Decorate Your Apartment for Less

Decorating on a budget can be difficult for anyone.  However, there are many ways to not break the bank and still have a beautiful apartment.  The following are some tips and tricks to successfully make your apartment into your home.

Bargain shop or free?

Obviously getting it for free is better than having to pay for it, so it is highly recommended that you spend time thinking of what you really need for your place and employ some easy do-it-yourself techniques to update the look of what some generous soul is willing to discard. Craigslist is a great resource for inexpensive furniture in their sales section or for free in their free section. Freecycle.com is another option for your area, items go fast and you must respond quickly. The Penney's outlet has several brick and mortar stores in addition to their website, but if you have a brick and mortar store near you, you will find that many of those same items are priced for a quick sale at over 80% off. A six foot bookshelf could be had for under $15.00.  "Dumpster Diving" is not as gross as it sounds, most people take their old furnishing out the night before trash day and anything that appeals to you before it gets picked up is yours to keep.

Shop off season

Do shop for tablecloths after the seasons are over and purchase the longest tablecloths they have, the amount of material in these tablecloths is a bargain waiting to be repurposed into pillow cases, curtains, duvet covers, potholders, etc. A little imagination and less than $5.00 can dress up your windows and throw pillows in a couple of hours.

Multitask

Small spaces require that furniture doubles both in comfort and function. Think in terms of getting a coffee table that also serves as storage with built-in bins. A couch can serve as a bed for an overnight guest if it is a convertible, a futon or modular piece. When you purchase a tall buffet server with drawers and doors, you are able to combine storage space for office supplies, books, photo albums and other miscellaneous while using the top portion as a chic and solidly built TV stand. Pieces that do double- or triple-duty are a budget stretcher that is often overlooked.

Home Improvement Warehouses

Places like Lowe's discontinue furniture pieces, such as bookshelves, credenzas, unusual lighting and area rugs constantly. Keep your eyes open and check their clearance sections, purchasing a $100 rug for $25 is more common than most people realize.  Home Depot owns HomeDecoratorsoutlet.com and their pieces range from classic to modern in a variety of colors that won't break the budget. Their brick and mortar stores offer clearance items at the end of the season as well as Homedepot.com, for example, an electric fireplace will add warmth and style to any room at a fraction of the original price. 

Big and small and almost free

The biggest item in any room is the walls that encase it. Picking up a gallon of paint is an inexpensive way to lay the foundation of what is yet to come. Mis-tinted gallons can be obtained at home improvement warehouses for less than five dollars and can be re-tinted for free if you are flexible enough not to demand an exact shade. Small touches are pictures that have meaning to you and picture frames that can be purchased at the dollar store or garage sales. Cut flowers and inexpensive vases add freshness. A grouping of small houseplants in colorful containers will make a windowsill a bright spot in your home. Place candles on colorful plates found at yard sales or thrift store and surround them with fragrant herbs, small rocks, decorative fruits or sea shells.

Thinking outside the box

The ability to stitch in a straight line to hem a tablecloth can yield inexpensive and unique window coverings. If a sewing machine is too complex, curtain clips and hooks work quite well and they come in a variety of finishes and styles at a low price. Stores such as Wal-Mart and Target often discount these items throughout the year.

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