You know what’s crazy? A box of cereal costs roughly the equivalent of an hour’s wage nowadays. What is that about?!

I don’t have to be the one to tell you that when funds get tight with groceries and utilities, the home decorating budget is usually the first thing to go.

I mean, the birth of DIY blogs directly correlates with the housing bubble burst of 2008. That’s not a coincidence. That’s just proof that when times get financially tough, homeowners find ways to achieve the homes of their dreams. It just might take a little more creativity than usual.

How to Keep Home Decorating Affordable

It seems like a good time for me to dive into my favorite ways to improve a home for under $100. Because even when finances get tight, it is especially important to lean into creating a peaceful environment at home.

Life is stressful! So you need a place that relieves your stress, right?!

Reselling

The first few years of this blog literally started because Robert and I were newlyweds barely scraping by to pay our bills. I had to refinish and sell thrifted furniture to help us make it paycheck to paycheck.

Related: How to Find the Best Deals and Sell on Facebook Marketplace

Repurposing

I looked at what we had and would brainstorm every way possible to reuse items in some new way.

I would move items to new rooms, find ways to reuse leftover paint or scrap wood, and I would scour Facebook Marketplace for free items to give them new life.

Focusing on Order

I would get so stressed out asking myself, “Are we going to make it?” My solution was usually to set a timer for 20 minutes to clean and tidy as much as possible in my path. I called it my “rage cleaning” sessions.

Related: How to Declutter Your Home Quickly with These Organizer Secrets

And do you know what happened? I fell in love with the process of making big changes in our home for as little money as possible!

Not only did the creative process help me with mental burnout, but the end result of a peaceful home helped me emotionally too. It doesn’t have to cost much to make that happen.

If you’ve been feeling stressed lately but you crave a peaceful haven for your family, the list in this blog post is for you.

I hope it helps you find peace and excitement and even more appreciation for the home you have.

1. Paint a piece of furniture 

Get the full beginner’s guide to painting furniture with all of my best recs. I swear it’s not as scary as you think it is. Walk around your house and see what furniture you already have that could benefit from a facelift.

Budget Tip: If you’re short on supplies, check with your neighbors to see if you can borrow them or if they’re willing to do a supply swap.

2. Clean out your closet 

This printable closet clean-out flow chart makes it a lot easier to guide you in purging the clothes you really don’t need anymore. Sometimes it’s hard to get started, but this guide asks the ultimate questions you need to get you motivated.

Budget Tip: Resell your gently used clothing on Facebook or in nearby clothing consignment shops for a little extra pocket money.

3. Rearrange your furniture layout

It takes less than an hour and costs $0. And you can always move it back if you hate it. 😉

6. Declutter & organize your kitchen cabinets 

Decluttering does wonders for improving mood and lessening anxiety, which is just a big bonus for making life run a little smoother in your kitchen every day.

Budget Tip: Make an inventory of what ingredients you already have that you might have forgotten about hidden in your pantry. See what meals you can make using what you already have. (A packet of Ramen noodles is easy to jazz up with a soft boiled egg and condiments you probably have in your fridge.)

9. Change your shower curtain

That one piece of fabric can make a big statement in your bathroom. And it’ll only cost you about $20-30 to change.

Budget Tip: If you have a tablecloth or window curtain you like, repurpose it as a shower curtain instead. Or keep an eye out in the linen section of thrift stores.

11. Swap out a light fixture

I see inexpensive light fixtures and chandeliers at the Habitat for Humanity Restore all the time! Some of my favorite light fixtures around our home were ones I found for a steal on Facebook Marketplace.

If you find one you love but the color isn’t right, spray paint can fix that right up.

Related: Best Boob Light Replacement Fixtures for All Budgets

14. Add a Mural or Wallpaper Focal Wall or

You can get wallpaper that is removable peel-and-stick so you don’t have to commit long-term. I used wallpaper in the wall behind my daughter’s bed only inside of the molding to make a big impact without a major cost.

16. Refresh your grout

I had my doubts about this grout pen, but it does a great job! I used it on our discolored bathroom tile grout several years ago, but I’ve been planning to use it again because I was so impressed.

Tutorial: Painted Tile Grout Refresh

18. Utilize free printable art on the public domain 

There are all kinds of free downloadable art files ripe for the picking on public domain archives! I’ve framed so many free art files around our home (using thrifted or dollar store frames of course) to fill up our walls.

Budget Tip: You can start an Etsy shop or Shopify site selling printable art using free images on public domain archives! If you’re tech-savvy, it’s a great side gig to make a little extra money.

Related: The Secret to Find Free Printable Wall Art Online

22. Organize your laundry room

The prettier you make a laundry room look, the more you’re motivated to keep it that way.

Budget Tip: If you don’t have any cabinets or storage space, utilize pegboard for laundry room wall storage instead.

38. Clean and polish your floors 

If you’re like me, chances are it’s been a long time since your hardwood floors had a deep cleaning and polishing. But it really does make the entire room look so much better.