Lately, I’ve been focusing less on the small decorative purchases and more on a few larger home projects. As a result, I’ve become much more selective about how I decorate, often working with what I already own and simply restyling to refresh a room (as I shared recently in my primary bedroom progress update). So this week I thought I’d share some of my all-time favourite ways to decorate with little or no money. These ideas are easy, approachable and really homey ways to add personality and warmth in small, but impactful ways.

Let’s dive in!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Should you choose to purchase through them, this blog may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure policy here. 

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11 Easy Ways to Decorate A Home With Little or No Money

As I’ve settled more comfortably into a style I genuinely love, I’ve found myself increasingly enjoying what I already own. 

I love using a mix of styles that strike a good balance of new, discounted, thrifted, vintage, and DIY decor. These work together to create a space that feels personal and lived-in while still fitting in with our home aesthetic: a little modern, a little mid-century, and a little organic farmhouse which create a subtle ecclectic mix that continues to evolve.

While experimenting with my decor over the years, the one thing that continues to surprise me the most is how many of my favourite decorating ideas tend to cost very little – and sometimes nothing at all.

While budget constraints are a real thing, I also don’t think that all inexpensive decor is ‘cheap’ looking.  In my experience, it’s more about BEING SELECTIVE and learning to BALANCE HIGH & LOW with NEW & OLD.

The following 11 easy ways to decorate a home with little or no money come DIRECTLY FROM MY HOME. No fake photos or stock images. This blog is very personal for me. The examples below are all simple ways that I’ve added personality and soul into our home without spending much at all.

And hopefully, you’ll gather some ideas and inspiration for creating a home you love, too.

 

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DECORATE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE

As I’ve become more and more selective about what comes into our home, I’ve been relying more on the things we currently own – often digging through items I’ve stored away. Before I buy anything new, I usually start here.

1. Using Clothing & Wearables as Decor

One of my favourite ways to style is by displaying items that serve a practical purpose while also contributing to a room’s overall aesthetic. A scarf draped over a bench, a hat hanging in the foyer, or a pair of rainboots tucked under a bench – all serve both a practical and styling purpose to a space.

Items of clothing and footwear add interest, softness, texture and – certainly – personality while still being things we use and reach for often.

Of course, you do need to be selective! A few pieces make a statement; a floor full of shoes makes a mess. 

That said, wearable items can make for an interesting choice. They tell a story about the people who live in the home and often feel far more authentic and warm than any decorative accessories.

I’ve used this approach often. The most recent I’ve shared here on the blog is this post on Spring Foyer Decorating Ideas that has several very approachable and stylish ways to refresh an entryway. 

 

2. Use Everyday Functional Items as Decor

When I tire of ‘traditional’ decor, I typically turn to the more mundane objects we use in our every day: books, cups, bottles, kitchen cutting boards, baskets, and even salt and pepper shakers – all missed decorating opportunities that some of us overlook.

Their shapes, colours, materials, and textures are beautiful in their own right. These everyday objects add soul and character because they’re connected to how we actually live.

Whether it’s a woven storage basket in our living room, a pair of carved wooden salt and pepper shakers on our kitchen counter – purchased at the grocery store – or a bowl of fruit, having these pieces out on dispaly feels more meaningful than something purchased solely for decoration.

Often the most interesting homes are designed to reflect the rhythms of everyday life. What if the best decor in your home is already there?  In Quiet Decor: How We Use Everyday Objects as Home Decor, I explore how ordinary items can become some of the most beautiful elements in a room.

 

3. Style With Books & Magazines

Readers of this blog know that I’ve often shared my love of styling with coffee table books – and for good reason. I genuinely enjoy leafing through design books, art books, craft books, and magazines for home style and diy inspiration.

Books instantly add height, texture, and personality to a surface.

I use them on coffee tables (of course), but also on consoles, side tables, and any horizontal surface around our home. Sometimes they serve as risers for a decorative bowl, vase or candle; other times, they look beautiful simply stacked on their own.

That said, new coffee table books can be expensive (!) which is why I purchase most of mine at discount stores like Home Sense Canada or thrift shops like Value Village. In fact, some of my favourite hardcover books – like this Canadian art book and this Cat:The Complete Guide – were both books I found and purchased while perusing Value Village!

For more on styling coffee table books see my post, Coffee Table Books as Decor & How To Style Them.

 

4. Edit (or Rearrange) What You Already Have

Sometimes, the best way to refresh a space is simply by moving things around a bit.

