Today’s blog is all about refreshing the look of your home for no money. Nada, zip, zilch. That’s right, it’s free! No matter how much you may be pinching pennies right now, you can still get creative, have some fun, and lift your spirits by changing your space. It’s the perfect antidote for that cooped-up Covid feeling and it can be accomplished in just three easy steps.

1. Rearrange your furniture: How long has it been? If I were to answer that question at any point in my adult life, the answer would be a few weeks or less. Clearly I have a problem. You might not get bored as easily with your surroundings as I do with mine, but remember how good it felt the last time you changed your space? It’s like getting a haircut that is soooo cute! It looks so good and fresh that you pause to look in every mirror for weeks afterward. You do the same thing each time you enter a revitalized room. That feeling wears off eventually, but to me, that means it’s time to change things up again.

Some people are convinced their furniture only fits in their room one way. If that’s what you think, challenge accepted. Contact me at michele@theredesignhabit.com and I’ll do my best to help you discover new possibilities. I’ve conquered nearly every room I’ve ever faced, and I embrace any test that comes my way. I fear no room.

If you prefer to solve the puzzle on your own, the secret is literally to think of it as a puzzle. Sketching your options from an overhead perspective can help you solve the puzzle by seeing solutions that elude you when standing in the room—and it’s much easier on your back than moving heavy furniture. If you really want to take your space planning to the next level, check out my fun space planning kit [LINK]. It’s like an old-school paper doll experience that results in effective solutions for your rooms.

QUICK TIP: Remember to use the middle of your rooms. People tend to line their walls with furniture and leave the middle empty. Make good use of the middle and you’ll likely find you have more space than you realized.

2. Switch out furniture pieces: This is a fun one. It’s like shopping in your own house! If you walk around and use your imagination, you may find that your living room end tables work perfectly well in your master bedroom. Or your chair in storage would look adorable in your family room if it had a new coat of paint or simply a good cleaning. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Remember everything you try can be reversed at the cost of zero dollars.

3. Swap your accessories: I have done this so many times I can’t even count! This is the same idea as #2 but just sharpen your vision to smaller details. Little things like candle holders, artwork, lighting, even area rugs can make a big difference. Try the change for a while, and if you don’t love it, untry it. Simple, and again, free!

TIP: If you have an item you want to move but the colors don’t work quite right in the new space, grab some extra paint from storage and bring new life to the item to make it work.

You may be skeptical that little touches will really make a difference. Trust me that they will. Better yet, try it and see for yourself.

BONUS TIP: This one doubles as a relationship tip. Be careful. I remember once when my mom decided to rearrange the bedroom and that included moving the bed. Well, my dad came home from work, didn’t bother to turn on the bedroom light and promptly found himself sitting on the floor because he didn’t realize she had moved the bed! Needless to say, he was not thrilled. So be sure and let people know if you’ve made major furniture moves so they can avoid my dad’s fate.

Now, what will you do next to love where you live?