Decorating an entire room can often seem overwhelming. Here are 5 easy decorating tips to help you get started.

Tip#1 – Make a plan and stick to it. When you have a plan to work with, you’ll not only stay focused, but you’ll save money. A good decorating plan will include furniture arrangement, materials list, schedule and a budget. Most importantly it will show the purpose and goals for the room. Having all this information at your fingertips will keep you focused, on track, prevent impulse buys and ultimately deliver the final transformation planned for the space.

Tip #2 – Start with a blank slate. In other words, completely empty the room prior to redecorating. Doing so allows you to see the bare bones of the space, including any architectural elements you may want to dress up or down. An empty room also provides opportunities to experiment with different furniture arrangements, editing the pieces that don’t really fit.

Tip #3 – Create a focal point. Every room needs something to draw you into the space. It could be a fireplace, a bank of windows, a large piece of furniture or a beautiful work of art. Whatever you choose as the focal point, be sure it’s visually appealing and provides drama to the room.

Tip #4 – Declutter and only keep what you really love or use. Nothing kills the joy of decorating or makes a home feel more claustrophobic and uninviting than clutter. Purge through your things and only keep the following: 1) things that have sentimental value; 2) things you need and use and that have an actual purpose; and 3) things that you really love.

Tip #5 – Pay attention to balance and scale. Balance the size of your furnishings and accessories with the space and the people who live there. Don’t overwhelm small rooms with huge furniture or large rooms with lots of little tables and chairs. If you have a large piece on one wall, then be sure to balance it with something of similar size on the opposite wall. It could be another piece of furniture, a big picture window or large display of art. Likewise, maintain balance around the room, choosing tables and chairs that keep in scale with each other. Finally, consider the people living in the space and choose furnishings that comfortably accommodate them.

If you follow these simple decorating tips, you’ll be on your way to transforming your space in no time.