Everyone nowadays spends more time at home than ever before. And, for the most part, we’re on a shoestring budget. Even if you manage to keep your work, many people will not be able to afford a costly refurbishment at this time. Giving your home a facelift, on the other hand, can be extremely cost-effective. Small adjustments around the house will build up over time, and this will undoubtedly improve your attitude. This will assist everyone around you if you live with family or friends. It’s likely that starting the process of decluttering your area will encourage others. And if you start making changes around your house, your neighbors are likely to follow suit.
Here are some of our favorite ways to spruce up your home for less than $10.
Eliminate Unnecessary Pieces of Furniture
One of the biggest interior design mistakes I see people make is having too much furniture. This commonly happens when you inherit furniture from your family and friends. Or, maybe you buy a new piece from the store, but you don’t have the heart to get rid of the old things. Remember that just because you live in a bigger house or apartment, you don’t have to take up every single square inch of space with stuff. A lot of the time, you could be making your house feel smaller, closed, and claustrophobic. If you want your home to feel more clean, open, and fresh, it’s better to have less stuff. This process is completely free, and it can usually be done in one weekend.
Try an Ikea Hack to Update Some of Your Existing Furniture
Most people who are shopping for home decor on a tight budget like to go to Ikea. Their furniture is affordable and stylish, and works especially well for college students and people moving into their first apartment. But after a while, you might be feeling a bit tired of seeing your furniture in everyone else’s house. A great solution to this is to try an “Ikea Hack”. This is when people take pre-existing Ikea furniture and transform it into something new and different. Sometimes, Ikea Hacks are totally free, or just cost a few dollars to adjust your pre-existing pieces of furniture. You might also find something for free on Craigslist, or cheap on Facebook Marketplace. Check out our post on Ikea Hacks For a Home Makeover on a Budget.
Buy a Bouquet of Fresh Flowers for an Instant Pop of Color
One of the easiest ways to freshen up your home is to buy a bouquet of cut flowers. These can cost as little as $5 from a local farmer, or $10 from a grocery store. Some people brush this off as a totally unnecessary expense, since flowers wilt and die after about a week. However, when you think about how many snacks or coffee you buy unnecessarily, the cost of fresh flowers could easily fit into the average family budget. I just started getting into the habit of buying fresh flowers once a week, and it has made a huge difference in how we feel when we walk through the front door. I love the fact that as time goes on, new flowers come into season. It almost feels like a decoration celebrating that moment in time, even if it’s not a holiday. It doesn’t hurt to try at least once.
Organize Your Junk Drawer To Make it Easier to Find Things
No matter who you are, you probably have at least one junk drawer in your house. This ends up collecting all of the odds and ends where they don’t have anywhere else to go. The trouble with junk drawers is that when you need something, it’s often buried underneath a lot of other objects. It’s incredibly common for people to purchase something two or three times, because they couldn’t find it in the drawer. For less than $10, you can find a drawer divider to help you organize all of your business in pieces in the junk drawer. There are a ton of options online to choose from in many different materials, but that would be your full $10 budget. You should be able to find something at your local Dollar Tree for just $1. Once the organization project is done, you’re guaranteed to feel totally accomplished.
Instead of Spending a Fortune at the Store, Make Your Own Art Instead
Buying pieces of art can be expensive, because they are often investment pieces. Even at discount stores like Home Goods, you still have to pay at least $40 to $50 per piece. Consider creating artwork of your own instead. Personally, I already had paint that I have collected over the years. So, when the lockdown of 2020 began, I was able to create multiple pieces of original artwork on both canvas and watercolor paper for free. I genuinely love the custom artwork I made myself more than things I’ve bought from stores in the past, because I made them to fit the style of my room. If you don’t already have supplies on hand, craft stores like Hobby Lobby have value packs of canvases that cost roughly $10 for 5. Dollar Tree is also a great place to go, because they are now selling canvases, paint, brushes, and more for just $1 each.
If You’re Artistic, Consider Painting a Mural on a Wall
Some people might think that this next suggestion is too over-the-top. However, if you already have some artistic talent, you just might want to consider painting a mural. This could be either inside or outside your home, depending on your layout. There are a lot of people who have managed to create murals that look almost like wallpaper. Or, the scene they chose to paint really ties together the space that they’ve created. If you’ve never seen these before, check out Pinterest for indoor murals. Painting a mural on an interior wall is far less common. A mural artist who calls himself TenHundred has a YouTube channel where he documents the process of painting murals. In one episode, he goes to Japan to visit a friend, and paints a mural along his exterior staircase and on the brick wall of their alleyway. The space immediately became bright, fun, and inviting.