A lamp from one room can suddenly feel fresh in another. Artwork can be restyled too. Decorative objects can be grouped differently. And furniture can be shifted to improve flow.

Whenever a room begins to feel stale, I often focusing on an accessories refresh. It’s partly why I like making seasonal style updates every year – these comprise a few opportunities to restyle and refresh our home year-after-year.

Here’s just a sample of how I’ve styled our living room through the seasons.

First, for SPRING…

Next, for SUMMER…

Finally, for FALL…

Just a few swaps, additions, removals is all it takes – and no piece in this space is precious or expensive: throws blankets, pillow cases, books, vases, candles, coasters. Hardly anything is actually at full price or new – truly!

More often than not, a little rearranging is enough to make our home feel refreshed.

If you’ve ever felt stuck with your home but weren’t ready for a renovation, I shared some tips on simple shifts that help me see our spaces with fresh eyes, along with plenty of real-life examples in How To Enjoy Your Home Even When You Don’t Always Love It.

 

5. Declutter & Clean

This is probably the LEAST EXCITING suggestion here, BUT I think it’s one of the most effective. A clean and uncluttered room almost always feels better designed, somehow. 

While cleaning is my least favourite activity (try as I might to like it – argh), when a space is clean, it just looks and feels better. I cannot argue that fact.

And decluttering? This is actually one of the most SATISFYING activities for me – and one that I’ve shared often on this blog. It makes such a dramatic difference in improving the overall look, feel and function of our home.

Cleaning and Decluttering work together perfectly: Decluttering creates breathing room. Cleaning makes a home feel cared for. Together, they can dramatically improve a space without costing anything.

I’ve found that tackling your stuff – whether it’s cleaning or decluttering – in small, manageable ways is far more effective than waiting for the perfect weekend to do a major purge.

If you’re looking for a simple place to start, My Micro Home Reset offers quick, manageable wins, while 17 Simple Ways to Reduce Visual Clutter explores the small changes that can make your home feel calmer, more intentional, and beautifully put together.

 

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BRING THE OUTDOORS IN

Some of my favourite decorating elements often come directly from nature. Here are some ideas to consider in your own home.

6. Propagate Your Plants

A few years ago, I never would have imagined that I’d be recommending plant propagation as a decorating tip!

Not because it’s an outlandish concept, but because I’m not a lifelong plant enthusiast – not by a mile. In fact, I only recently learned how to properly care for a houseplant – this prayer plant:

But after bringing it home – then nearly killing it – I learned how to bring it back to life (and shared my best tips here) and even how to successfully propagated it.

And now, I have NOT ONE plant, but TWO PRAYER PLANTS.

Here’s that second, propagated plant sitting on our buffet table in the dining room – nestled naturally amongst the art and decor – just a few short months ago: 

The additional greenery cost nothing, yet added life, colour, and a slightly quirky charm to two separate surfaces in our home. It’s one of those decorating ideas that feels both natural and rewarding, too.

 

7. Decorate With ‘Found’ Pieces From Nature

Found pieces from nature have always been a part of my decorating. Whether it’s a smooth stone picked up on a trip, a shell from a shore walk, pinecones, or wildflowers picked and dried from a walk outdoors, its these moments of foraging my decor that I enjoy bringing into our home.

I love foraging for stems and wild vegetation. The wilder and more sculptural, the better! The imperfections of vegetation that’s starting to fade and twist into beautiful earthy tones bring an organic quality that I’m especially drawn to.

But I’m also drawn to the TEENY TINY pieces that add charm to a larger vignette. I love spicing up a small spot – like a small vessel – with something directly from nature. It’s one of my favourite ways to finish off a vignette.

Whether it’s mini pinecones in a bowl next to a larger vase….

Or a smooth stone that finishes off a nature-inspired vignette in a vintage cabinet…

It’s these small hits of the outdoors on larger surfaces that add a bit of that QUIRK-APPEAL that add so much charm – and without the hefty price tag.

 

8. Bring Home Fresh or Faux Flowers

There is something about flowers that instantly makes a room feel really cared for. Whether you lean fresh or faux, either one has its benefits – and I use both.

High-quality faux stems, for example, can last for years and are wonderful for seasonal decorating.

But fresh flowers have a beauty that’s hard to replicate.

Many of mine come from the grocery store. To help them last longer, I keep the water cool and change it frequently – daily, ideally. It’s a simple habit that stretches your decorating dollars quite a bit.

And if you’re decorating with tulips – notoriously delicate and short-lived – I have a few additional tips to help your cut tulips last longer.

