A frugal lifestyle allows you to cut back on unnecessary spending. Spending less than you earn may result in increased savings and reduced debt. You may also be able to retire early or take mini-retirements. Reduced debt can lead to lower mental stress as insufficient money is the biggest stressor in one’s life. In short, frugal living offers you several options to enjoy a stress-free life.
However, a frugal lifestyle comes with several challenges. Living in a small house is one of the common challenges every frugal has to face. Making a home presentable without spending a lot of money can be tough. Fortunately, there are several ways to spend wisely on your home décor, especially for sprucing up a small master bedroom.
Here are six tips and tricks for the small-space dwellers who want to save money on doing up their bedroom:
1. Embrace Coziness with a Fresh Coat of Paint
Painting the room’s walls is one of the most affordable ways of livening your living space, especially a small bedroom. In fact, the right wall colors can make a small room appear larger than it is. Lighter hues are usually a practical choice for a small bedroom as they can make it look cozy. The color white is, therefore, a popular choice among small-space dwellers.
You can use different shades of whites or other light colors to brighten up the interior of your room, especially if it is dark even during the day. However, avoid painting the walls and trims of the same room with different colors as they can make the ceiling appear smaller than it is.
Don’t be afraid to use saturated hues or bold colors for painting a small bedroom. Just make sure to balance the colors with neutral shades. For example, you can use a combination of gray and white to paint the bedroom walls. Paint the lower half of the walls gray and the upper half, including the ceiling, white.
2. Add Mirrors to Magnify
Mirrors can create the illusion of a bigger space in your bedroom. Large mirrors are usually costly, and small mirrors are comparatively cheaper. Local thrift stores or flea markets are the best places to buy such mirrors at discounted rates. Grouping 3-4 small mirrors on a wall can add a stylish look to your bedroom.
The easiest way to create an illusion of a bigger space is to use a body-length mirror. Though expensive, buying one is money well spent. These mirrors can be placed on the doors of cabinets or the closet in your room. Alternatively, you can simply rest these mirrors against a wall or hang them behind the furniture to make the wall look longer instantly. If you lean them against a wall, secure them with a wall tacky. Check out these home decoration ideas for more inspiration.
3. Add Clever Storage for Clutter-Free Space
Organizing your belongings can be tough, especially for small space dwellers. Small bedrooms often lack inbuilt storage, making it difficult to remove clutter. Using a traditional dresser is almost impossible in a bedroom barely big enough to fit a bed. You need to find clever storage solutions for a clutter-free and organized bedroom.
The space underneath your bed is your best bet for extra storage. You can consider exchanging your existing bed for a new one with drawers underneath. If it is impossible to open the drawers due to limited space, you can use decorative bins, laundry baskets, or even wooden milk crates for storing your things.
Take advantage of every nook and cranny to create extra storage. With just a few creative ideas, you can transform almost all unused areas in your bedroom into smart storage solutions. For example, you can use hanging fabric drawers instead of hangers to store folded clothes without taking extra space.
4. Get Creative with New Curtains
Apart from screening, curtains can also make a window appear taller than it is. Just make sure to install the curtain rods a few inches below the ceiling instead of right above the window frames. Similarly, hanging a rod a few inches wider than the frame can create the illusion of a larger window.
Always hang long curtains that extend all the way to the floor. Arrange them in such a way that they cover a large portion of the wall but only a small part of the frame. Select curtains colors and patterns that complement your wall paint. For example, for lighter walls, use bold curtain colors such as dark blue or green. Curtains can also be used to conceal furniture and storage areas. For instance, replacing closet doors with curtains can save space as well as add a pleasant look to the storage area.
5. Use Repurposed Furniture to Save Money
Using repurposed furniture is an eco-friendly and an affordable way to decorate a bedroom. In fact, most of your old furniture can fit into your small bedroom with a few creative repurposing ideas. You can also refurbish slightly-used furniture bought from a local yard sale or even salvaged items from the junkyard. The bottom-line is, when it comes to decorating a small master bedroom, you need to think outside the box.
When refurbishing your old furniture make sure to build pieces that can serve more than one function. For example, with a few tweaks, an old dressing table can be converted into a nightstand. It can be used as a storage space for books as well.
6. Add a Few Space-Saving Accessories
Though small and simple, space saving accessories can give a stylish makeover to your bedroom. However, finding the right accessories at discounted rates is no cakewalk. You may have to make several trips to the local shops and flea markets to find what you need.
Fortunately, you can find a wide range of affordable home accessories online. Several leading brands and companies also give free samples to promote their products. In fact, it is easier to avail freebies online than getting huge discounts at a thrift store. So, spend a couple of hours online before heading to the nearest thrift store.
Conclusion
Living a frugal lifestyle is probably the best way to increase savings and pay off your debts. However, it often requires a lot of hard work and creative thinking. One of the key aspects of this lifestyle is downsizing. For most frugals, decorating a small house, especially their master bedroom can be an overwhelming experience. The above six tips will help you decorate a small bedroom without overspending.