When you are on a tight budget, it helps to have a few decorating ideas that are reasonably affordable. Here are 5 of my favorite budget decorating tips and ideas. Try one today and see how easily you can transform your home without breaking the bank.

1. Paint the walls! If you are familiar with my decorating tips, then you know this is one of my favorites. You’ve heard it before – nothing changes the look and feel of a room as quickly or cheaply as a coat of paint. I can’t emphasize enough the dramatic transformation that paint can do for your space. It only takes a few hours to paint a room and that makes it approachable for even the most novice of do-it-yourselfers. Painting is also a great opportunity to try out a new color and if you hate it, paint over it for a quick fix. As far as price – paint is relatively cheap! Most rooms only need 2 coats of paint and a gallon will cover a small size room in one coat. I have painted larger spaces with just 3 to 4 gallons of paint, which is only about $100. Who wouldn’t pay $100 to dramatically change the look of their room? Yes, I’m enthusiastic about paint!

2. Buy second-hand furniture. Seriously – there is a treasure trove of used furniture pieces all around you. Yard sales, flea markets, thrift shops and online sources like Craigslist, Freecycle and eBay offer you endless opportunities for some fantastic finds. It only takes a few hours to transform a used piece of furniture. Whether you strip and stain it or give it a fresh coat of paint, quality used furniture is worth refurbishing. How do you find quality? Look for sturdy pieces made out of real wood with dovetail drawers. If you know how to sew, you might even set your eye on pieces to slipcover or completely reupholster in updated fabrics. I always shop for second-hand pieces that I can transform before ever considering paying retail.

3. Look for no-sew solutions. I include this tip because sewing is not my strong suit so I look for alternative ways to make custom pillows or window treatments to decorate my home. Search your craft shops for things like no-sew tape and fabric glues. Some no-sew tapes are fusible tapes that you iron onto fabric. Some are double-stick tapes. There are different products available for light to heavy fabrics, depending on your needs. Fabric adhesives can be used alone or with no-sew tapes and make perfect hems. The adhesives are also great for adding embellishments like decorative fringe or beading to pillows, curtains and lampshades or for patching torn fabric on your furniture. Both the tape and glues are inexpensive and can last you through several projects or repairs. I love no-sew solutions!

4. Decorate one room at a time. When you decorate one room at a time from start to completion the rewards are much more gratifying than jumping from room to room. If you sporadically decorate all over the house, you can easily end up with a home that is never a true reflection of what you want it to be. In addition, that haphazard approach can kill your enthusiasm for transforming your home and encourage impulse spending which will hurt your budget. Approach decorating in steps. There’s no need to rush the process. It’s a great feeling and motivator to see your home transformed one room at a time. Be patient and you’ll be able to fully enjoy the results.

5. Stick to your budget! No surprise there, right? I can’t stress enough how important it is to go into decorating a room with budget and plan in hand. You don’t need to do everything at once. Focus on the cheaper decorating choices for each space while you’re saving up for the more expensive things. For example, you might be able to afford decorating your family room except for that new sofa you wanted. Throw a slipcover over the old one and continue decorating the rest of the room. When the time comes around that you can afford the new sofa, buy it then. But, there’s no reason to avoid decorating an entire room while you hold out for the sofa and there’s no reason to make expensive purchases before you can afford them. Work with what you can within your budget.