Bedrooms are one of the most utilized places in our homes. Along with giving us a place to sleep many of us now have computers for school or business and televisions for entertainment.
Whether you are making an upgrade because your kids are getting older or you just want to improve a neglected part of your home it shouldn’t cost you so much that you have to think twice about it. So, lets look at a few simple things that can change the whole look of your bedroom in one weekend for around $500.
The one thing about keeping to a budget is that you need to figure out what changes will get you the most bang for your dollar.. to figure this out you have to ask one question.
What are the largest things in your room and how much will it cost to change them.
Based on an average 10×12 room
Lets make a short list:
- $150 – Paint Walls and Ceiling
- $50 – Change Curtains or Blinds
- $50 – Change Bed Covering and Sheet set
- $100 – Install or change your Ceiling Fan
- $100 – Install wire shelving and closet organizer
- $300 – New Desk and Office Chair
- $500 – New Dresser or Chest of Drawers
- $800 – New Bed
What you can see from this list is the less expensive items in your room will give a larger bang for your buck when you are trying to change the overall feel of the room.
Painting is something that most people can do and in an average sized bedroom you can expect to use about 5 gallons of paint if you do not need to primer the walls to block out dramatic color changes such as dark reds or greens. With a roller and pan and one or two brushes you can paint the average sized room in less then half a day if you do not need to perform wall repairs.
Window coverings are the next largest item that can make a dramatic change in your bedroom. Changing the color of your window coverings can be pretty dramatic but the textures in different drapes also offer a special feeling to any room.
You can install black out drapes that will keep the morning sun out of your eyes if you like to sleep a little late on the weekends or you can install drapes over your blinds and allow different levels of light and provide extended privacy.
Bed Coverings are very easy to replace and because your bed is the largest item in the room it will make a big change in how the room looks. In addition to a standard sheet set you can add a quilt or pillows or a variety of different items that will say who your are and improve how you sleep.
Ceiling fans can be installed in place of center room lights and provide excellent cooling in spring and fall and improve cooling in the summer. With a $100 budget you can get a very nice set at a discount store that would cost you hundreds at most home stores.. or you can go a little cheaper and apply the extra someplace else in the room like maybe a small desk light.
Closet organizers will allow you to store more in your closet so the rest of your room is not cluttered. By installing two levels of hanging shelves you can place the first shelf very near the ceiling of the closet and still have room for a shoe rack on the floor or on the back of the closet door. You can also have a shoe organizer that slides under your bed giving you plenty of out of the way storage.
Furniture is more expensive to change but if you have a single size mattress and you want to upgrade to a full or full extra sized mattress most single sized frames will accept the mattress however the head and footer board may not fit correctly. You will get about a foot extra width and length by upgrading and your mattress and box spring will cost less then a double or queen size and will still fit in your bedroom. It is a good alternative when teens need new mattresses. Many discount stores offer a full mattress and box spring set for under $300 and since you use it eight hours a day it is a reasonable expense.