21 budget-savvy ways to redecorate for free – give your home a refresh without spending a single penny

We all love giving our homes a little update now and then – especially when a new season manifests itself and the weather and mood change with it. But there isn’t always the budget reserved for decorating as often in life, there are other priorities – luckily, there are easy ideas to redecorate for free to turn to.

From upcycling what you already have and giving it a new lease of life to easy DIY projects and more, these days there are many different clever and creative budget decorating ideas you can use and give your home a refresh without spending a penny.

‘Redecorating a home without spending any money is entirely possible even though it may sound difficult,’ says Violeta Stoyanova, Fantastic Handyman's renovation specialist. ‘If you're willing to get creative and put in some time and effort, you can absolutely have great results.’

1. Turn travel mementos into decor

Your home should be a reflection of you – of your personality, style, interests and your cherished memories. So if you’ve done your fair share of travelling, then why not turn your travel mementos into decor?

‘If you're a travel lover, turn your memories into decor,’ says Yen Goo, founder of Paguro Upcycle. ‘Gather postcards, polaroids, or snapshots from past trips and arrange them in a large photo frame. It’s a budget-friendly, personal way to brighten up your space, and it’ll bring a smile every time you walk in.’

2. Clear surfaces from clutter

Overdecorating and cluttering all of your surfaces - from the coffee table to the shelves - can take away from the individual pieces you’re displaying and they can get lost in the chaos. But by taking some of the pieces away, you will let the remaining decor truly shine.

‘Clearing surfaces and letting your pieces breathe is free and surprisingly transformative,’ says Alex Stubbs, Flitch interior stylist. ‘It gives your home a more curated, designer feel. Even moving just a few items can bring clarity and purpose to a room.’

Violeta at Fantastic Handyman agrees, ‘Clear out any visual clutter and unnecessary items. This alone can make a space feel bigger and calmer. A deep clean, especially of the windows, skirting boards, light switches and textiles, can dramatically improve a room’s appearance.

3. Forage your table centrepiece

Biophilic design ideas are trending. And there are many different ways you can bring the outside in - one of the ways that are free is by utilising your garden, local park or forest to forage for things to make a decorative arrangement in a vase with and display it either on your dining or console table.

‘Bring nature indoors. Cut flowers, branches or greenery from your garden or a nearby park where it's permitted and display them in old jars, bottles or pitchers for a fresh, natural touch,’ Violeta at Fantastic Handyman says.

Alex at Flitch agrees, ‘A quick stroll in your garden or a nearby park can yield beautiful branches, dried seed heads or greenery to style in a jug or vase. It feels rustic, seasonal and perfectly aligned with the organic modern trend.’

4. Create your own wall art

You don’t have to pay a lot of money for expensive original art or even art prints – and that’s because you can create it yourself. Depending on your level of skill, it can be anything from a collage to an abstract piece, a portrait or a landscape if you’re feeling up for it.

‘Make simple wall art using materials you have. You can create abstract patterns with old paint, cut-out designs from magazines or even fabric scraps. If you’re handy, create small shelves, pegboards or hanging organisers with leftover timber, old crates or even cardboard reinforced with tape and glue,’ Violeta at Fantastic Handyman says.

5. Give wood a fresh look

Interior trends often determine which shade of wood is in fashion. What was once pine, transitioned into light Scandi styles, and we're now seeing mid-century furniture have a resurgence. So if you're looking to achieve a mid-century living room design, then it's easier than ever. 

Wooden furniture can be expensive though, so you won't want to buy an entirely new set. Instead, consider sanding down and restaining it for a brand-new look. You can pick it up cheaply, or for free, in charity shops or resale platforms though, so don't write it off if it's the wrong shade. 

'Don't be put off by dark stained or orange-looking wood, this can easily be changed by staining or waxing. Think beyond the current use or condition of an item and look at its potential,' advises interior stylist, Claire Douglas. 

