The start of school is quickly approaching and with it brings many new promises and things to be excited about. Reuniting with friends, frolicking through the streets of Oxford on a sunny fall afternoon, eating endless amounts of chips and salsa at Charra, and more are in our near future, people! With the start of junior year comes one new adventure for us juniors: moving into our first off-campus houses or apartments.
Off-campus housing frees us from the stress of RAs roaming the halls and eliminates communal bathrooms shared by 20 or so people. We finally have a home to call our own. One of the most exciting aspects about this is decorating how we’d like. It's time to ditch the posters you brought from home and upgrade to a more sophisticated personal style. Check out my tips and instructions on how to add some fun décor without breaking the bank.
1. Shop smart.
Browsing through your local thrift store is a great way to find lightly used furniture, like a desk or dinner table, for much cheaper than at a traditional furniture store. These pieces of furniture are most likely not going to be your desk or table forever so they are not necessary items you need to splurge on. Another great resource for home décor, or materials to make decorations, is Joann Fabrics. I love Joann because their prices are reasonable, they are constantly having sales, and they offer a ten percent student discount. You can find yards of tulle to drape over your blank walls for around .99 cents a yard, or a variety of different fake flowers to bring color to any of your rooms.
2. Check out Pinterest.
Pinterest has been there for all my needs for many years now, filled with recipes, quotes, and a plethora of DIY projects. Browse the website for ideas on decorating and for cute accessories that you can make, like the ones featured below.
3. Use tissue paper.
Using a simple pack of tissue paper to decorate is not only inexpensive, but it can produce some really cute crafts. I decided to use it to make flowers that can be hung from the wall or ceiling. This nearly effortless craft has only a few steps: stack a few pieces of paper on top of each other, fold the paper like an accordion, tie a ribbon around the middle, and carefully pull the layers of paper out towards yourself. Finally, fluff the papers to shape the flowers exactly how you'd like. Using more or less paper can affect the size of the flower that you produce, as you can see below. Check out the original directions here.
Price: $2-5
4. Collage, collage, collage.
Shadow box-type frames allow you to create collages while giving you space to add in extra trinkets. Hang your photos with a colorful ribbon or mini clothespins for some extra fun.
Price: around $15/frame
5. Paint your favorite quote.
While this may sound like very basic, typical girl advice, you can get personal and creative with how you paint a quote on a canvas. For example, I hate doing laundry and I found a funny quote on Pinterest entailing a schedule that explains how to procrastinate on your laundry. I painted this quote onto a canvas, added some glitter because well, duh, and I glued a satin ribbon to the back for easy hanging. I can hang this over my laundry basket or washing machine once I move in. I also painted the word “SPLASH” on wooden letters to stack on a bathroom ledge; this will add some color to my bathroom. Pick your favorite sassy quotes and have at the canvases.
Price: $5-15 (canvases), $2/letter
7. Use Mason jars.
Mason jars are iconic and really handy in many different situations. In the past, I have spray painted them and used them as pencil holders on my desk. For my house this year, I filled the bottles with some paint, put the lids on, and shook them around until the interior was coated with paint. They may take a while to dry--be sure to set them out overnight. I plan to use them to hold bathroom objects, but their uses are never-ending. Another great use of glass bottles would be to coat the inside of one with paint, following the same instructions outlined above, and use it as a vase for fake flowers. This would be the perfect way to upcycle your old wine bottles! Price: $2-5/Mason jar
These easy tips and craft ideas are bound to help make any house or apartment have that more adult feel without draining your wallet. If you need some inspiration for more DIY project ideas, check out my Pinterest board.