Just moved to a new apartment, using the same tube of toothpaste for two months and tightly budgeting your income. Some of the tell-tale signs of a young adult; adulting. As much as this phase helps us to become responsible adults, it doesn’t necessarily mean we have to absolutely hate this phase of time.
No matter how small the apartment is or how much you cannot wait to shift to a new studio apartment, all you need is a little tweak to call it ‘home.’
But wait!
Have zero skills in home decor? Would you rather dump all your laundry inside a moving carton box than buy a laundry basket?
We hear you, and we feel you!
But did you know staying in an untidy and cluttered environment is only making you depressed? The more you see the apartments close to perfection, there will be a negative nudge in your head shouting, ‘You are not doing enough.’
When you are already hustling at every juncture of life, you wouldn’t want to come home and see your apartment only to dislike it. This is why we have brought the perfect handy dandy handbook, which qualifies as the best home decor for dummies.
Your apartment will look nice, and you do not have to pour half of your rent money to get that.
Home Decor Mistakes You Are Making
Before we get into what you should do, it is important to understand what you shouldn’t. These are some of the common home decor mistakes which someone who doesn’t know enough will definitely do.
1. Doing It All At Once
Impatience and the worst nightmare of someone with ADHD. Yes, we all dream of entering a house where every room is immaculately decorated. However, it is a step-by-step process, and you cannot focus on every room at once.
With procrastination being such an epidemic, everyone’s attention span falters. You cannot take every room to paint because the constant thought of bedroom pewter will mess up your motivation to paint the living room.
Pick one room at a time; literally compartmentalize. Perfectly decorate that before you move to the next.
2. Hoarding
When you go home decor shopping, your mind will be everywhere. While looking at the couch section, you will be distracted by the dining tables. However, you cannot bring them all home. Once in a while, you will like two things that do not complement each other, so you have to pick.
This is why you should pick a theme or aesthetic for each room and exclusively shop for that. Good for your loitering mind and your pocket. Afterall, making your apartment look like a hoarded mess is helping no one.
3. Having Cluttered Spaces
No point in keeping your open area tidy when you will go back to that hidden cupboard under the bed and dump all the clutters. Soon you will find yourself with too much clutter everywhere. Starting from the cupboard to your closet and every empty space you can get.
Cluttered spaces are the catalyst to an eventual untidy room. Before you look into beautifying your house, first declutter everything. We are not saying you have to jump to the minimalist living motto, but do throw away or give items that are not used anymore for recycling.
You can even sell these items and make some dollars for your new tightly budgeted home renovation.
4. Too Much Matching Decor
Yes, we get it; you like uniformity! But does every throw cushion have to be the same shade of powder blue as your backdrop? Since matching colors are such an easier route toward home decor, with time, it gets boring. Rather than doing this, why don’t you play a little with the color wheel?
Find opposing colors which will be perfectly complimentary to your accent walls. For example, having green home decor with a baby pink accent wall.
Matching every other home decor is a matter of yesterday, and if you are still unable to let go of the trend, try different monochromes (different shades of the same color). With this, you will have uniformity with variety.
5. Ignoring Functionality
If you are on a tight budget and decorating, you cannot bring items just for the purpose of decorating. You have to be mindful when buying something.
For example, thrifting a couch just because it came cheap, is it not? Because you anyway have to compensate your saved money for a cleaning and pest control service. Even after that, there is a possibility of the couch losing its shelf value, and ultimately you have to throw it away.
So, what was the point of paying attention to your budget when you ended up spending more? This is why ensuring functionality when buying anything for home decor will save you more than in general.
Home Decor In Budget
Now, coming to the most anticipated part of the article! Home decor ideas for someone who is trying to make their apartment aesthetically pleasing without having to rob a bank!
1. Find The Best Places To Buy
You cannot go to the best home decor and expect to get all you want within budget. This will take some effort, but you need to find places where you can get home decor items for cheap.
• Yard sales.
• Garage sales, &
• Thrift store.
We would suggest you not pick an online store. Since it is second-hand, you will need to check the quality before paying for it.
2. Choose Multifunctioning Furnitures
It is a nuisance to buy a sofa, a bed, a coffee table, shelves, and an ottoman (if you are fancy). However, it will cost you a guinea to get all of them bought, insured, and delivered to your doorstep.
This is why multifunctioning furniture is such a genius invention. You can have a shelf, and when required, it will turn into a table for two. So, no more budgeting a dining table within your meager minimum wage salary.
3. Mirrors Everywhere
Mirrors have a few decor benefits, which are highly underrated.
