Step 1: When in Doubt, Journal It Out
Deciding on your style, what you want to get rid of, where supplies can be found, and how your final result should look can be difficult and overwhelming. An easy way to combat this is by journaling your ideas! Log onto Pinterest, and start looking at rooms. Take note of the rooms that you find yourself the most inspired by and attracted to. Pretty soon, you will have an idea of what your style may be. List out anything in your current space you cannot part with, such as your desk, or your vintage vanity mirror.
You may find that you still are unsure of your style, even after going through magazines and Instagram. A great way to sort out what your style is, is by taking the “What’s My Aesthetic” quiz. This quick and simple assessment is the brainchild of Mr. Kate, a self-taught interior expert with millions of YouTube followers. Your results may be all over the place, like me, but Mr. Kate will explain what each result means. Here are mine!
- 27% Industrial
- 18% Mid-Century Modern
- 18% Bohemian
- 18% Traditional
- 9% Quirky/ Whimsical
- 9% Modern/ Dramatic
Step 2: Clean Up Your Act
Once you know what you want your future to look like, you need to work on your present. That is, clean out your current space to make room for some new vibes! Throw away anything broken or not fit for donation. Donate anything (and I mean anything) that can be donated: An old dresser, an unused pair of shoes, brand new candles, etc etc. Begin moving anything you want to keep out of your room, and into an alternative space. If you’re in a smaller home or apartment, you can work with everything in the room- Just be prepared to be moving things around a lot!
Then, when you have room, get to work cleaning! Vacuum the floors. Scrub the walls. Dust the ceiling fans. Wash the windows. The cleaner the room, the easier to paint!
Step 3: The Things You Sit and Sleep On
As you are completing Step 2, begin Step 3. Go to furniture stores, and look around. Do not feel like you need to spend a lot to make a big difference. As long as the furniture is good quality, the price does not matter. It’s okay if you don’t find everything all at once. It’s common you will find your bedroom set it pieces, unless you find the perfect set in one shot. If you are interested in large sets that include everything you could possibly need, such as a dresser, vanity, bed, and mirror, check out big box stores, such as IKEA.
Step 4: Pick Your Poison
Picking furniture is fun, at least in my experience. But, choosing a paint color can get stressful. There are so many options, and a lot of the colors you may gravitate towards may have hundreds of dupes and similar shades. The best place to start is by simply walking up to that glorious wall of swatches, and picking out the colors you like the best and match your aesthetic. Once you have these swatches, lay them out in front of you, and toss aside swatches that actually don’t gel with your vision, or that you don’t like as much as you originally did. Your possibilities should be well under 10. The more options you have, the harder the choice!
The final step is comparing your swatches to your furniture. The worst thing you could do is paint your walls a color you adore, only to realize that color doesn’t look good with your furniture. You could take the swatches home, if your furniture is already there, or simply find photos of the furniture to make your comparison. Soon, you will only have a few to pick from. Follow your instincts, and all will be well.
Don’t forget to get paint for the trim and for the ceilings! New walls demand new trim and new ceilings.
Step 5: Paint the Town Red… Or Gray… Or Green
The day has come- Painting day! Be prepared, however. Painting day has a sneaky tendency to turn into painting week. So, working together with family, friends, or roommates may help.
Be sure to tape to prevent painting places you don’t want to paint. No matter how good you are at freehanding, tapining will help you out! Cover anything still in the room with protective tarps, old sheets, or garbage bags. Do the same for your floor- A painted carpet isn’t always attractive. And, once you feel ready, just go for it!! Don’t get too wrapped up in perfection. Any mistakes can be fixed later, but try and be careful! Backing up onto a still wet wall isn’t fun, and will always end with a new hairstyle. (This definitely didn’t happen to me)
Let the paint dry fully before touching it. You may find you need a second coat to make the paint cover the previous color.
Step 6: Finding Your Feng Shui
Setting up a new room can be stressful. Will I like the new furniture? Does the paint look nice? Should I get a fake fig tree? Where do I put the dog bed?
It’s totally normal to not quite know how you want your room to be set up. The best way to alleviate this is by doodling some basic ideas into your journal, again. Sketch different set-ups, and different positions for your bed. Once you have a sketch you really like, make it happen! If the physical result isn’t your jam, try something new.
There is no rulebook to making your room feel like yours. Play around with your furniture until you’re happy and, remember, nothing is forever. You can move your desk back to where it was originally any time you want.
Step 7: Get Crafty With It
Saving money is a must. The best way to do this is by getting a little creative. Some of the best aspects of my room at home were DIY projects. Here are some very easy and cheap ways to spruce up your space, while maintaining a personal flair.
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Clean out old candle jars using dish soap, water, and acetone to make unique pencil and makeup brush jars
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Paint old mirrors and/or attach LED lights to revamp a boring wall or vanity space
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Stain wooden furniture, such as bookshelves, to make them feel brand-new and stylish
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Use contact paper to refresh table-tops, doors, or walls. I used a white shiplap contact paper on my closet doors, along with $5 handles, to create the look of barn doors
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Make a macamé hanging-plant holder or wall piece for a personal touch of magic
Step 8: Down At the Dollar Store
Sometimes, even the most crafty of us cannot quite make a piece of decor we want. But, we also don’t want to spend a fortune giving our rooms some life. The best place to go, in this case, is the dollar store. Half of the small decor items in my room were under $5. Many dollar stores have pillows, clocks, wall art, mirrors, decorative trays, and even nightstands! Making a quick trip may inspire you and will certainly save you money and effort. You can also get most of your renovation supplies at your local dollar store, such as paint brushes or nails.
Step 9: Organize Your Life
Once you have everything you need, organize! Designate bins, clean drawers, and be logical. It doesn’t matter if your system of organization doesn’t make sense to someone else. As long as you understand where everything is, and why it’s there, you’ll stay more organized in the long run. It’s also a good idea to organize your closet while you’re organizing the rest of your room. The more streamlined your space is, the more relaxed and at home you’ll feel!
Step 10: Keep It Classy. Keep It Clean
The easiest way to make a brand new room feel old is by never cleaning it. If you’re a messy person, like myself, it can be difficult to get into the habit of staying clean. Life gets busy, things get rushed, and before you know it your shirts are hanging from the ceiling fan again. But, it’s vital you try your best to stay on top of things. Make a daily cleaning schedule, and then a weekly schedule. Perhaps every day you’ll make your bed, put clothing back in their correct spots, and tidy up your working space. Every week, plan to clean your makeup brushes, vacuum/ mop the floor, dust, take out the trash and Windex all mirrors. Don’t let clutter pile up. If something ends up in your space that isn’t necessary, or that you do not want, get rid of it straight away.
If you stay on top of your cleaning, your room will feel like a 5 star hotel everyday, and for a very long time.
Renovating a room can be a lot of work, and sometimes it is impossible to know where to start. Hopefully, with this 10 step guide, you’re ready to fulfill all of your HGTV fantasies!