Once the nostalgia of the New Year wears off, I always have the problem of restlessness. I am constantly cleaning, rearranging, and redecorating my room. However, sometimes the redecorating part can end up breaking my bank. So, I have solved this with 13 easy decorating hacks, most of which are even printable, and I can guarantee most of the time you won’t even know they were homemade or came at a low cost.
1. Hang your own instagram pictures. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? Besides, I am sure your instagram really is a work of art. Bonus tip: you don’t even have to frame them like below; you can simple string wire across the wall and use clothespins to clip them up.
2. Use your old costume necklaces to reposition your window curtains. Simply wrap them around the bunched-up curtain and then tack it to the wall.
3. Since we are all oh-so-crafty, use that ribbon I know you have hanging around and tie bows to hang your shower curtain instead of using the normal hooks.
4. Admittedly this one is my favorite. These printable letters are so simple to assemble and you can spell literally anything. You can do your name, your monogram, your favorite city; the list literally goes on and on. Download the templates here.
5. Have a boring lampshade? Poke holes in it with a thick needle like this one!
6. This one is absolutely free, and is sure to catch everyone’s attention with its originality. Go to your neighborhood hardware store and grab some paint swatches. (Actually… grab a lot of them. If anyone asks, you are just really indecisive and want to see all of your options.) Put them on your wall, as seen below, and voilà!
7. I will be the first one to admit that I love wine. Between the popping of the new cork to finishing the last drop, I love it all. What if I wasn’t just fueling my love, but was decorating too? Hmm…. Well, save your wine corks and you have yourself some decor. Glue them together to make letters, like the one below.
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8. Love vintage? Then you are going to love Free Vintage Posters!
9. Stack books to make a coffee table or a nightstand. Mix in some magazines for a little variety!
10. Frame Scrapbook paper. Go to a thift shop, dollar store, or Michaels when they are “BOGO,” and grab 5-7 12×12 black or white frames and simply frame the square papers in an assortment of patterns.
11. So this one might cost you a few bucks, but if you are not allowed to paint your walls, this is a great alternative. Purchase a tapestry like the one below and hang it up on your wall. Chances are, if you are in a dorm or an apartment, this will take up almost a whole wall. Bonus tip: they are often sold at our very own Market Wednesday in the Union!
12. Now, if you are allowed to paint the walls in your apartment, I am sure most of us are required to paint them back by the time move-out comes around. So instead, just paint one wall. Pick a statement color and go for it. This way, it adds a pop to your room, but it makes less work in the long run.
13. I am a complete advocate for this last one, simply because magazines are my thing. In the slight chance you hoard your magazines like I do, cut off the covers and frame them in black 8.5×11 frames. The covers could range from Vogue to Sports Illustrated to TIME, depending on your interests.