15 Affordable and Creative Home Styling Tips That Work Wonders

By

Andreas Jones

Hey! I’m Andreas Jones and I am the founder of KindaFrugal.com. I’m passionate about all things personal finance, side hustles, making extra money, and lifestyle businesses. I have been featured in major publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur On Fire, Lifehack.org, Influencive and Goalcast.

| Published on September 14, 2024

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You don’t have to be a millionaire to decorate your home beautifully. There are plenty of cheap and nifty tricks to elevate your styling game.

As a DIY queen, most of my decorations are homemade. A quick trip to the dollar store and a free online tutorial is all you need.

I’ve compiled a list of affordable and creative home styling tips so you can make improvements without spending a fortune. We chose creative tips that cost less than $20 to curate this list.

So, let’s dive into the 15 affordable and creative home styling tips that work wonders.

Get Rid of Clutter

Woman decluttering dress
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

This first tip is a real money-saver. It can even earn you money. Clutter can make a home look overwhelming.

If you want a fresh new style, consider decluttering. You can donate or sell any items you don’t use.

Decorate With Fake Plants

Creative Home Styling Tips
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House plants can really brighten up your home. But real live plants can be expensive and hard to take care of. It’s even more complicated if you have pets.

Fake houseplants look as nice and don’t require regular water or fertilizer. You can get creative with fake plants by even painting the containers.

Focus on Accent Walls

luxury wallpaper theme
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Wallpaper is relatively inexpensive. If you like a little color in your life, you don’t have to shell out thousands on paint or wallpaper. Instead, focus on creating accent walls.

Accent walls are eye-catching, affordable, and a great addition to any home. One role can go a long way. For apartment dwellers like myself, there are apartment-friendly wallpapers.

Drape Couch Covers and Blankets

Wooden,Sofa,With,Dark,Pillows,In,Scandi,Style,Living,Room
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Furniture is expensive. The median price of a new leather recliner is about $899. And this is on the less expensive side!

Instead of going into debt for a new and stylish couch, invest in couch covers and beautiful blankets. You can change your sofa’s style in just seconds.

Buy Second Hand

Decorations don’t have to be new. If you want to add something new to your home, buy second-hand.

You’d be surprised how cheap you can get seasonal items. Check out garage sales, online auctions, and social media no-buy groups. The items don’t have to be brand new; they are just new to you.

Place Rugs on Floors

Living room
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Are you tired of looking at your floors? Do you want a change but can’t afford thousands of dollars and many months of installation? Don’t forget about good old-fashioned rugs.

Rugs can really transform a space. The best thing about rugs is you can change them. When you’re ready to change the style of a room, replace the rug with a different one.

Replace Your Light Switch Plates

Switching off light
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It’s the little things that make all the difference. You don’t have to hang a bunch of art or posters to bring color to a room. Changing your light switch plates is a good tip to freshen a room without hurting your wallet.

For all the creatives out there, you can reuse your old light switch plate and instead decorate/paint it. A cream wall with a red light switch plate is bold yet simple.

Vintage Lamps

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A lot of people forget about lamps when decorating their homes. If you have enough natural light in your home, it’s easy to forget about this object.

A nice vintage lamp can add some flare and personality to a room. They come in all different shapes and sizes. I’ve found beautiful and colorful lights, gently used online for less than $30.

Rearrange Your Books

Home reading library, bookshelf, reading chair and lamp
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Is anyone else a huge bookworm? Something as small as rearranging the books on your shelf can make a difference, and it doesn’t cost a thing!

One of the best ways to creatively style a home is to arrange books by color. It’s aesthetically pleasing and makes it easier to find the titles of your books.

Hide Your Cords

TV mounted on wall, cords / wires hidden
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Another affordable and creative home styling tip is to hide your cords and wires. Your TV and video game cables don’t need to be out for everyone to see. Not only are they tripping hazards, but they can dampen the look of a room.

If possible, lightly tie the cords together and hide them behind fabric or decorations. This is super easy if you have a media table.

Store Your Small Kitchen Appliances

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I don’t know about you, but clutter stresses me out. I own so many kitchen appliances, but with so little counter space, even having two items outside looks like a lot.

Storing your small kitchen appliances is a great way to create the illusion of more space while giving your kitchen a clean look. The more things on a counter, the messier it looks.

Upgrade Your Towels

Woman buying IKEA towels
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Towels are easy to forget. Even if we use them every day, it’s hard to remember they can leave an impression in a room. I have a creative and affordable tip for you: upgrade your towels.

Ditch towels with stains and holes. Store them away for personal use. However, hang beautiful hand towels for guests. You can update them for each season and holiday, too.

Install Shelves

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If you’re anything like me, you don’t have much storage space. Living in a small apartment with minimal closets forces me to be creative.

To display decorations, maybe install floating shelves. This way, you can store items against the wall. You save space and transform your home.

Invest in Throw Pillow Covers

Living room with indoor plant
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This tip might be a bit of a cheat since I also listed couch covers. Pillows aren’t just comfortable and can elevate the look of a room.

Throw pillow covers allow you to be creative. They are inexpensive. If you want to save more money, you can even make them!

Create a Personal Gallery Wall

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Sometimes, the best way to style your home affordably is by using what you already have. Do you have family pictures or ones of you enjoying adventures?

Somewhere in your room, claim a wall as the gallery wall. Then, display the photos. Photo frames are cheap. You can find them in most dollar stores.

15 Smart Tips for Living Well on a Strict Budget

Family doing budget forecast
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In today’s economy, strict budgeting has become a reality for many, sometimes involuntarily. With fast fashion and rapidly changing trends, temptations are on the rise. Mastering a budgeting mindset can empower a person to manage their finances responsibly. It’s a step towards achieving self-fulfillment while leaving room for some fun.

The 41 Biggest Wastes of Money

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If you’re looking for ways to earn more money to put toward your goals, start by examining your spending habits. By tracking your spending and seeing where every dollar goes, you’ll likely find several instances of spending money you don’t have to. It could be little things that add up or recurring monthly expenses that are an utter waste of money.
Once you eliminate your bad spending habits, that money can go toward your emergency fund, paying off debt, or other essential things. Here are the 41 biggest wastes of money to look out for.

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