How I Decorated My Room for Under $100
Like most people the first thing I thought of to decorate my walls with were pictures. Little did I know how expensive pictures could be. I first looked for framed pictures at discount retailers like Target, figuring I could get a good deal. Wrong. Even their smaller pictures cost about $30, and while that isn’t really expensive, it was just a tad bit more than I wanted to spend on one item. I did come across a rather small rectangular picture for $10 in the sale bin at Rite Aid, and a matching pillar candle for the same price at Kmart, but those items ended up in my bathroom so they don’t count towards the total for my room. The point is, however, that we can’t discriminate against those really cheap shops. To find good pictures for a really low price I recommend going to unexpected places, such as Rite Aid. Believe it or not, you might just find one or two items you like. If all else fails, skip the framed pictures and go for prints which are usually less expensive.
After thinking about things I decided hanging a heavy framed picture over my bed just wasn’t a good idea. I mean, I do live in California, which is earthquake country, after all. My roommate created a canopy over her bed by nailing a blanket over her bed, which gave me an idea. Let’s just say I “tweaked” her idea. Since my bed spread is green and pink, I bought separate green and pink drapes for $11 each, nailed them above my bed, and let them hang down on either side. It added a very feminine and almost mideval touch to the room, and I didn’t have to worry about anything hard dropping on my head in the middle of the night.
Once I got the drapes up, all the rest of the decorations seemed to take off. I got a rose swag (a swag is a collection of fake flowers, usually in the shape of an arc) from my mom to go over my dresser, and they complimented the dark wood furniture in my room nicely. On the wall next to my bed I hung three flower plaques which cost about $30 for the set. And on the wall furthest from my bed I hung three dress form figurines, which are oddly appropriate since I’m a fashion majors. Those cost about $20 for the set, and just to spice things up a little I spent a few dollars on some pink ribbon to tie on the figurines.
In total I’ve spent about $70 out of pocket, but closer to $100 if you total in the price of the swag (they usually run between $15 to $30). I’ve also considered hanging tassels from decorative drape hooks, which would run about $30 for the entire set, and I’ve also thought about adding a rug in the hallway. Maybe when I get my next $100 to spend! But the key to decorating your room on a budget is to go to the discount stores and take advantage of their sales. Be inventive, you don’t have to use pictures. And if you do, you can always make your own by framing pictures from calendars and magazines. Most importantly, have fun with your decorating, don’t just buy things because they’re cheap, make sure they reflect your personality or you’ll simply end up spending more in the long run.
