6 Simple Ways to Upgrade Your Apartment Right Now

Sometimes all your apartment needs is a little shaping — and sometimes it needs a completely new aesthetic. But when you're on a budget, you can't do everything at once; you have to break it down. Luckily, there's a whole world of tools at your disposal, as well as different brands and decor ideas to tinker with and try out.

After a pretty intense 2020, I needed a refresh. Like a large portion of the world, I quarantined at my apartment day after day, trying to make corners of my Brooklyn apartment interesting with new art, smell-good candles, and banana bread — but ultimately, I needed a renovation.

First, I put together a list of action items: repainting all the walls and kitchen cabinets, new window, and bathroom fixtures, retiling the bathrooms, and new furniture. I made a mood board of pieces I wanted to buy and the general feel of how I wanted the apartment to feel. Clean lines with eclectic touches best describe my style. I then hired a contractor and we made a timeline and modest budget.

Four months later — after a lot of complaining, Home Depot visits, and adding items like a ½ inch metal bullnose to my shopping carts — my home was renovated.

Now, you may be thinking, “Great for you but I can't relate to renovating anything in an apartment I share with roommates or a dorm room on a college campus.” But the truth is, giving your space a facelift is something we can all do.

Here's how to upgrade and refresh your space on a budget:

I cannot begin to tell you how many late nights I spent on Pinterest looking at furniture, design, architecture, and art. Through the process, I realized that I really love design (mid-century modern to be exact). Scrolling through beautiful images and getting a sense of who I was based on the kind of home decor I was attracted to was revolutionary for me. Even if you're not in a position to buy fancy home items, there's something cathartic about pinning things you would love to own. Get to know your style! Don't feel constrained by your current circumstances. Manifesting is everything, friends.

The simplest and most effective way to improve your space is often to just change your sheets — seriously. Sheets and duvet covers inject color, personality, and life into your room, and they make going to bed an extra cozy and comfortable experience. You don't have to spend hundreds of dollars to spice up your bedding a bit; IKEA, for example, has sheets that start at $24 and come in fun patterns.

And don't forget the power of freshly-washed sheets. Don't limit yourself just to big box retail brands — recently, we're loving the limited release spicy-sweet Mojave Peach scent from Laundry Sauce, and DedCool's Dedtergent in signature scent Xtra Milk.

For me, I feel coziest in minimal spaces with accents like small rugs (a gorgeous option from House of Jade that's $58 but Etsy has great options, too!), chic heaters (like this beauty from dyson), and cozy sitting chairs (splurged on this from Urban Outfitters). Figure out what makes you feel most comfortable and start adding them to your space. Maybe it's an accent wall you paint or new desk lamp or a framed photo from Jungalow or other inexpensive sites where you can score great art. It can even be a candle from a Black-owned company or an incense holder for your bedroom. Get small items that bring you joy when you look at them.

Music is the ultimate mood booster, so I got HomePod minis for two rooms in the house. The sound quality adjusts for the space, so in addition to being sonically crisp, its sound won't disturb the neighbors. The new line of HomePods have Siri (who regularly gives me weather updates in the morning), sync with my iPhone 13, and come in a variety of fun colors. At under $100 you can get one for your home (or ask as a housewarming gift!) or gift someone else one for the holidays.

Yes, I am a minimalist. Yes, I am someone who loves to give things away. But, I truly believe that when you have essential items you love — and only things you love — in your home, the energy shifts. The reason why my apartment looks so different is because I got rid of so much stuff. I assessed what I wanted to keep and let go of everything else via donation or giving away to friends. Do the same, I promise the change will be incredible.