‘Tis the season of moving in! If you’re like me and didn’t realize just how much wall space there is to fill after unpacking, fret not. There are still ways to personalize and decorate your home without breaking the bank. You can do these fun, easy, and cheap crafts as a way to bond with your roomies and make your space feel like home.
- Garlands
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Garlands are a great way to liven up a wall with fun textures, colors, and patterns. They’re versatile and easy to make, and you can layer them for a cute maximalist look. For smaller garlands, use fishing wire as the base, and for larger garlands, use twine or string.
Origami Garlands
To begin, cut the fishing wire to the desired length. If you’re not eyeballing the length like I did, I’d recommend starting with 48 inches so you can always cut more off if you decide that it’s too long.
Next, you can use origami paper, or if you’re on a strict budget, cut printer paper or construction paper into 6×6-inch squares. Then fold them into your desired creature or shape. Swans, hearts, stars, if you can name it, there’s an online tutorial on how to fold it. Create enough paper creatures to evenly stretch across the string.
If you find you’re struggling with this step, you can use beads to fill the space between each folded paper. This way, you can save time and energy (and your sanity… origami is undoubtedly challenging).
Poke holes into the origami and string the fishing wire through. You can do this any way you please, depending on how you want the garland to hang.
Orange Garlands
For this garland, you’ll need to use a thicker base. I suggest using twine, since it has more of a vintage charm and holds up better over time, but you can use yarn if you want. Cut orange slices one-eighth-inch thick and press the slices onto a paper towel to dry up any excess juice. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and spread the slices evenly across a baking sheet. Bake for three hours and flip each slice after an hour and a half.
After the slices cool, you can poke holes in them to thread the twine through. You can also add pinecones or wooden beads to add some more earthy vibes. If you’ve properly dried out the orange slices, you won’t have to worry about molding or rotting over time.
Fabric Garlands
If you’re looking for a garland that takes significantly less time and effort than the first two, you’re in luck! This garland is simple, straightforward, and doesn’t cost you your marbles. Look for old dishrags, towels, jeans, and T-shirts you’re okay with cutting up. If you don’t have any, you can go to any fabric or craft store and get free swatches.
Cut your fabric into one-inch-wide strips of varying lengths, making sure you have enough length to double-knot the piece twice, with some left over. Use twine and tie the pieces of fabric onto the twine. As simple as that, you’ll have a frilly, multi-textured garland made from those outlandish Goodwill T-shirts you thought you’d never figure out how to style.
- Construction Paper Portraits
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Unleash your inner kindergartener by making these fun abstract construction paper portraits. You can make one of yourself, or you can gather a group of friends and make them of each other. If you do it with a group of friends, make a night out of it! Have everyone write their name down on a slip of paper and draw names out of a hat. Line up the finished portraits and have everyone guess which portrait is supposed to be them.
This is an easy and fun way to fill up wall space. All you need is construction paper, glue, and scissors, and you can frame your beautiful creations once you’re done.
- Paper Chains
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Paper chains are a great way to make your living space feel like a party. They can act as a whimsical, homemade chandelier that can make any room feel cozy and fun. These are very simple to make; simply cut 4-inch-wide strips of construction paper and tape or staple loops together to create a long chain. You can hang these from anywhere — the ceiling, cabinets, or doorways. Just keep them away from fire sprinklers; they might break a fire code or two.
- Glass Jar Organizers
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Don’t let perfectly good sauce jars go to waste in the trash. Once you’re done with them, rinse them out and use them as storage containers or organizers. You can customize these jars by painting them, tying ribbons around them, or simply using them as is. They’re great for holding pencils, toiletries, or even storing food. It’s a simple way to cut down on waste and upcycle these jars into something new.
- Photo Wall
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Savor the memories you make with your friends and roommates by creating a photo wall. You can pick up frames from Goodwill and the dollar store. I’ve found nice frames for as low as fifty cents to make a collage of my favorite snapshots. It’s a simple yet meaningful way to decorate, giving you a chance to look back and reflect on all the fun nights you’ve enjoyed throughout the semester.
These are just a few ways to make your space your own. Save the money and skip the trip to HomeGoods. Use your lack of decor as an opportunity to let your creativity run wild!