Unless you’re Taylor Swift or a young millionaire who owns his own company, chances are your apartment is less Sex in the City and more 2 Broke Girls.
But even if you live on a food budget of mostly ramen noodles, it’s still possible to prettify your digs without breaking the bank. All it takes are a few DIY projects to turn your apartment from homeless chic to actual chic.
Here’s how:
1. Start by making your own adorable photo wall clocks.
All you need for these cute-as-buttons wall clocks are photo paper, foam board, nail polish, and a clock kit (or a dismantled old wall clock). And the best part is you can use any photo you want! Tutorial here.
2. Light up your room with a personalized marquee sign.
Don’t be intimidated by the electrical hooplah involved in this project — it’s surprisingly very easy. Tutorial here.
3. Fabric strips + corn starch = temporary but contemporary wall art.
Oh, the things you could do with this idea! So cheap and so easy (did we mention it was cheap?) Tutorial here.
4. Customize your curtains with fashionable patterns.
With just $9.99 VIVAN curtains from IKEA and gold-colored heat transfer vinyl, you can make on-trend window accessories for about $18. Tutorial for this and a few more curtain ideas here.
5. Add a vintage bohemian vibe to any room with this oversized fabric garland chandelier.
Now that’s a mouthful! This easy-to-do project looks like it could be hanging in an Anthropologie store. Tutorial here.
6. Cupcake lights! Not really, but almost.
Is it made of cupcake liners? Yes. Does it look like it belongs in a museum? Also yes. Can you make it yourself? You bet! Tutorial here.
7. Upgrade your shelves and make them match your room’s motif.
Take a beaten up old shelf and give it new life. For an even cheaper alternative, you could use wrapping paper instead of wallpaper. Tutorial here.
8. Wake up and go to sleep happy with this colorful tassel duvet.
This may be a goliath of a project, but telling from the photo above, it’s totally worth it. Tutorial here.
9. Room dividers don’t always have to be ugly and bulky.
Especially for studio rooms with open floor plans, getting dressed might make you feel exposed. The fix? DIY an old dressing screen or plain frames with patterned fabric! Tutorial here.
10. Take a cue from Anthropologie and dress up your bathroom.
Isn’t this shower curtain just darling? Only do it if you are a sewing machine whisperer, however. Those frills are quite tricky. Tutorial here.
11. Get magnetic spice racks to fleek-ify your kitchen storage.
These magnetic canisters can double as decor for your fridge, too. Win win win. Tutorial here.
12. Wall planters can breathe life into your blank walls.
If you’re a bit handy with tools, you can dress up your outdoor (or even indoor!) space with this small planter. Use pre-cut wood pieces to make this DIY even easier. Tutorial here.
13. Make your own mini cacti garden.
No, it’s not a trifle. It’s an adorable cacti garden! Even if you didn’t inherit your mom’s green thumb, don’t fret because Cacti are one of the hardest plants to kill. Tutorial here.
14. Rope-coil-rug your entire house.
This will look as good on your wall as it does on your floor. And it’s so easy, you guys! Tutorial here.
15. Washi tape is a good (and temporary!) design trick to spicing up your walls.
Washi tape is a godsend from rental space heaven: pretty enough to decorate with, but won’t give your poor landlady a heart attack. Tutorial here.