They are great reflectors of light. So, if your lamps do not suffice, you can easily place mirrors. It will give you the illusion of a much-lit room with the same energy bill.
Mirrors can match every aesthetic. Whether you are going for a rustic living room or princes score aesthetic in your small apartment, the frame of your mirror can blend with it in an instant.
Taking glances at oneself throughout the day helps keep a positive vibe as long as you do not get self-obsessed!
4. Go For Small Items
The smaller apartment can look even more congested when you fill it with bulky furniture. Rather go for skinny furniture. A bamboo sitting area rather than a big couch set. A small bed rather than the kind which takes up the entire room.
On the other hand, you can decrease the number of seating and make it a single-person apartment. Functionality is more important in terms of the decor than accommodating guests once in a while.
Plus, using scalable furniture can make a space look bigger.
5. Light Is Everything
You cannot have a house without the right mood lighting. Installing electrical outlets to get that aesthetic lighting could be a tad on the expensive side, so here is how you can let the light in!
– Buy lamps. You can thrift vintage lampshades from thrift shops.
– Fairy lights are the answer to everything.
– Try different colors to accentuate the mood of the room, do not go for plain boring white LED lights.
6. The Wonders Of Contact Paper
Painting is a tough job, and you wouldn’t want to make permanent changes in a rented house. Therefore, it is better to go for something temporary rather than gutting the house. With the invention of contact paper, you can change the look of any cabinet, any wall, or any surface without the hassle of painting.
On the other hand, you can pick and choose any theme. Contact papers are easier to apply and even easier to discard. The best part, they are totally under budget.
7. Use Miscellaneous Items To Improve Your Surroundings
You do not always have to make major changes in order to beautify your house. Smaller changes here and there can also bring about a similar look. For example, if you want your surrounding to be a little cozier, you go for tapers and scented candles.
Similarly, if the same color around is getting a little monotonous to look at, you get brand new curtains (and no repaint the walls).
Invest in buying good sheets, comforters, and cushion covers as they help change the look from time to time.
8. Bring Some Life
Having something living under the same roof as you can bring some freshness to the small apartment. No, we are not talking about the microorganisms found on every surface. If you cannot afford a pet right now, you can do it with fresh plants and flower bouquets.
They are not only good for your house, but the vibrancy and subtle aroma theory exuding from fresh flowers can also do wonders for your mental health. Guess what? They both are the cheapest forms of self-care.
If you cannot go and get a fresh bouquet every week from your local florist, get a floral subscription from this flower delivery new york. No matter the season, now you can get fresh blooms delivered to your doorstep every week. Plus, being a patron will also fetch you the best discounts on special occasions.
9. Organize To Make Space
Smaller apartments do not have enough space to fill up everything. Yes, we do understand that. However, you cannot stop living minimally now. Especially with the first few tastes of money, you would want to pamper yourself.
However, if you clutter your apartment, you can bid farewell to your decor plans. If you want space for decor, you have to first start with organizing. Buy organization boxes, either clear ones or bamboo ones, to give them a uniform look.
Do not hide the clutter. Rather beautifully tuck it behind beautiful boxes.
10. Use The Vertical Spaces
If you are finding enough space to decorate, start utilizing your vertical spaces. Rather than making it a photo wall, go for shelves with decorative plates and cutleries. If counters fall short and you do not have the space for a pantry, fashion yourself a wooden spice rack on the kitchen wall.
If you start utilizing this empty space, there is a lot more you can do with your inner interior decorator!
Some superb ideas for you to try out as a novice are.
• Hanging bookshelves.
• Wall-mounted organizers.
• Small Hanging cabinets, etc.
11. Rugs Are Better Than Carpets
Carpets are notoriously known for giving an illusion of a smaller ‘carpet area.’ This is why 2023 is the area where you scrape the carpet out ‘literally.’ Instead, you get colorful, vibrant rugs underneath your tables and bedding. Plus, the intricate patterns are a good way to add to your theme.
Give The Illusions Of Big!
So, here is a little summary of giving the illusion of big to your small apartment.
To create the illusion of a larger space in a small apartment, consider these tips.
• First, utilize light colors on the walls and furniture to make the area feel more open and airy.
• Use mirrors strategically to reflect light and create an illusion of depth.
• Opt for multi-functional furniture pieces that can serve multiple purposes and have built-in storage.
• Keep the space clutter-free by organizing belongings and utilizing vertical storage solutions.
• Use curtains or blinds that allow natural light to flow in, making the space appear brighter.
• Lastly, incorporate minimalistic décor and avoid overwhelming the space with too many accessories.
