With the average tiny apartment in Los Angeles renting for over $2500 per month, it’s clear why budget-friendly decor is a hot topic for your small house. Once you factor in the cost of food, transit, bills, and a little fun, it can feel like there’s little left to spend on making your new apartment feel like home.

Still, there are ways to decorate a new apartment for pennies on the dollar—you just need to learn a few not-so-secret secrets.

If you’re looking for small apartment decorating ideas on a budget, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s take your living area space from bland to beautiful with decorations and personal storage.

Build Your Tiny Jungle

While the myth of houseplants purifying the air has been busted, they still add a pop of vibrant green to any apartment walls. Even a few well-placed plants can give your small house an oasis-like feel at a reasonable price.

Fake Plants, Real Atmosphere

Here’s the skinny on fake plants: For anyone on a budget, they’re perfect for interior design. Live plants are more expensive to buy and maintain, and if they don’t last while you’re traveling, you’ll have to pay to replace them for your small space.

You can find realistic fake greenery without emptying your wallet, so yes, go ahead and pick up that plastic Monstera. And if you place it in the corner of your living room, nobody will be able to tell the difference in your apartment living room decor ideas.

Get Hooked on Books

Whether you’re an avid bookworm or not, books are an inexpensive way to dress up your small space. Books add a sophisticated look to any living area space, and if you source them from thrift shops or used bookstores, you can score piles of them for cheap.

Here are two captivating ways you can use books to spice up your extra space in the room:

  • Color-coding – For those with a library-worthy collection of books, avoid employing the Dewey Decimal system to arrange them. Instead, sort them by color. It’s an eye-catching way to turn a bookshelf into an art piece.
  • Stack them – For a more polished look, you can stack a few coffee table books on a side table and place a plant or lamp on top. And for a trendy, boho aesthetic, try placing piles of books up against the walls. It’s cheaper than shelving, and it solves the problem of empty space.

Pin Up Those Posters

Art isn’t only for the connoisseur. Frugal decorators have an option that’s just as visually appealing as a Monet: posters.

Posters are inexpensive (even free if you have a printer or a library card), and you won’t have to drill any holes. Pick up some washi tape from the dollar store, and you can hang colorful posters without damaging the walls for a cheap decorating idea.

Accent Walls: Budget Edition

White walls make a tiny apartment seem more spacious, but they’re not the most exciting. That’s why striking accent walls are an exciting addition to any home. They’re easy to recreate, and they provide a modernist feel to your home.

When you’re on a budget, there are two ways you can liven up one of your walls:

  • Paint – Painting doesn’t have to be expensive. Buying a can of paint, a roller, and a tray from a local hardware store is surprisingly cheap, and if you do it yourself, the labor is free, too! Don’t forget to ask for permission first if you live in a rental unit.
  • Temporary wallpaper – No permission to paint? No worries. Most hardware stores also carry peel-and-stick wallpaper, which you can apply to the wall behind your couch and remove when it’s time to move out. Rolls of temporary wallpaper cost a bit more than paint supplies, but they’re certainly cheaper than paying the damage deposit!

Spotlight Your Hobbies

For more apartment decor ideas on a budget, look no further than items you already own. Rather than buy new accessories and art pieces, you can spotlight your hobbies and interests within your home for a personal touch.

Here are some ideas for popular hobbies:

  • Hang guitars or other instruments on the wall
  • Frame photos you’ve taken (see our article on how to hang pictures on your wall)
  • Mount your snowboard, skis, or bike
  • Display your record collection
  • Showcase old sports jerseys and trophies
  • Leave your telescope out in the corner
  • Buy a bar cart for easy cocktail practice

You can personalize any of the above examples to correspond with your activities. Ideas like these are perfect for small apartment decorating ideas—it’s a decoration that doubles as storage!

Need Extra Space on a Budget? We Have the Solution

When funds and space are tight, spending hundreds more each month on a two-bedroom to store your stuff can be out of reach.

Renting a storage unit, however, is the perfect alternative.

With Price Self Storage, you can stow away all the decor that doesn’t suit your current apartment. Once you move into a larger place, you’ll be glad you kept your favorite furniture pieces.

Choose a unit size that suits your budget with our storage size chart, and start clearing out the stuff that doesn’t match your new accent wall. Get in touch with us today to find out more!

Sources: 

RentCafé. Los Angeles, CA Rental Market Trends. https://www.rentcafe.com/average-rent-market-trends/us/ca/los-angeles/ 

National Geographic. Which houseplants should you buy to purify the air? None of them.https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/houseplants-dont-purify-indoor-air