The word “redecorating” holds mixed emotions. Sure, it’s exciting to give your home a fresh new look. But the question of cost quickly enters. How much will it cost to buy new furniture, new paint, new knickknacks?

We are here to give you good news! Redecorating your house does not have to empty your savings. In fact, we believe that to get a new feel for your home, you don’t even have to look at your wallet.



“How?” you ask. Shop your home for a new look! “But what does that mean?”

It means exactly what it sounds like. Instead of going to Target, go to your attic. Go to your closets. Go to that space above your kitchen cabinets.

Instead of searching stores, search what is closest to you. Below, we will detail a few ways you can redecorate your home using the exact things that are in your home already.

First, you should know that before any decorating can happen, purging needs to happen. Purging simply means getting rid of all the clutter. It means removing anything unwanted or unused. You probably already know which areas in your home are in need of this, but popular cluttered areas are the entryway, under sinks, office areas, bedsides and closets.

Take it slow when you purge. Really look at the items you have around. Anything that does not belong, put in a large basket. Laundry baskets work great for this, but crates and boxes work too. While you rummage through your old things, consider things that may be worth reselling and place them in a separate bin. Selling board games, DVDs, excess sweaters or scarves, electronics or kitchen gadgets may allow you to actually make some money while redecorating. Consider a yard sale or selling through eBay, and remember that if you sell 25 things at $2 each, you’ve made $50, and it’s likely you have even more than that! (Tip: for an extra-simple yard sale just post a sign saying that everything is $2. That way you don’t have to spend time pricing individual items.) This act alone may help you feel like your home is brand new, but we’ll go on just in case.

Next, picture what you want your rooms to look like. For instance, in your living room you may just want a chair, a couch, a TV and a bookcase. Hold yourself accountable to one shelf and anything that doesn’t fit, get rid of it.

Rearranging furniture can have a huge impact on your home as well. Better Homes and Gardens has some excellent tips on how to rearrange living room furniture, but the only way to find the best arrangement is to just try some things out. Switch the couch and love seat. Make an old bar stool into an interesting end or corner table. Or take two old bar stools and fashion a sofa table. Don’t be afraid to angle your furniture for a more interesting room design. Houzz has some beautiful pictures for angled furniture inspiration!

One great way to update a space without spending anything is to reuse things you already have. We mentioned projects that use old bar stools, but so many other items have potential too. Do you have an old nightstand taking up space? Any paint hanging around? Cut that nightstand in half, paint it if you like, and mount it to both walls for the perfect place to put a bedside lamp. DIY and Crafts Magazine has the details for this project. Old drawers are another thing that have great potential. The Budget Decorator shows photos of how to make old drawers into an entryway table, a shelf, an ottoman, planters and more!

Sometimes a new look is as simple as setting a few old books underneath table lamps, or using a set of old drinking glasses as vases. Don’t want to mess with flowers? No problem. Grab a few sticks from your backyard and put them in any vase, glass, or jar that you can find. You really will be surprised how elegant this can look. Place small vases on the guest bathroom counter, or large ones in your foyer.

We hope we have inspired you to go browsing your home for ways to revamp the look! Along your redecorating journey, keep an open mind and remember that if you really love something it has a perfect place in your home!

Are you looking for a new home to decorate in the San Joaquin Valley or Bakersfield? SJV Homes now has open for sale 10 communities with a combined 845 single-family homes. If you would like more information, sign up for our interest list here.