It’s a great feeling when you first move into your brand new apartment. You finally have a place to call your own, whether you are living there by yourself or with a roommate. Although it is very exciting and fun to have your own space, it can be stressful to have to decorate and furnish your apartment. Not only can it be a lot of work to decorate an entire apartment, but it can also be pretty expensive. That being said, you obviously want to have a beautifully decorated apartment; however, you don’t want to break the bank. In this article, you will learn everything there is to know about how to beautify your apartment without blowing your budget.
My First Apartment
As mentioned earlier, it can be quite exciting when you start looking for your first apartment. Although the idea of your own apartment can be fun and exciting, it can be stressful because it means you are going to be entering the “adult world”. In the “adult world”, you will have to worry about paying rent on time, going grocery shopping, and holding down a steady job. That being said, you definitely need to strategically save and spend your money, meaning that you need to make sure that you rent an apartment that is well within your budget.
Luckily for you, if you live in the Chicago area or are looking to move to Chicago, there are so many different apartments to choose from. Here at Chicago, SRE Holdings, we have many different buildings that we manage, one of which is bound to be perfect for you! So, no matter where you end up living, whether it’s in Lincoln Park, Old Town, or other great areas in Chicago, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us to find your ideal apartment.
Apartment Decor
Once you find the apartment that is perfect for you, you can realistically start thinking about how you will decorate your apartment. You might have had ideas on how you want your new apartment to look before even finding one; but, it all becomes so much more real once you actually sign the lease. Yes, there are so many other things that go into an apartment other than picking out the decorations; however, decorating and designing an apartment is the fun part where you get to truly make your new apartment your own.
Cheap Apartment Decorations
Decorating your first apartment can be a little intimidating, especially if you have no idea where you should even begin. Ultimately, your goal will be to make your first apartment look put together and comfortable, while maintaining a good and reasonable budget. Be sure to remember that just because you have a tight decorating budget, that doesn’t mean that you can’t have a well decorated apartment.
Being in an apartment, you are most likely more limited on what you can do to the walls versus if you were decorating your own home that you won. However, don’t let that stop you from decorating your dream apartment. There are plenty of ways that you can decorate your apartment without permanently damaging or changing things up too much.
Here are some ways to decorate your apartment without blowing your budget:
- Mirrors. Mirrors are a great way to enhance a space if you are working with a tight budget. Not to mention, mirrors make small and dark spaces feel a lot bigger and brighter than they seem. In addition, depending on the size of the mirror, you can take up a large portion of the wall space with a mirror, decreasing the amount of other decorations that you need to buy.
- Removable wallpaper. Many apartments do not allow tenants to paint the walls. So, if you really want to change the color or add some patterns and designs to your living space, removable wallpaper or decals are the perfect way to add personality and color to a room.
- Curtains. Curtains are not only effective for covering your windows; but, they are also a great way to add color and texture to the room.
- Hidden storage. If you are tight on space and don’t want things to get cluttered, buying furniture with hidden storage is the way to go. For example, a coffee table can have lots of hidden storage in it, making it a very functional and practical furniture piece.
- DIY bar cart. Generally, if you choose to DIY almost anything, it will most likely be cheaper than the original thing. That being said, bar carts can add a fun element to your apartment, but they can be pretty expensive. Luckily, there is a better and cheaper option by buying a cheap cart somewhere else and painting it yourself. You can use this cart for a number of things, like displaying books, glasses, drinks, or whatever else you might think of.
- Art. Art pieces can add so much personality to a single room. By simply adding a large print of a photo, painting, or other type of art, you can drastically transform the walls.
- Changing hardware on doors or furniture. If you don’t want to spend money on brand new furniture, buying new drawer handles or door knobs can completely transform old furniture.
- Repurpose old furniture. Buying furniture can be quite expensive, especially if you still have perfectly good furniture. If you are sick of seeing that same desk, bed, or whatever furniture piece it might be, don’t waste your money by buying new stuff. By simply repainting your old furniture, you can make it feel just like new without blowing your budget.
- Rugs. Rugs are a great way to add color to a room. In addition, a rug will help protect your floors, which is definitely something you will want to do so that you don’t damage your rental space.
- Plants. If you want to add some life and greenery to a room, adding a plant is a very effective and easy way to do so. There are so many different types of plants, coming in all shapes and sizes, ensuring that you will find a plant that you like.
Now that you know some helpful tips on how to beautify your apartment without blowing your budget, it’s time to start decorating!
