12 Simple Ways to Update Your Home for (NEARLY) Free! YHR Episode 3

When times are tight but you really want to change the look of your home, try these 12 simple ways to update your home for free!

Well, nearly free – because there are times when you need to spend a teeny bit to complete the job.

But a $30 can of paint is minor when you compare it to a major renovation.

Trent and I break down 12 easy ways you can give your home an update for little to no money.

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12 Simple Ways to Update Your Home for Free

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Updating your home can be done very easily without the need to take out a home equity loan.

Now, it’s no secret that big ticket item home renovations cost lots of money.

But when you aren’t financially ready for that but need a change, sometimes it’s hard to know where to start.

Rearrange Your Furniture

Or as I love to call it, redecorrange!

All it takes is moving the furniture around the room in a different layout.

Sometimes it’s as simple as swapping a room’s furniture layout to make it feel like a completely new space.

In fact, my rearranging my furniture, it helps me find the right layout for those tricky rooms where you aren’t quite sure where to put the sofa!

Our living room is an odd shaped room with two doorways flanking each side of the fireplace.

But certain furniture placement interrupted the natural walkway to the hallway and back bedrooms.

This is the first furniture placement that seemed to work, but it took about 4 different versions to finally get it right.

So if you have a small space that the furniture didn’t quite fit, or an older house with no longer functioning purpose, this is an easy way to make a room look different.

Change up your living space to create a flow that’s new to you!

Repurpose Items From Other Rooms

Similar to redecorranging, why not try the side table from the den as a nightstand?

Or move that floor lamp to a different room.

There are lots of ways you can repurpose items you purchased for one room to be used in a different one.

Here are some more ideas to consider changing up:

• Furniture: desks, side tables, accent chairs – any item that could easily work in multiple spaces.
• Artwork: Swap that painting from the dining room to the family room.
• Lighting: Lamps are a quick and easy thing to move around. You could even swap lamp shades for fresh new look!
• Decor: If you have your favorite collection on display in one place, why not scatter the pieces throughout your home to enjoy? Or if you have a theme in one room, see what it may look like in another room.

This doesn’t take much time and is the best way to reuse items in a new way.

And the good news is that it’s completely free!

And don’t feel limited with decor items.

You can completely repurpose a room. For example, take that formal dining room that you never use and turn it into a home office.

Deep Clean

If you have ever done a deep clean, you can tell a big difference in how the room looks, feels and smells renewed.

Wipe down the walls and baseboards.

Clean the windows, carpets and light fixtures.

Wash the drapes and throw blankets.

Everything will look fresh and new again.

Sometimes it just takes some elbow grease to make a room feel like it has new life.

Seasonal Decorating

This is something a lot of us do often with holidays, but this can also apply to different seasons.

Bring out those thick, cozy blankets and fuzzy throw pillows to create a cozy atmosphere during those dreary, wintery months.

Add candles and move the furniture in an intimate setting to make it feel more tight knit.

But for the opposite warmer seasons, keep things simple, bright and open with thin fabrics and lighter colors.

Add elements that will refract those longer daylight hours, like glass bottles or vases.

DIY Projects

Now, if you’ve been to Noting Grace before, then you know how much we love our DIY projects!

So this is one of those nearly free ways you can update your home that is simple.

One of my favorite project updates was this hall tree.

I gave it an entirely new look using Oven Cleaner! Click Here to see the full tutorial.

So for a couple of bucks and a short weekend, I had a new piece for my home.

Another project that we tackled was our huge bed.

All we did was sand the black stain down to create a new look in our master bedroom.

TIP: Check out this post if you want some tips on how to sand your furniture.

Here are some other DIY Projects you can consider for little or no money

• Paint a lamp
• Sand or paint a piece of furniture
• Repurpose old items into something new, like this plate stand

For even more ideas, check out our DIY Projects page to see over a 100 different ideas.

Most small projects don’t take a long time or a big undertaking to at least make small updates to your room or current home.

Swap Out Hardware

The cost of an average kitchen remodel starts at $10,000.

But you don’t need to totally redo your kitchen if you don’t have the budget.

Try swapping out or adding new knobs and drawer pulls to give your cabinets a new look.

This would also work for any piece of furniture.

Hardware is pretty affordable, and sometimes you can find awesome deals at places like Habitat for Humanity, thrift stores or even Facebook marketplace.

Update Artwork with Free Printables.

I love printables!

They give me the option to change up my decor for the cost of printing a piece of paper!

Another option is to have them professionally printed at your local print shop for a higher quality print.

We have lots of Free Printables if you want to see what we have to offer.

You can also find lots of free vintage artwork that others offer on Pinterest.

Try a Theme Night

We decorate for birthday parties and Cinco De Mayo.

Why not swap things around for that Italian dish you finally want to try?

Add some mood music and decorate just to give your home the feeling of a new place, even if just for one night.

And have the kids join in, too! It’s a great way to expose them to new cultures and create an affordable fun family night.

Divide Your Houseplants

When your plant is outgrowing it’s planter, it’s a good idea to divide the plant to help it thrive.

But for the simple price of a new planter, you can create a new plant for a different room in your home.

There are many websites that can show you how to do this as well as YouTube videos.

Update Your Landscaping

We have heard time and time again for many years that the easiest way to increase the value of your home is to add curb appeal.

Well, making the exterior of your home look spiffy doesn’t require tons of money.

So here are some ways to update your landscaping:

• Tackle those garden beds! Pull the weeds and refresh the mulch.
• Pressure wash: You can rent a pressure washer for a day and make your driveway, sidewalk and siding look new.
• Transplant and divide plants: Using the same tip I shared with houseplants, you can also divide some outside landscaping as well like hostas, daylilies and iris.

Changing Lighting

This can be as big as swapping out lighting fixtures to as small as changing light bulbs.

But a little light change can make a big difference.

When we updated our kitchen, we moved the light that was over the original island we were taking down to our dining room, and it was totally free!

And changing light bulbs is another thing to consider.

In the winter months, add those warm incandescent bulbs to make it feel cozy.

But for those longer summer days, try the daylight LED bulbs to create a totally new look.

But even small changes like this are a good option to try.

Update with Paint

Another way to update your home for nearly free is with paint!

A fresh coat of paint goes a long way, and it takes very little money to give a room a fresh new look.

You can also create a focal point by painting just one wall, like we did in our basement family room.

We used Romabio’s Velatura Mineralwash in Celtic Stone to create this awesome look.

Painting is another good option when updating your kitchen cabinets.

And you can have a new door for your home with a fresh look and new color that also leave a great first impression!

Other Affordable Ways to Update Your Home

There are numerous ways to update your home for free. Here are a few more to check out and consider if you do have a small budget.

• Instead of replacing your kitchen appliances, paint them, or apply a stainless steel sticker like we did!

• Do the projects yourself. If you have the budget for the items, but not the labor costs, look into ways to learn how to tackle the project on your own.
• Declutter and Simplify. This is one thing our family is tackling this year! By removing the clutter from your home, it may help you feel like you added more square footage to your home! Subscribe to my email list to see a new post every week to help you tackle this challenge!

So I hope these 12 ways to update your home for free inspired you to rethink the typical home project.

Do you have more tips that you want to share?

Be sure to leave a comment below – we would love to hear your amazing suggestions!