On the Cheap: Thinking Like a Student

This recent New York Times series has me inspired to make some inexpensive changes to my apartment decor. For one, I have a stool I've had since college and a chair that I found on a side walk in my neighborhood several months ago that I want to repaint. I also decided that instead of buying more pillows for my chair and bed, that I should start looking for fabric (or even clothing I no longer wear but like the fabric?) and try making my own. My very rudimentary sewing skills should be able to handle that. I'd like to eventually get a few shelves, but I'm not really handy enough (yet) to make my own, so I will probably look for some at Ikea. I plan to ask for an Ikea giftcard for Christmas. I've been meaning to start checking Craigs List for a file cabinet for my financial papers and school work which are taking over my small desk...no time like the present. I look forward to the day when I'll be a homeowner and can paint my walls. I could technically paint them now and repaint them back whenever I move, but I just think that's a waste of money though it would look nice.

Do you have any inexpensive home/apartment decorating ideas you have or plan to implement?

Living Alone and Being Short Sometimes Sucks

I was recently given several pieces of artwork from my Dad that were in my Grandparents house (may they rest in peace). This makes me happy for two reasons: (1) I can be reminded of all of the cherished memories I have of them when I look at the walls of my apartment (2) I don’t have to spend money to adorn my walls. Even some of the ideas I outlined in this post still have a cost.

Now here is the problem: I live alone and am short, and hanging pictures is really a two person job because of my small size. Not to mention the fact that I am terrified of putting a hole in my wall by accident. I'm not too handy (though I plan to work on this), I don't even think I own a hammer... I am a little embarrassed to ask my neighbor to help me hang my pics so I’m waiting either for a relative or a friend to visit me to help me hang them.

Being tiny has its advantages but hanging art isn’t one of them…

Apartment Wish List - Red Chair

I don’t plan to make too many major household/furniture purchases this summer. To be honest, there aren’t too many things I need anyway. But I may make an exception for this chair I’d like to buy. Red is one of my favorite colors for room décor. I think this chair would look cute with a graphic accent pillow. If I put money aside for it out of each pay check for a few weeks (and make sure to keep adding money to my EF), I’ll consider getting it, or I can just keep wishing...we'll see.

Do you have any household/furniture purchases you’d like to make soon if it fits in the budget?

Would You Purchase Biodegradable Bedding?

This is an interesting concept, but it just proves that we live in a throw-away society:


“For many of these manufacturers and designers, the word “biodegradable” is a signal that they are trying to adhere to the closed-loop manufacturing model put forth by William McDonough, the green design guru and architect whose 2002 book, “Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things,” written with Michael Braungart, a chemist, proposed a new paradigm for the design and production of household goods. One of its tenets is that our stuff, once we’re done with it, can be “nourishment” for something new, either by being recycled (or “upcycled”) into a product of equal or better value, or by literally devolving into a “bio-nutrient,” like compost.
But can you compost a sofa and its throw pillows? Should you?”


Read this NY Times article to lean more: Biodegradable Home Product Lines, Ready to Rot

I have a hard time accepting the idea of buying anything with the intention of throwing it away. I was taught that you purchase quality items with the intention of using them for years to come. This method normally saves you money because you won't have to continuously replace items such as bedding. For this reason, I think its better to stick to neutral colored bedding and throw pillows that you can use for a long period of time and won't be tempted to go out and buy more if you move to another place or change the decor/color palette of the room.

Easy Inexpensive Ways To Decorate Your Walls

I have lived in my apartment for almost a year now and am a little embarrassed to say most of my walls are still pretty bare. So I have been thinking about ways to adorn my walls but not spend too much money. Everyone deserves to be surrounded by nice things while at home, but this is no reason to go over your budget. Here are a few ideas you might want to try:

Collages. If you are crafty and like to try easy projects, make a collage. You won’t have to spend a dime to do so if you have a cardboard box, old magazines, old newspapers, scissors and some glue or tape.
·Cut off a large piece of the box that will serve as your “canvas.”
·Peruse old magazines and newspapers for pictures for your collage. You can pick a theme like flowers or a color palate,or just use whatever strikes your fancy and cut it out. You can also pick out inspirational words or phrases or even use pictures of pets or loved ones to decorate your collage.
· After you have cut out all the items you want to use for your collage and arranged them on your piece of card board, glue or tape them on the cardboard.
·Let it dry and then hang your whole-made piece of art!

Frame cheap posters. Go to Allposters.com or the many stores out there that sell inexpensive posters. Buy a cheap frame from Target or even the Dollar Store and hang and enjoy!

Fabric. If you have a nice piece of fabric or cloth you can stretch it on to an inexpensive piece of painting canvas from an art supply store, or simply hang it on the wall unframed as decoration. If you don’t have fabric, buy a few yards at a fabric store, many styles are pretty inexpensive and this way, you can decorate a large or small way in one step.

Framed pictures from calendars. Tear out some pictures from your favorite old calendar and frame it.

Mirrors. Target, Ikea, and other stores with inexpensive home décor sell wall mirrors that are pretty inexpensive. This idea may work well for you if you have a small space you want to give the illusion of being larger.

Collections (hats, handbags, earrings. Etc.). Use hat collections, hangbags or scarves to decorate your walls. Just measure and hang. This could also be good conversation starters when you have company over.


I’m sure there are dozens of other ideas, but here are just a few ways to decorate you walls without spending a lot of money.