Guest post from Mridu of Life is Organized
Wouldn’t you love HGTV to show up at your door for a surprise makeover? Reality check. It’s probably not going to happen. The good news is you can still experience a transformation without new furniture or adding a master suite.
Here are five no-cost and simple ways to makeover your home:
1. Rearrange your furniture.
Explore around your home and look at each piece with a new eye. Ask yourself:
- Is the item being used effectively? When your decorative hallway table has become a dumping ground for clutter, removing it might be your best bet. Use it in your family room to showcase your long-forgotten frame collection.
- Can it be used for another purpose? Don’t be married to what a furniture piece is intended for. Reconsider your buffet table as your TV stand. Or an armoire as your china cabinet.
- Is there too much furniture in a given room? A bookshelf, side table, and dresser may be a bit much for one child’s room. Purge one of the larger pieces and use it for storage in another space.
- Can you change current layouts to cozy things up? Face chairs and sofas toward each other to encourage conversation. Cozy key seating pieces up to the fireplace.
- Can you give the impression of more space? In small rooms use fewer furniture pieces of a slightly larger scale to maximize floor space and opt for tall pieces that add volume.
2. Clean your stuff
Bring forgotten gems back to life. Dust off and wipe down old items from the back of the garage or attic, like rugs, vases, or artwork. Polish your barely used silver and use it to decorate your home. Your antique tea set or candlesticks will add a new and refined look to any space.
Use a fresh coat of paint on worn furniture, cabinets, or walls. Change colors, add design, or simply freshen up. This is one of the easiest ways to home transformation.
3. Simplify
Purge your spaces (rooms and closets) and make way for more space and freedom in your home. Ask yourself tough questions about everything you own like:
- When was the last time I used this item?
- If I haven’t used it a long time, what is the likelihood I will start using it now?
- Is this item getting in the way of my ability to find what I need, when I need it?
- Is it broken, and if so, am I really ever going to fix it?
- Do I love this item?
- What’s the worst that would happen if I got rid of this item?
If you’re brutally honest, you’ll find yourself surrounded with only things you truly need, use, or love. And beyond the emotional and mental benefits of this exercise, your home will have a completely refreshed look and feel.
4. Use functional storage
Move storage from one area to another or invest in vertical solutions. Make the most of square footage with a wall of shelves that provide storage for a variety of uses: office supplies, games, crafts, china, linens, or books. Consider freestanding pieces in smaller rooms and wall-to-wall built-ins in larger rooms.
Store everything by like items, whether they are in open or closed containers, from your blankets in a closet to your remotes in a basket on the coffee table. Effective storage can double the size of your space and freedom.
5. Change your room function. Just like that!
Are you using your rooms the way you really want to or how you think you should be using it?
If you use your dining room once a year but create a “make-shift office” on your kitchen table daily, it’s time to consider a change. Convert your dining area into the office of your dreams. As for that annual formal affair, dress up your kitchen table or rent a table and chairs for that one event.
Changing your rooms to suit your needs and habits is a rejuvenating feeling and one that will compel you ask, “why did I wait so long to do this?
Do you have any other no-cost transformation tips?
Mridu Parikh is a Simplicity and Organization Junkie for women who are tired of feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. She’ll show you how to get your life running smoothly – without the drama. Prepare to smile, get uber motivated and take action with Mridu’s 5-day free organizing series.
Anne Harrison says
We were planning on selling our house so we started to really clear things out to show the house. Long story short, we decided not to sell the house and love it for many years to come. However, we’ve been here for 10 years and decided we needed to make some changes. The house was brand new when we moved in and we ‘really’ live in our house and it is still in incredible condition (even with two rambunctious grandsons!). We are getting new carpet installed next week so my plan is when we have cleaned out all the rooms I’m going to remove all the artwork, etc and when we put the rooms back together to really look at all the items differently and see how they would work in other areas. I think we get so used to looking at the same stuff in the same places that it’s hard to imagine them anywhere else. I can’t wait to see what changes we make!!
Lisa Sparks says
I recently put up picture railing. I love it! I am able to change the arrangements by adding a few eye screws and chain to yard sale picture frames painted all the same color. The picture rail doesn’t leave holes in the walls. My husband routered cheap crown molding to fit the hooks we purchased online.
Danielle says
Rearranging knick-knacks and wall art is an easy way to fix up a room. Don’t overlook your bookshelves either. Change then up regularly and it really helps. Incorporate pretty things next to your books, fill pretty jars with pens and pencils, bookmarks, even momentos. We have a jar of shells from our vacation to California. We even have our shark teeth collection sitting on top of a stack of books. It’s a great way to display your memories and not keep them packed away.
Heidi says
Another nice thing about displaying things in jars is that you aren’t dusting every small item, just a single jar.
Jacque @ dollars and sense says
Love this article as it is so true! Throw some paint on a wall to create an accent wall, take some photos and hang your new art, look for furniture giveaways on Craigslist for items that can be reused or re-purposed.
