With the school year in full swing and a new apartment to finally get settled in, an interior design fiend has two things on her mind — “I can’t wait to decorate my new place” and “I need to keep this budget-friendly.” So, here’s a guide to transforming a space — on a budget.
Make things!
2025 has been my creative reawakening and my room decor was my first victim – I mean project. I started making collages, doodles and getting crafty. My roommate started bringing back paintings from events and our room quickly became personalized and cozy. Instead of buying art, get inspired either on Pinterest (or whatever creatively inspires you) and make something personal. It’s fun, it’s cheap and it adds a whole new dimension to your space.
Lights, lights, lights
Lighting transforms a space. One of my close friends graduated (yay Kyla!) and was looking to get rid of an aura light — it was revolutionary. When I turn on my light every night, I feel all cozied up and ready to get some quality sleep.
Hang up your accessoriesÂ
Two truths can exist at once. I take pride in my little purse and jewelry collections, but if I don’t see it, I forget about it. So, while I was staring at my blank walls, a stroke of genius hit me. What if I hung up all my purses and necklaces? Not only do I get more use out of my things, I also get to enjoy my accessories every day, not just when I remember they exist.
Collect things
Throwback time! Imagine this: it’s welcome week, freshman year of college. I’m hitting up all the tables and events collecting stickers, bookmarks and little trinkets. Halfway through the semester, I got tired of my decor — change is a huge part of college, embrace it — so I started going through my folder of random things I collected.Â
The pride I had for my little collector brain in that moment was indescribable. Mizzou library has some adorable bookmarks that immediately went up on my wall. Stickers filled my laptop — it was amazing.Â
Keep your eyes out, I’ve found some of the things lining my walls in the trash. My favorite artwork was fished out of the trash room during my first semester of college. My best friend lived on a different floor and her RA was redoing the board outside her room. A “SpongeBob” cutout quickly made its way above my mirror. You never know what treasures you’ll uncover.
Write on the mirrorÂ
On my artistic spree, I was looking for creative, renter-friendly ways to spice things up. I had some dry-erase markers lying around and my mirror started calling out my name. I doodled some little flowers, stars and positive affirmations onto my mirror — groundbreaking. Anything can be a canvas if you get creative with it!
Keep it minimalÂ
You’d be surprised how quickly things fill up in a small space. I moved in with four blue bags, a fridge, a microwave and two clear plastic bins. Somehow, that filled up my dorm very quickly. A few good pieces can be enough to make a space feel like yours.
Put up ANYTHING that makes you happyÂ
Her Campus at Mizzou printed a magazine last fall (YAY) and it’s become a staple on my coffee table. It makes me happy looking at it every day and it inspires me to clean everything. It might not perfectly match my decor, but who cares? Anything that sparks joy deserves a place in your home
Final thoughtsÂ
Interior design doesn’t need to break the bank. Think outside the box and make a space that truly makes you feel comfortable and inspired. You got this!