Now that we’re all spending so much time inside during shelter in place orders, we might as well spruce up our homes a little bit to make them more cozy and comfortable. The good news is you don’t have to actually buy anything to do it. That’s a win-win — no need to venture out into a store or spend a dime. You’ll want to remember these decorating hacks even after the quarantine is lifted, because who doesn’t love saving money?
1. Collect free foliage
When you’re confined in your house, it’s so calming and reassuring to bring the outdoors in. Look in your backyard for branches, leaves, flowers and other natural elements that you can place in vases and bowls around the house. Which brings us to our next tip.
2. Repurpose bottles, cans and jars as vases
In my household, we use the Method brand of hand soap. The soap bottles have beautiful teardrop shapes, so I like to wash them out when I’m through with them and repurpose the bottles as vases. Wine and beer bottles, tin cans and glass jars all make great vases. If you wish, wrap them in ribbon, fabric or string to spice them up.
3. Move your accessories
You can freshen up your home’s décor scheme just by switching the accessories in different rooms. Move artwork from the living room into one of the bedrooms. Take some of the throw pillows from the bedroom into the living room. Those candles in the entryway would look so beautiful in the bathroom. Mix it up all you want and appreciate your accessories all over again.
4. Decorate with books
If you have a ton of books at home, stack some of the larger ones together to make an end table. I also like to create vignettes around the house with old books. If you don’t have vintage-looking books, wrap your current bestsellers in decorative paper, or even plain butcher paper, and they’ll become chic accessories.
5. Paint it
Do you have some cans of old house paint in storage? Use that paint to give new life to some old furniture. You can also slap some paint onto old picture frames and other tchotchkes that have been gathering dust.
6. Frame it
When you put anything into a frame, it becomes instant art. I have framed old glasses, report cards (they were really good), ticket stubs, children’s artwork, t-shirts, vintage magazine ads — you name. And don’t worry about buying a new frame. Just take something that’s already in a frame and switch it out.
7. Rearrange the Furniture
Here’s an idea that will give you some exercise as well. Treat yourself to a whole new furniture arrangement. Or start off with baby steps and move a chair here, a table there. Changing up where the furniture goes helps us look at things in a new way and shakes out the cobwebs in our psyches.
