Decorating Your First Apartment on a Budget

Decorating your first apartment can be a fun task for anyone. It is probably the first time you have the chance to fully express yourself throughout the entirety of a living space. Sure, when you lived at home, you might have had the chance to paint your bedroom walls and arrange the furniture how you wanted, but more than likely, that is the extent to which you were allowed to be creative.

Don't get me wrong though, you probably won't have total creative license in your new apartment. You might face several restriction that can seem detrimental to any ideas that could be floating through your head. For example, a lot of landlords put restrictions on changes that might be "permanent" (like painting or remodeling), so you're probably going to have to deal with and work around the fact that both the layout and the color of your new apartment are unchangeable. Another major problem standing in the way of many people is budget. Unless you're fortunate to have a stash of cash somewhere, you're probably going to want to decorate your apartment without spending a fortune, which is the main thing I am going to focus on in this article: Decorating on a Budget.

Although you're going to be working on a budget, I have learned from experience that there are several things that are almost essential to pull any room together (outside of the essential bed, couch, etc.): curtains, pictures, and lighting. These things really help to balance out a room an give it an outward appearance that you have really made an effort at making your first apartment a home.

While these three things are relatively easy to find in any department store, more than likely, you'll notice that the prices tend to be a little on the high side for what you are getting. There are several places that you can go and several things you can do to greatly lower the price you'll pay for quality items.

One thing is to check out local antique malls and flea markets. You'll be amazed at the price of framed pictures and prints you can find. For the most part, when you go to a department store, you have to first pay for the print, and then you have to pay for a frame, on average, you'll be paying about 9 dollars for a print and then another 14 dollars for the frame (depending on the size and quality of both). However, on the contrary I've found framed prints at antique malls for as low as $2.75. If you find though when you are actually looking in antique malls that a lot of the prints or pictures are damaged or ugly looking, you can always take the print out and use the frame for another picture you might already have or for one you have purchased at a department store. The key is to get what you can at a reduced price, even if you have to splurge on that fantastic print you saw at your local department store.

Antique malls are also a great place to get lamps for lighting. If you have never been into an antique store or mall, you might be amazed at the wide range of items they actually have. Not everything comes from the late nineteenth century. In fact, some items come for the early 21st century. Whether you are looking for a cool retro 50's lamp or a more modern style ceiling fixture, you'll probably going to be able to find it. A lot of the things you'll find in antique malls, you'll never see in anywhere else, So you're apartment will be unique compared to all your friends.

The final item you'll really need in order to pull your apartment together is curtains. These items are probably not something that you'll be able to find while shopping at an antique mall. One of the best suggestions I can give for locating low priced curtains is to shop the clearance isle of your local department store. Another suggestion is for those who are handy with sewing. For me, this is the route I ended up taking. If you are able to sew, making your own curtains can cost as low as six dollars (depending on the size of your window) and you have the option of making them in any color or style you choose.

The three things you need to remember when decorating your apartment are: lighting, curtains, and pictures. No matter where you go to purchase these items, whether it be your local department store or my personal favorite, an antique mall, remember the items you purchase for your first apartment need to reflect you and your taste. After all, you are not living with your parents anymore, you have a chance to really express yourself through your living environment.