Refreshing your home doesn’t have to break the bank. With a few strategic choices and a bit of creativity, you can transform your living space while staying within your budget. Whether you’re looking to spruce up your living room, revamp your bedroom, or give your kitchen a fresh new look, this blog will provide you with 12 tips for maximizing your home refresh on a budget. From DIY projects to smart shopping strategies, we’ve got you covered. Get ready to transform your home without draining your bank account!
I first thought about doing a home refresh on a budget because I spent many years living in a very overwhelming house that was hard to relax in. First, there is zero shame if you struggle to keep your house clean and organized or if it doesn’t look Pinterest-perfect. I am lucky to have found a partner who enjoys keeping our house clean, does a lot of the work, encourages me, and has never once embarrassed me when I struggle.
Although the kids may disagree, we are doing our best to teach them how to keep things clean, so maybe they won’t struggle as much in adulthood as I have. Now that I know how truly amazing it is to have a clean home that you can relax in, I hope to help others find that same peace. I also spent many years buying things for myself and my home, thinking I would find joy in those things and putting myself into debt. My financial struggle has been a huge source of embarrassment over the years.
I wanted to create this post because I think there are many ways you can spruce up your home, make it feel more your own, or give it a new look without breaking the bank or going into debt like I often did. Hopefully, you find these tips helpful!
*This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission at no extra cost when you shop using these links.
Table of Contents
Paint an Accent Wall for Your Home Refresh
So you want to freshen up your home, but you’re on a tight budget? No problem! One easy way to give your space a new look without breaking the bank is by painting an accent wall. It’s a simple and affordable way to add a pop of color and personality to any room. This home refresh tip can be quick and easy! Depending on the size of your wall, you can get away with one gallon of paint for around $20! My fiance did this wall in our old townhouse in an afternoon and hung up some things he already had, plus a few things from Hobby Lobby.
Time to roll up your sleeves and find those bargain treasures.
Set Up Sales Alerts on Shopstyle
Shopstyle is a website or app where you can look for products from tons of your favorite stores. From fashion to home goods and more. You can get sales alerts on specific items you are interested in. Most of the carousels and links to products I share are through ShopStyle!
Shop on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace to Refresh your Home
My fiance and I have gotten some amazing deals for our home refresh through Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. We got nice cheap or free couches, desks, decorative items, and so much more. Especially on Facebook, you can set up alerts for specific items you are searching for. For example, I got this super cute desk that I now use as my makeup table for $50!
Get a Slipcover for your Sofa
If you’re not yet in the market for a new couch but want to give it a new look, you can get a slipcover to freshen it up and make it look new! Some of the affordable places I found to get them were Wayfair, Couch Skins, and Overstock.
Declutter Your Home
When you’re ready to do a home refresh getting rid of clutter in your home is always an easy win for giving your home a fresh feel. I’m the first to admit I’ve had WAY too much stuff in my home for a long time. When we moved, we were able to declutter some of it, but we have more we could do.
I love the tip I learned from Fly Lady about getting three baskets, Trash, Giveaway, and Keep. Pick one drawer or specific area and set a timer (I like to do about 15 minutes to start). Just go through that area, putting things in those specific baskets. Once the timer is up, you can empty the baskets where they need to go. Get rid of the trash, take the giveaway items to Salvation Army or Goodwill, or schedule a pickup from an organization accepting donations and put all of the items you are keeping away.
As someone with adult ADHD, I’ve often struggled with organizing and decluttering my home. Be sure to check out my 5 Tips for Being More Productive with ADD.
Hang Prints
You can find pictures you love that you have taken yourself or various prints and downloads from places like Etsy! Find inexpensive frames at Thrift Stores, garage sale sites, or places like Home Goods, Michaels, or Hobby Lobby. We got a collage of our engagement photos printed out and framed, and then the rest of the prints were from Etsy, which we then found frames for! Hanging a few pictures on the wall gives your space a more homey feel.
Get New Covers for your Throw Pillows
You can change the look of your living room with cute new covers for your throw pillows. Use these to update your style for the various seasons or change your look periodically. You can get sets of 4 throw-pillow covers for around $25 on Amazon. Make sure you are ordering the right size!
Download Apps like OfferUp
OfferUp is a buying and selling app similar to what you would get on FB Marketplace or Craigslist. Look on there for items to refresh your home at a fraction of the price. The nice thing about OfferUp is buyers and sellers have more ratings and accountability on this app. Hence, I feel like you are a little more protected than some of the negative experiences that can happen on Facebook or Craigslist.
Buy Fresh Flowers – Home Refresh
Fresh flowers are always a quick win to brighten your kitchen, living room, or bedroom! Look for deals at your local grocery store, flower shop, or farmer’s market. Keeping the water clean and fresh and giving the flowers some sunlight can last up to a few weeks. If you have a green thumb (unlike me), you can pick up some live plants and decorate your space. Better yet, buy fake plants or flowers at places like Michaels and put them in repurposed jars or other decorative pieces around your house. You can find items like this at all the places I have previously mentioned!
Change Up Your Bedding for a Home Refresh
Changing your bedding is another way to refresh your home on a budget. You typically don’t have to spend much to get a new duvet cover, and you can apply the tip I mentioned earlier about getting some new covers for your throw pillows. My duvet cover was around $35 on Amazon, and the throw pillows and blanket I got at HomeGoods. You can shop all of my home recommendations on my Amazon storefront.
Repurpose Glass Jars
My final tip for redecorating your home on a budget is repurposing glass jars. You can use jars you already have or pick them up at thrift stores, craft stores, home goods stores, and more! Glass jars can be painted, hot glued, or filled with various decorative items and/or flowers. Recently for fall decorating, I found some small plastic gourds at Michaels while all Fall decor was 40% off. The gourds came to about 34 cents a piece, and I filled some glass jars I already had.
Rakuten
Ok, I lied. I do have one final tip! Whenever shopping, I try to use Rakuten cashback as much as possible. If you shop through Rakuten, you can get a percentage of cash back at participating retailers, which can add up. Once a quarter, they will mail you a check with whatever cashback you have earned, and it is an excellent way to get some real money back on items you were already planning to purchase! When you sign up through my referral link (or anyone else’s), you get a $30 cash-back bonus after your first qualifying purchase!
There are 12 amazing tips on maximizing your home refresh on a budget! From DIY projects to thrifting, there are plenty of ways to makeover your living space without breaking the bank. If you like these kinds of tips, please sign up for my email list here! You can join my VIP Facebook group or connect with me on Instagram. I would love to know if you try any of these or if you have any other tips you’ve found useful!