Use a Magic Eraser to Get Rid of Scuff Marks, Stains, and Sticker Goo
Over the course of the year, things in your home can get scuffed or nicked. (This is especially true if you have children.) Sometimes, things can get so bad that it looks as if things need to get repainted or completely replaced. In reality, you might just need to clean it with something like a magic eraser. For example, the stairs in my home are painted white and have a cedar wood top. Over time, as people kick the stairs with their feet, it leaves a dark residue on the white part of the stairs. My dad used to paint the stairs at least once a year, but in reality, you could actually just take a magic eraser to them, and they’re good as new. Magic Erasers are only a few dollars at stores like Target and Walmart. They also sell a knock-off brand at Dollar Tree.
Organize Your Bookshelves by Color, and Use the $10 to Buy One New Book
Something that you may have seen on Pinterest or The Home Edit is the trend to organize your books by color. While you might not think that this trend is a good fit for you, most people end up feeling convinced that it’s actually the best way to go. Those who actually take the time to organize their books by color tend to be able to find them a lot easier. There is something about connecting color to memories that help people remember where their books actually are on the shelf. This is especially true for children’s books, since young kids will be learning about color for the first time. On top of that, it makes your bookshelf look pretty dang cool, and it should impress your friends. Doing this is completely free, so I’m suggesting to use the leftover $10 to get yourself a book that you really love.
Donate Your Unwanted Items, and Use the $10 to Treat Yourself to One New Item of Clothing
One of the easiest ways to make your house cleaner is to get rid of the clutter. Donating your unwanted clothing is completely free. All it takes is a little bit of time and patience for you to sort through your closet and divide up clothes that you want to keep or give away. Once this project is done, you will feel so much better about opening your closet door. It also helps you to figure out what to wear in the morning, instead of being bogged down by too many options. After going through your closet, you should be able to identify what you actually need to buy in the future. Personally, I started getting back into Old Navy’s “Super Cash” coupons, and waiting for sales days before I buy anything new. Since this one was free, treat yourself to a $10 clothing item or accessory.
Buy Baskets for Closet Organization
When you don’t have a lot of money, organizing your closet is one of the most satisfying ways to freshen up your space. Custom closet inserts from places like Ikea might seem tempting, and you might be scrolling through Pinterest wishing you had a dream closet. But these closet systems are not absolutely necessary for organizing your space. If you already have shelving in your closet, you may just need a good system of baskets to divide up your items. Believe it or not, Dollar Tree has an entire aisle dedicated to different sized baskets. I recently reorganized the products in my bathroom cabinet with 6 baskets that only cost $1 each. Target also has larger, more sturdy boxes and baskets for under $10 each. I personally have several $6 Target baskets on a bookshelf in my closet, and it helps organize all of my miscellaneous items.
Lay a Liner in Old Drawers and Cabinets
Whether you’re renting or you have an older home that you can’t afford to renovate, old drawers and cabinets can get you down. Buying new cabinets can cost at least a thousand dollars. Instead of feeling like your space is old and drab, cover the bottom of the cabinets with some wallpaper or adhesive stickers. These are available on Amazon in nearly every pattern imaginable, including faux marble and concrete. Dollar Tree also has drawer liners, so you can buy several rolls to match. Once you have all of the liners down, also consider cleaning your cabinets with a magic eraser. These are also on sale at Dollar Tree in a pack of 2 for $1. Painting your cabinets or replacing the knobs is also a great idea to make your kitchen feel more bright and cheerful, but it would cost more than $10 if you don’t already have materials on-hand.
Open a Box of Baking Soda in the Fridge to Eliminate Bad Smells
If you have an issue with a stinky refrigerator, the solution is actually very simple. Take a box of baking soda, and pull the tab back. By leaving the baking soda open at all times, it will help to absorb the bad smells in your fridge. Just keep in mind that this box might end up smelling bad, and shouldn’t be used for baking. So if you plan to use that same box of baking soda for baking as well, you can also take a few spoonfuls into a glass tray and leave a small bowl of powder on the shelf. Boxes of baking soda are only 65 cents to $1 at most stores. If the stink in your fridge still persists even after using this trick, it’s probably a sign that you need to clean out some food that has gone bad. Clean the shelves, and check the expiration dates.
Buy a Box of Glass Jars With Airtight Seals and Transfer Your Dry Goods
One of the most common areas of the house that gets messy very quickly are kitchen and pantry cabinets. If you want to make your kitchen cabinets look more organized in just a few minutes, try putting your dry goods in glass jars. Mason jars are available in most grocery stores and Walmart for an average of $10 per case. Dollar Tree also has their own version of Mason Jars, as well as a bunch of other glass options with air-tight seals. One of the great benefits to keeping your dry goods in a container is that you can mix brands together, and it doesn’t matter. For example, I get all different brands of white rice depending on where I shop that week, but it all looks the same. Cleaning out your pantry becomes easy, and you can see with just a quick glance which food is running low.