 

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ADD PERSONALITY, THOUGHTFULLY

These are the details I tend to be the most selective about.

Adding personal, even quirky, accessories can go wrong, quickly. Add a few items and it’s charming; have too many and you may feel like your living in a fun-house of the circus variety ;). And, yet, striking the right balance is so COMPLETELY PERSONAL!

That said, here are a few ways that you can consider adding personality to help your home feel more uniquely lived in.

9. Make Something Yourself

DIY decor CAN save money, but only if you’re discerning about it. Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate that some handmade projects can become surprisingly expensive, especially when supplies start to add up! 

My BEST ADVICE: Consider the costs before DIY-ing anything.

When you’ve decided to go ahead, adding a few pieces of handmade decor can add such character and interest in a home. In fact, some of my favourite decor have been small, inexpensive pieces, like a DIY punch needle mug rug…

A stitched faux-leather vase cover…

A framed and handmade mini-weaving made with inexpensive yarn…

Even decorative matchbox covers using pretty craft paper on the coffee table…

The key is to enhance a space by creating pieces that add charm and personality without competing with anything else – at least that’s been my approach.

10. Shop for Thrifted Art and Decor (Selectively)

Thrift stores can be dangerous places for the decor lover. Trust me! There is always something tempting waiting on a shelf, wall or table. 

Over the years, I’ve learned to be much more selective. Rather than buying something that’s ‘meh’ but inexpensive, I wait to purchase pieces that GENUINELY suit our home, and in light doses – stand-outs that make a difference.

One of my favourite finds was this pair of thrifted mid-century reproductions in our living room – which I stumbled upon at a local thrift shop.

Another was this original artwork currently on my bedside table, which I found at a local antique market several years ago…

This piece wasn’t expensive, but I loved both the art and its brushed silver frame. It felt fresh, modern, and completely unique.

For me, the same applies to the thrifted decor I bring home. The goal isn’t to buy more because it’s inexpensive or that I need to fill a space (though I’ve done that before – that never works out). 

When walking through a thrift shop, I always consider whether or not an accessory that catches my eye will enhance my space. I MAY LIKE IT, BUT…it may not be right for my home.

It has to integrate in a way that helps elevate what I’m creating in a room.

Whether that’s a shallow bamboo bowl (a thrift store find) that fits seamlessly into a coffee table vignette…

Or an ornate ceramic jar (thrift store find) – I’m using as storage for keys in our foyer…

Or this simple stack of wooden bowls (another thrift store find) alongside this quirky wooden head sculpture (consignment shop find) that integrate seamlessly into this cabinet vignette…

I now shop second-hand much more slowly, carefully than I once did. I look for interesting shapes, natural materials, unusual textures, and pieces that fit with what I already own.

Some visits yield nothing at all. Others reveal the perfect little item that I didn’t know I was looking for 🙂

 

11. Display Travel Treasures

Alongside thrifted and handmade pieces, I also like incorporating small travel treasures into our home.

These aren’t souvenirs, as such – though some fall into that category – but rather personally meaningful objects tied to places we’ve visited – or from folks who’ve visited us – that also add something special at home.

This could be an original sketch picked up during vacation with my hubby…

Or this small – and rather ‘wonky’ – rustic stool also found on vacation…

Or several small keepsakes integrated into our our liquor and storage cabinet. Imperceptible, but still there.

Like these beer steins from Germany or these stone carvings from a business trip…

Or these shot glasses featuring the ‘fathers of confederation’ on a trip to Prince Edward Island…

Or these Russian dolls gifted to me by an exchange student while I was in grad school…

And these are just the tip of the iceburg! We have so many other keepsakes sprinkled around our home (and some that still need a spotlight) – maybe something to share for another day…

I like that all these pieces carry stories with them. They aren’t just decorative objects, but quiet reminders of experiences, conversations, and places that have stayed with us.

I tend to display them in simple, understated ways – on shelves, styled into vignettes, or layered with books and other collected pieces. Over time, they’ve become a part of the visual story of our home, without feeling overly curated or themed.

 

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FINAL THOUGHTS

When I look around our home, many of my favourite decorative details weren’t expensive purchases at all. They’re propagated plants, thrifted art, found decor, stacks of books, handmade projects, and practical objects that happen to be beautiful – at least to us.

Decorating with little or no money isn’t about settling for less. It’s about being intentional with what you bring into your home.

In many ways, those inexpensive, collected, DIY, and functional pieces are the things that make a house feel more personal. They tell the story of where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going. And to me, that’s truly what makes a home beautiful.