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If your rent is eating up your paycheck, you can still pull off great décor. Here, our favorite budget decorating ideas.And if you're a homeowner, don't worry -- you can still enjoy these affordable adorable ideas. True, you can't chant "The rent is too damn high!", but we bet you can come up with something similar enough: "The mortgage is freaking me out!" or "The property taxes are enough to make my head explode."
Just two of the frugal decorating ideas Tria Giovan, Country Living; mylandblog, Flickr.
And he's right - the rent is too damn high here in New York City, but it's also too damn high in Washington, DC and Los Angeles and dozens of other locales around the country. While I seriously doubt he can change the world one slumlord or fat cat at a time, I do think he's got a point. I'm so tired of wasting my money on rent.
My husband and I cringe when we think about what we pay to live in our Manhattan apartment. (Hint: It's probably double most people's mortgages. I'm not bragging - It's the size of a studio, we have a baby, and it eats up most of our salaries.) What's worse? Thinking back to all of the rentals I've lived in since I graduated from college in 1998. I can count nine. That's about 12 years of writing checks to mostly absentee landlords.
In DC, I lived in two apartments I shared with multiple roommates. For one, I paid $290 a month for a year, and in the other I paid $425 a month for five years. I didn't have central air in the steamy DC heat, and we had mice. In the second apartment, the rug was tattered and stained, paint was chipping off the walls, and the kitchen was a hallway with a few cabinets. (I have to admit that I loved this apartment; it's amazing what great light will make you overlook.)
Still, over six years, I shelled out close to $30,000 for rent, and I've continued to send checks to landlords since (though I did own a house for one year in 2008). Just like everyone else who rents, I write checks to make somebody else richer, while dreaming about the house (and stuff) I'll someday own.
That's when I pinch myself.
I don't need a lot of money to decorate the house of my dreams. There's so much I could do with the meager amount leftover after paying the rent each month. I just have to get a bit more creative. I don't want a lavish home, just a pretty one that is comfortable and cheerful.
And my own.
Here are some of my favorite ideas of how to pull off budget decorating -- even if your rent is too damn high to afford much.
In the living room: Just about the quickest thing you can do to make your bookshelf look completely different: Flip your books! And it's 100% free.
In the kitchen: Re-purpose the humble mason jar and make a charming terrarium. Not sure how? We've got the details, plus get more ideas for re-using mason jars.
For the table: Use what you have to make elegant place cards. Even if it's just a humble weekday night, write each of your family members' names on a small piece of paper and use a gold pin to attach it to a pear. This is also a great look for Thanksgiving decorating.
For the bedroom: Buy a new dresser just because you're craving something special for your clothes? No thank you. Paint, tape and new knobs can be all you need for a shocking, stunning piece of furniture that's basically new to you. Check out the full story for more tips!
Looking for money-saving ideas that go beyond decorating? Our sister site DIY Life was also inspired by Jimmy McMillan's platform. Check out their piece: The Rent is Too Damn High - So Save Money by DIYing. Or check out the fantastic The Rent is Too Damn High video on Urlesque!