Your bathroom is where you start and end your day. Though it is a functional space, it shouldn’t be an afterthought or filled with worn-out, mismatched or ugly things. When your reflection looks back at you from the mirror, you deserve to see yourself surrounded with pretty, pampering touches that make it a pleasure to primp. Luckily, the bathroom is one of the easiest rooms in your home to makeover on a budget. It’s a small space, so just a few touches make an impact.

Paint
I’m a firm believer in the power of paint to transform a room. Even if you change nothing else, a fresh coat of a color you love is an instant mood lifter. The typical bathroom is small enough to paint yourself in a day, and it’s a fairly easy DIY project. You can buy a gallon of paint at Home Depot for under $35 and good paintbrush for less than $10. Don’t cut corners with the cheapest paint and brush; you’ll get far better results with quality. I’ll be covering how to choose your paint color and finish in an upcoming article, but you can’t go wrong with a color that makes you feel good.

Shower Curtain
If your tub has a curtain instead of glass doors, you’re in luck. A new shower curtain is an instant updater, and you can find a tremendous selection of styles at Walmart for less than $20. Whether your style is flowers, squiggles, foreign cities, tropical fish or stripes, there’s a shower curtain perfect for your bathroom. I prefer fabric curtains with a vinyl liner underneath. Polyester curtains need to be heavy enough to hang properly.

Towels
You deserve to start your day with a little pampering. The finest hotels and spas have luxuriously thick, oversized bath towels, and there is no reason your bathroom can’t offer the same. Get rid of those mismatched, worn out towels decorated with cartoon characters your kids have outgrown, and replace them with colorful, quality towels that feel good on your skin. Check out Home Goods or a similar discount store for designer towels at budget prices. While you’re there, pick out a thick, soft bathroom rug. It’ll warm your feet and provide protection against slips on a wet floor.

Bathroom Mirror
It’s hard to feel your best when you face your reflection each morning in a chipped, worn or just plain ugly bathroom mirror. It’s generally easy to replace your mirror. Framed mirrors usually hang on heavy wire like a painting, and large, unframed mirrors typically have clips. Swap out your boring, old mirror for a shiny new one for under $100 at Home Depot. Unless the new mirror is exactly the same size as the old, you’ll probably need to paint at least that wall, so this is a great project to combine with repainting the whole bathroom. In one day, you’ll have an entirely new space.

Accessories
Are you using an old, chipped mug to hold your toothbrush and a cartoon-character soap dispenser? Unless you’re sharing your bathroom with a toddler, it’s time to upgrade your accessories. You don’t need an entire matched set of toothbrush holder, soap dispenser, tissue cover and trashcan; you just need pieces that work well together. Home Goods, Target and Walmart are all great spots for inexpensive, pretty bathroom accessories. Tie your accessories together with a common color, material or theme, and take your bathroom from ho-hum to wow without breaking a sweat.

Go all-out with all five changes in your bathroom, or just use one or two. You’ll be surprised at what a difference even small touches of color, style or luxury make in the bathroom. You’ll be even more surprised at the lift in your mood. It’s easier to feel good when your home looks good.