How to Decorate Your Room for Free

Planning and Reorganizing

Make a 2-dimensional floor plan of your room and furniture. Use a tape measure to measure the dimensions of your room (length and width). On a piece of graphing paper, draw a scale image of room where 3 grid squares = 4 inches (10.2 cm) or 1/3rd of a foot. Include in your floor plan the location and size of doors, windows, closets, fireplaces, etc. Make scale drawings of furniture on a separate piece of paper. Measure the length and width of any large pieces of furniture (e.g. bed, dresser, couch). Cut these out and rearrange them in your drawing to see how much space you have to work with. Carry this plan and furniture cut-outs with you if go shopping or "dumpster diving", so you know if you have enough space for something before bringing it home.

Make a list of design ideas. In a search engine such as Google or Bing, type in "easy bedroom decorating ideas" or "cheap bedroom diy". Before starting a project you find online, write-out the instructions and compile a list of materials, including tools. Gather together any tools or materials you need before beginning your project.

Clean your room. Create more space and reorganize by getting rid of anything that is unnecessary or outdated. Clean out and organize your closet, under your bed, and other places in your room where stuff has accumulated. Donate any furniture, clothing, or electronics that are in good condition. A good rule of thumb is to donate or throw out anything you haven't worn or used in the past year.

Rearrange or add furniture. Create more space in your bedroom by moving your bed against the wall or place a comfortable chair next to the window to make a comfy reading nook. You want everything currently in your bedroom to fit comfortably before adding anything new, especially if you have a small bedroom. Add a bed skirt so you can store things under your bed without them being seen. Switch-out a bedside table with one that has drawers for storage or several shelves to hold books.

Maximize the storage potential of your bedroom. Create additional space by installing extra shelving in your closet or purchasing a combination of plastic and decorative storage bins. Attach hooks or shoe bags to the back of doors. Use the vertical space in your closet to install high shelves as a space to store out-of-season clothes and accessories. Decide what you want to place in each storage bin and label it. Use these labels to avoid throwing anything in a bin that does not belong. This will help you stay organized. Arrange storage bins on a shelf or the bottom shelf of a bookcase for easy access. If the bin is in a visible location, use a decorative canvas bin or wicker basket.

Rearrange your bedroom according to the principles of Feng Sui. Your bed should be raised off the floor and if possible, avoid placing it in an area that receives direct sunlight during the day. Do not place mirrors opposite your bed. Stimulate your other senses by adding lightly scented candles or spraying diluted essential oils. Lavender has been shown to decrease heart rate and blood pressure.

Create a more relaxing space. Replace any light bulbs that emit a bluish light with soft white LED bulbs. Blue light stimulates brain activity and may make it more difficult to fall asleep. Look through your house for lamps that have LED soft white bulbs and swap them with bulbs from your bedroom. Most interior lamps use 40- or 60-watt bulbs, but check first before exchanging a light bulb from another lamp. Incorporate warm, bright colors as accessories (lamps, vases, pillows, etc.), but do not make them the dominate color in your bedroom.

Decorating with Re-purposed or Recycled Items

Find free things. Find a freecycle network within your area or ask friends and relatives for old unwanted items. Look for furniture made from real wood that can be refinished. Unless it is in good condition, avoid second-hand plywood, particle board, or laminate furniture. While these surfaces can be cleaned and repainted, refinishing techniques such as sanding or sawing can release airborne pollutants such as formaldehyde.

Go to garage sales. Check your local newspaper or Craigslist for garage sales in or near your neighborhood. You are more likely to find things for free if you go later in the day, preferably after 12:00 p.m.

Ask for old swatch books at the wallpaper store. Use recycled wallpaper to decoupage old lamps, vases, or furniture for free. You can also use wallpaper to line shelves or the bottoms of drawers.

Move furniture and art from other places in the house for a fun change. For example, move a bookshelf from the living room to your bedroom. Look for design inspiration in your own house. Use a painting, decorative pillow, piece of clothing, or floor rug as the basis for a new design theme or color palette in your room. Ask permission from housemates before moving anything. Chip and Joanna Gaines Chip and Joanna Gaines, Remodel & Interior Design Experts Curate your own interior design aesthetic. "Filling a room with the things you think you should because you’ve seen someone else do it that way, or because you just want it to feel finished, will never yield a home you truly love. You can make a room feel both beautiful and complete without filling every corner and surface with a bunch of random stuff."

Making Your Own Bedroom Accessories

Make your own throw pillows. Throw pillows make a great accent piece and can add color. However, store bought pillows are often expensive. While having sewing skills or access to a sewing machine are helpful, they are not necessary. Make a 'no sew pillow' by using two pieces of felt that are the same. Place the felt pieces together and use scissors to cut 2 inch (5.1 cm) wide by 5 inch long strips along the edges. Leave a square at each corner. Tie the strips together around an insert pillow or cotton batting. Use two t-shirts that hold sentimental value, but don't fit anymore to make a pillow. Cut-out a square or rectangular piece (depending on what shape and size you want your pillow) from each shirt. Place the two pieces together and sew together three of the four sides. Stuff with cotton batting or even other t-shirts before sewing the final edge. You can also stuff a pillow with fabric scraps or use an old pillow as an insert pillow.

Make your own curtains. Drape fabric over the top and down the side of a curtain rod and then slide a valance or swag over the rod. If you live in an area with a lot of light-pollution from streetlights, signs, car headlights, etc., you might want to use darker fabric to block outside light. Too much light exposure at dusk or at night can disrupt your body's natural sleep-wake cycle, known as its circadian rhythm. Make your own curtain rings. Attach your curtains to the rod by tying hooks with fabric, rope, or ribbon. You can also dress-up cheap curtain wrings by wrapping them in different colored fabric. Use a bed sheet to make a curtain ruffle that can be sewed onto the top or bottom of your curtains. Use inexpensive small hooks, pegs or doorknobs to "hang" or tie curtains off to the side.

Make your own flower arrangement. Search garage sales, flea markets, and second-hand shops for silk flowers, or cut and dry real flowers. Make an arrangement of dried grasses and wildflowers found along the roadside.Cut the flower and at least 8 inches (20.3 cm) of stem when they are in peak-bloom. Remove any leaves along the stem. Tie the flowers together with a piece of twine and hang them upside down in a dark, cool, dry place until completely dry, about 2-3 weeks.

Make a jewelry tree for your dresser. Arrange several dry branches in a vase. Fill the vase with pebbles for stability. Decorate the tree by draping earrings, necklaces and bracelets over the branches.

Hang some of your drawings, paintings or old calendar pictures on the walls. They don't necessarily need a frame. Attach them to the wall with a couple of common pins or mount them with poster board or foam board.

Experiment with DIY design ideas. Make a decorative mat or bureau scarf. Stylize a plain lampshade by wrapping it in metallic ribbon, wrap it in gauzy fabric, or cover it in old maps or pages from your favorite book. Make a mobile of odds and ends to hang from the ceiling. Attach old keys or origami birds with string to a metal coat hanger. This adds a fun, whimsical atmosphere to the room.