6 Budget Decorating Tips to Spice Up Your Walls!

Are the walls in your apartment a little boring? Spice them up with some of these inexpensive ideas:

1. Posters

My poster of Rosie the Riveter

Posters are great decor, because there are about a million posters out there, so it’s easy to find one, or a few, that suit you. I suggest buying posters online: you can get some pretty good deals on Allposters and on Amazon. For a more finished look, you can frame your poster. Standard-size poster frames are available at a variety of stores, including Michael’s.

2. Maps

I have a replica of an antique map in my apartment

If you’re anything like me, then you love to travel. Maps are a great way to display that sense of wanderlust, and to add some interesting dimension to your walls. In my apartment, I have several maps displayed, including a replica of an antique world map, a map of the Denver metro area (where I live), and a map of the London Underground subway system (one of the places I have visited). Having these maps around the apartment keeps my memories of my travels fresh, and keeps me dreaming about new adventures.

3. Photographs

I have photos from a recent trip I took to Utah displayed on my walls

Photos are an excellent way for you to display memories from trips, adventures and events, or to see reminders of the important people in your life. I print most of my photographs on my own, since I have a photo printer; however, Walgreens prints photos for pretty low prices. Once your photos are printed, you can frame them with inexpensive frames from stores like Target or IKEA. If you don’t want to frame your pictures, there are a variety of other ways you can display them creatively, including hanging them from a photo clothesline or displaying them in mason jars. I have had some of my photos printed on canvas (see above). This is a slightly more expensive option, but is a nice way to add some mood, color, or dimension to a room.

4. Artwork

Turtles that my cousin painted, hanging on my bathroom wall

Artwork can be very expensive…however, if you have any skill with a brush or pencil, or if you have friends or family who are talented artists, you can get interesting and personal artwork for inexpensive prices. I enjoy working with charcoal, just as a hobby, so I have framed a few of those drawings (with inexpensive frames from Michael’s) and hung them on my wall. I also have a cousin who paints professionally and I purchased some paintings of sea turtles from her for my bathroom (see above photos). What a great way to add some color to the white walls!

5. Quotes

Since I have a photo printer, I like to print letters on photo paper and hang them on my walls. For example, I printed the letters of my favorite Jack Kerouac quote to display on my wall:

A quote from Jack Kerouac, on the wall of my bedroom

I also printed and framed the following letters to display in my kitchen:

Some fun kitchen decor

Even if you do not have a photo printer, you can print letters on regular paper and put together your favorite quotes or sayings.

6. Lights

I have lights strung around my apartment

I bought a couple boxes of Christmas lights from Target a while ago, intending to wrap them around my balcony. However, when I realized that wouldn’t work due to the location of the nearest electrical outlet, I decided to hang them around my room. And I’m so glad I did! They add a warm glow and additional lighting to my little apartment, which sets a great atmosphere in the place, whether I am reading, working on my computer, watching Netflix, or hanging out with my roommate (cat) Winchester. And each box was only $6!