Jacki says
Our formal dining room was just too small to use properly. We made it our library. Since we homeschool, it was important to have a place for all of these books we so love. It is the only south facing window in the house and everyone’s favorite place just to sit and enjoy the natural light and a book, of course.
Karen says
I rearranged the living room last night, took out the coffee table and it just opened up the room so nicely! For a fun Saturday night we had a campout and watched movies. So much more space for things like that now!
Lila says
Did you know some libraries rent art? It’s usually for several months, and a free way to get a temporary new look.
Sissy Sweet says
No I didn’t. Thanks for letting me know. They have the nicest are there.
lyss says
Hmm…so where does one get “no-cost” paint? ; )
Great post, but seriously, any tips for cheap paint? Many people I talk to claim paint is cheap. Um, have you priced paint lately? Our whole house needs a paint makeover!
M says
Every once in awhile we drop into lowes and look at the discount paint. We often get neutral paint or even really nice colors for $5- $7 a gallon. This is paint that is normally $30 a gallon, totally worth your time!
Cheryl says
Google “buy recycled paint”. Not a lot of colors, but much less cost.
Cathy says
If your area has a hazardous waste disposal site or service, you might be able to get free paint. Our local center gives away new or partially used cans of paint people turn in. If it’s not your choice of color, you might be able to take it to a Lowe’s or Home Depot and get color mixed more to your liking, for a lot cheaper than buying new paint. (We watched the Rehab Addict lady do that the other night, we love that show!)
Karen says
It wasn’t free, but I got a gallon of “mismatched” paint for $5 at Menards and did my living room in that color. They have a small section at the end of an aisle in their paint department where they keep their “mismatched” paints for sale. I check it every time I go.
Sissy Sweet says
Most hardware stores that carry paint, have an “Ooops ” paint area. The gallons are discounted deeply. I’ve seen them any where from $2 to $5. Most have a smear of the color on top of the can, so you know what your buying.
We painted our hallway bathroom, with opps paint, and my son picked out a color for his room, from the opps area. He loves it.
Julie says
Craigslist or Freecycle.
Amy F;) says
It seems like at least once a month this time of year stores like ACE and True Value offer a quart or gallon of free paint with coupon that you print from the internet. They are usually only good for one weekend or just one Sat. so its not perfectly convenient, but it is free.
Christine Gayfer says
Another little known fact is that you can ask the store to tint Oops! paints. There are no guarantees — they can’t turn any colour into any other colour, but the paint stores can often work a little magic.
Cindy says
You may want to check out the local Lowes paint dept as contractors sometimes return extra unused paint. I have bought a gallon for $5 and made a big change in a room with it! Habitat for Humanity Thrift Stores sometimes have opened paint, but make sure you check it first before buying. I recently bought a gallon of white paint/stain cover in one for $5 to cover a spot on our kitchen ceiling. May come across paint at yardsales as well for very reasonable price. Hope you find paint to suit.
Teri says
Check a Habitat for Humanity Restore. They have their own brand of paint that is a great price, and good quality. Limited to just a few colors, but we made it work!
Erin says
Every time we go to the home improvement store, we check out the “reject” paint marked down– often $2 a quart and $5 a gallon. Also check to see if you have a ReStore around you. It’s a donation/ resale shop that benefits Habitat for Humanity. Ours often has mis-tinted paint for very low cost as well. I’ve picked up colors that we liked and then held on to them until the right project came up. I actually just repainted our living room and hallways using 2 gallons– a total new look for $10.
Yasha says
If you’re going to do just a small job, like an accent, or, something? I’ve heard of people asking for paint samples, and being able to use just the samples for a project
Lahnie says
Very true. A lot of hardware/paint stores have mis-tints that are sold cheap, just ask at the paint counter.
Susan says
Rearrange or take down pictures/wall art, or swap it from one room to another.
Go “shopping” in your attic or garage for pieces you haven’t seen in a while!
Rachel B says
Paint can change a room or just give a quick facelift.
Marie says
Since we moved into our house 5 years ago our formal dining room became the playroom. One doorway is off the kitchen so it was perfect for keeping an eye on little ones and the other doorway we bought a retractable mesh gate. My twins used this all the time. We then transitioned it for their younger sister. and just recently we talked about redoing it into a “homework center” since the 3 year old rarely used it as a playroom and I’m tired of papers at the end of our dining table for homework.
We’ve been talking alot about making the space in our home work for us. Modifying some things in our laundry room to make it more efficient etc. We don’t need a bigger house, we just need to make this one work for us and not against us.
Amy says
Number 5 is so true! Why have an unused room and try to cram too many things into other rooms? We just converted our formal living room into an office for my husband, who had been using the dining room table weekly. Best thing we’ve done this year!
lori says
We had a formal living room that was never used. We turned it into “mom’s office” and it’s now one of the most-used rooms in the house. Of course, it was a lot neater before the kids started using it too …
CJ says
I completely agree with changing your rooms in your home to suit your needs. We had a formal living room which was almost never used, so we made it less formal and changed it over to more of a second family room/ gaming room. The room is now used all the time.