Buy Indoor House Plants to Help Bring Nature Into Your Home
Pretty much every home decor list will tell you to buy plants for your house. There are so many benefits to owning indoor plants, especially since they clean the air and keep a room smelling fresh. Thankfully, it’s very cheap to buy plants from your local grocery store, as well as places like Home Depot and Lowe’s. And if you have a local garden center, I really recommend you support a small business. These garden centers are also a great place to find plants that thrive in your local environment. Certain plants will only cost around $2 each, depending on the season when you’re looking to buy. Obviously, buying in the spring and summer is the best time to find an abundance of plants for your home. But even if you’re searching in the fall or winter time, there should still be options for you under $10.
Add More Lighting, or Switch Out Your Light Bulbs
Sometimes, the mood of a room can be brought down from the fact that is too dark and drab. Having enough light in a room is crucial. If you find that your room is too dark, it might be time to switch out a light fixture, or replacing a lamp shade. To be fair, most light fixtures and shades cost more than $10. But you can go to places like Ikea, the thrift store, and even dollar stores that will have lamps under $10. If you like your fixtures, but it’s simply too dark, switch out your light bulbs to something brighter. Dollar Tree sells light bulbs in various sizes, so you might be able to fix your problem for just $1. Target also has an amazing section of vintage style bulbs for around $8 per pack, which could completely elevate the style and brightness an existing light fixture.
Clean and Condition Your Leather Goods
Leather is one of the most popular natural materials for people to own in their home. It’s a classic material that has been used for hundreds of years, so it should continue to look amazing no matter what the newest trend may be. However, since it is very literally made of skin, leather will eventually crack with age. And if you have painted leather, it can be worn off over time. In order to keep your leather looking the best it possibly can be, you need to clean and moisten it with conditioner. Just visit your local Walmart or Target, and you should be able to find bottles of leather cleaner for less than $10. If you have colored leather, you may need to buy leather paint and sealant from Amazon. This is also typically under $10, and works like a charm to improve the look of your leather goods. It’s possible to transform something that’s decades old and make it look brand new again.
Use Dryer Sheets to Freshen Up Other Areas of Your Home Besides the Dryer
Typically, dryer sheets are used to make your clothing smell good. But they can actually be used to absorb odors in a number of different things. For example, sticking a dryer sheet in each of your shoes will make it smell better after just a few hours. Placing dryer sheets in your underwear and sock drawers can also freshen things up, too. In some cases, it can remove bad smells from objects. For example, I inherited some vintage paper sewing patterns from someone who smoked. I wanted to use them, but they smelled horrible. By placing them in a ziplock bag with a few dryer sheets for a week, the scent was totally absorbed and neutralized. Keep in mind that once you use a dryer sheet for removing smells in an object, you can’t re-use them in the laundry. They will need to be thrown away when you’re done.
Candles and Oil Diffusers Can Make Your Home Smell Amazing
The word “fresh” probably conjures the image of walking into a home, taking a deep breath, and feeling like everything smells great. While it may seem obvious to many of you, this can sometimes be achieved with a really great candle. Yankee Candle and Bath and Body Works are both notoriously expensive to buy their large candles, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Brands like Glade make strong candles for around $3 each, which is great for being on a budget. Target also has some great scents for $5 to $10 each. Just keep in mind that lighting a candle is not a cure-all for smell problems. In fact, if you’re trying to light a candle to cover up a bad smell, the two are just going to blend together in a very bad way. Always clean your room before lighting a candle if you want the best results.
Use a Lint Roller to Remove Pet Hair From All The Things
When you have a pet, you already know that their fur gets literally everything. And on certain types of furniture and clothing, the hairs are incredibly noticeable. Whether you realize it or not, these hairs can start to make a room smell like your pet. It’s also going to attract more dust into the room, and generally feel gross. A lot of the expensive heavy-duty vacuum cleaners advertise the ability to pick up pet hair, but not all of us can afford those. So when you’re done vacuuming, go the extra step by using a lint roller. They’re available pretty much everywhere, including Dollar Tree and Walmart. Also take the time to use a shedding comb, or give your pet a bath. With enough upkeep with your pet’s grooming, you can help to prevent pet hair from shedding too much in the first place.
A New Welcome Mat Helps Brighten Up Your Front Door, and Keeps You From Tracking Dirt Inside
Buying a welcome mat might not be on your list of priorities when you’re on a budget. This is especially true if you’re renting an apartment. And with the current state of affairs, you might not be having any guests over right now. However, you would be surprised just how much joy a welcome mat can bring to a space. For example, my brother moved to an apartment complex where everyone had a welcome mat outside of their front door. They all shared the same carpeted hallway, so it wasn’t actually necessary for anyone to have these mats. But these mats actually made it easier for friends and family to find their apartment. The characters and sayings on each mat also said a lot about the personality of the owner, and served as a conversation starter when people were trying to make new friends.