6. Repurpose glass bottles

One person's trash is another person's treasure - and the same applies to your home. Taking a dig through your recycling can open up a plethora of opportunities for new decor, and you're helping the environment. It's a win-win. 

If you're wanting to revamp your living room shelves, then adding in glass bottles for fresh blooms is an affordable and simple way to make a difference. 

'Another way to decorate for free is to take items that you already have and repurpose them,' explains Claire. 

'Vases could be made from glass bottles & jars, test tubes, plastic bottles, cups, or even old jugs.'

7. Switch out soft furnishings

What makes a home feel cosy and welcoming is often down to the soft furnishings. Cushions and throws can be expensive to buy brand new, but they are often the first thing you get bored of looking at day in and day out, without any change. 

Instead of heading out to the shops, why not swap your bedroom and living room cushions around to add a new touch to an existing scheme. 

'Every couple of months I switch up the throws on the beds, sofa and armchairs - even the ones on the top of the basket!' says our Assistant Editor, Thea Babbington-Stitt. 'It adds a new burst of colour and pattern to my space, while also helping my home adapt to the seasons.'

8. Let your creativity blossom with paint

Don't forget about leftover paint. Millions of litres of paint end up in landfill each year in the UK alone, so make use of leftover paint from previous projects for an eco-friendly, purse-friendly update. Our Contributor, Holly Walsh, suggests painting borders or 'frames' around your artwork on walls. 

Or you can give candlesticks, vases, or plant pots a new look. Claire recommends to 'paint stripes on the fluting' or 'spray with metallic or stone texture paint' for a unique look. 

9. Know where to get freebies

Making use of what you already own is the easiest option when redecorating for free, but if you're set on sprucing up your space with something new then consider taking a look at resale sites like Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree, as well as community sharing apps like Olio.

'Start with Facebook Marketplace and local giveaway groups – these can be treasure troves for free home items. You might come across a beautiful coffee table someone’s giving away, or pick up decorating supplies like paint, tools, old tiles or old paintings that could add a splash of personality to your space, all for free. One person’s clutter could be your next treasure,' Yen at Paguro Upcycle says.

10. Deconstruct flat-pack furniture

Flat-pack furniture is often bought as a means to an end - whether you've just moved into a new place and need storage fast, or you're not quite committed enough to invest in a specific style yet. This means that it's less likely to grow with your home, and you might want to replace it faster. 

Luckily, it's just as easy to put together as it is to take apart. Our Deputy Editor, Rebecca Knight's latest home hack is using parts of flat-pack furniture for other purposes. There are also a plethora of IKEA hacks that will transform basic furniture into unique pieces.

'I have a ladder desk I hacked to remove a shelf from, I'm planning to turn the leftover plank of wood into a narrow dressing table with some hairpin legs if I don't find something else to reuse for legs in my flat first,' she recommends.

11. Get creative with frames

Ideal Home Editor-in-Chief, Heather Young's favourite budget living room idea involves framing anything and everything. 'I like to get creative with what's displayed in frames in my home,' she says. 

'I save things like cards people send me, gift wrap and wallpaper swatches (even food packets!) so that if I want to change up the art on the walls, I don't have to spend money on new prints. I've even popped a favourite t-shirt my son grew out of in a frame because I loved the design so much.'

You could also collect flowers and foliage to make into artwork. Frame some pressed blooms, displaying seasonally appropriate flowers to give your home an update every few months.

12. Move artwork and accessories around

'Have a swap around with artwork and accessories,' suggests our Contributor, Holly Walsh. 'You might be bored of a print on the wall of your living room, but how about hanging it in the bathroom? Or a cushion on your sofa might look better on your bed.' 

13. Source things from friends and family

'I love scouring Facebook Marketplace and freecycle apps to see if I can pick up any pieces of furniture or nick nacks to update my home for free,' says Digital Deputy Editor, Rebecca Knight. 'However, it's also a good idea to spread the word among friends and family if you're looking for a specific item.

