Decorating your Student Apartment on a Budget

Spending the time on decorating your student apartment will enable you to truly make your college living environment your own space.

Textbooks. Food. Rent. Transportation. With all of the expenses that new college students face, decorating an apartment might not be at the top of the to-do list. Most people would agree, that transforming your living space into something “homey” (especially if you’re away from your childhood home for the first time) can relax you, make you happy and encourage you to approach your school responsibilities with a positive attitude.

Decorating your new apartment doesn’t have to cost you a fortune. Like most new college students, you’re probably just starting to figure out how to allocate your funds toward paying for the necessities, as well as having some fun. If your overall budget is tight, check out the following tips for decorating your college apartment, inexpensively.

Explore local resources such as flea markets, consignment shops, Goodwill stores, Facebook groups and Craigslist ads. You might luck out if you live in a popular college town, since the students constantly come and go, often looking to unload their belongings quickly and cheaply as they move on or graduate.

Even better than cheap? Free, of course! According to U.S. News and World Report, there are countless sites online offering you free stuff. You just have to know where to look.

The next best thing to scoring free items is finding great discounts. You can do this simply by searching for deals and coupon sites online. Some sites offer you instant access to coupons for both online and brick-and-mortar retailers. Other sites will send you their latest offers via email.

Don’t be afraid to “fake it” with artificial flowers and other inexpensive decorations. Using the right colors, and even arranging the furniture a certain way, can drastically change the look and feel of a room. Another trick that makes your living space look bigger is a strategically placed mirror. As much as you can, take advantage of natural light. Are plastic mini blinds making your windows look drab? Take them down, and invest in some inexpensive curtains or panels in your favorite color. The result? Waking up for those early morning classes won’t feel like such a chore.

Small changes can make a big difference. Transform older pieces of furniture into something fresh by painting them, refinishing them or adding new hardware. You can also transform the look of a room simply by changing the lighting. Many apartments come with bright, impersonal overhead fluorescent lights. You can create softer lighting by adding a few small lamps here and there. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on new ones. It’s easy to find free and cheap lamps, and all you have to do is update the shades to modernize their look.

Decluttering is the buzz word of the day. If you have a small apartment, you’ll want to minimize clutter to make your rooms appear as spacious as possible. Your textbooks and school work can threaten to take over a room, so look for furniture that can also serve as storage. Style Pro Tip: Ditch those plastic egg crates! Think wicker baskets and cloth storage bins for cheap, yet stylish, storage solutions.

Finally, DIY to accessorize. Small accents such as candles and throw pillows add a personal touch. Using similar patterns and color schemes throughout a room will tie everything together, creating a unified look. Feeling homesick? Print out your favorite photos of your family and friends to use as decorations. Get creative with unique picture frames and DIY collages.

Remember that you don’t have to do it all at once. Blowing your decorating budget right away will only stress you out and keep you from fully enjoying your college experience. However, by exploring the free and cheap options out there, you can create a home that reflects your personality without breaking the bank.

Do you have decorating tips of your own? Let us know about them in the comment section below.