your updated space. You could make it a family project to speed up the process (wink, wink). Then, when the kids have their friends over, they’ll brag about the coffee table they painted or the throw pillow they sewed! With these money saving tips, you could change up the atmosphere more than once a year! Have fun sprucing up your space!