'I needed some new dining room chairs and it just so happened that my mum's friend had a set of four armchairs she was throwing out and she let me have them for free.' Budget dining room ideas like this will help you to gradually create a beautiful space.

14. Repot plants

Turn your attention to your houseplants and see if any are ready to be repotted. Have you got a spider plant with lots of little plant babies growing off it or a money plant that you could separate out into a few pots?

Learn to propagate them and you can quickly expand your collection, handy for last-minute gifts or your living room shelving ideas. Giving plants a trim, dusting the leaves and topping up soil will get them looking their best while promoting healthy growth.

15. Display dried flowers

Ideal Home's Contributor, Nicky Phillips has a brilliant tip for making the most of old flowers. 'Hang hydrangea heads upside down to dry out and mix with plenty of dried foliage to make an oversized dramatic arrangement,' she says. 'Try stuffing chicken wire into an old urn, soup terrine or large ceramic vase to make arranging the stems easier and more effective.'

16. Rearrange the furniture

There are no rules when it comes to how to arrange living room furniture, so rethink your space imaginatively as you move sofas and armchairs around. 'I’m a huge fan of rearranging rooms to give them an all-new effect, boosting feelings of well-being' says Wayfair’s resident style advisor, Nadia McCowan Hill. 

'Whether it’s moving your favourite occasional chair from your bedroom to your living room window, or reworking accents the simple practice of putting things in a new spot will bring a little excitement to a tired (and at the moment) much-seen room.'

17. Move furniture away from walls

While we're moving furniture consider how to position it, for a fresh feel. We probably all have sofas and sideboards butted up against the walls and they've been that way since we moved in. And, yes, sometimes that's the only viable option and best use of space – but stylists say that is not always the best idea.

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen recommends bringing your sofa into the middle of your space to transform the feel of the layout if space allows. He warns that otherwise, your can end up with a room with 'agoraphobia', with all furniture backed against the wall.

'It’s a myth that pushing furniture up against walls makes a room feel bigger,' agrees Nadia. 'In actual fact, your pad will feel far more spacious and pulled together if you pull sofas and larger items of furniture slightly away from the walls.'

18. Restyle shelves

A simple practice, but a highly effective one for completely changing the look in any room. 'Restyling your interior is the easiest way to give your space a new lease of life and the good news is that you don’t need to splash the cash to create a fresh new look,' says Nadia.

Clear the shelves, give everything a thorough dust and start to restyle how things were displayed. This is a great opportunity to declutter, to display items in a more organised and curated way.

‘Try stacking books both horizontally and vertically to create a cute vignette,' Nadine suggests. Or 'add a few trailing plants to make everything feel organic,'. her top tip when it comes to styling shelves is 'be mindful not to over-style’. Less is more, it's about striking the perfect balance.

19. Rethink rugs

The same premise as with the cushions, switch the rugs from room to room, for an instant mini makeover. Or change where you position them in within each room. Do you have the rug placed centrally in the living room, because that's what you think you should do? Why not lay the rug off-centre?

Turn it vertically rather than horizontally, to change the room's perspective. Even a few inches from where it is now can make a difference.

20. Reposition the TV

Create a new focal point for the living room by repositioning the TV. As much as we don't like to admit their prominence, TVs are more often than not the anchor of the living room scheme.

By moving the TV (where it's not wall-mounted of course) we can completely change the dominant aspect of the living room, in an instant. Even better, where possible hide it from sight.

21. Repurpose pieces

Give pieces of furniture a different purpose, and get creative with the function of every single item in your home. IKEA steps can work as stools, a chair can double up as a bedside table to hold a book, and so on.

Best thing about all of this simple redecoration is they are free and totally reversible.  But we wouldn't mind betting a lot of these changes will stay in place, as you'll love how the little changes can make a big difference.

Now that you know how to decorate your home for free, which one of these tips are you going to try out first?