How to Redo a Room Without Spending a Thing

As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

We’ve all been there. We walk into our home after a vacation, a day of work, or just a random day, and we’re not thrilled with what we see. Catalogues and magazines are stacked in towers. Mail, unopened, sits in piles on the entry table. We widen our gaze to see decorative objects wedged in and around our clutter. We need to redo a room, this one. And we can do it without spending a thing.

We’re sure we had a plan for that a room, a style, a mood, but we can’t see it. The space has become a repository for everything that has no real place, and it shows.

Where to begin to redo a room

If you’re truly committed to a total refresh without buying anything new, read on for some time-tested tips on how to redo a room without spending a thing. Getting started on any project is always the hardest part, and refreshing a room is no exception.

This may be particularly true in the case of a room refresh because it typically requires a whole-room purge. So what exactly does a ‘room purge’ entail?

A room purge requires emptying the room of everything but the furniture. If you have a small end-table or a random chair you don’t think ever actually belonged in that room, these should go. By go, I don’t mean throw it out or donate it. For now, just remove it from the room and stack it in your designated space, probably the next room over.

Next, remove every throw pillow, plant, magazine, and kleenex box. Empty every exposed shelf. You may be surprised how quickly you can do this. Once you think you’re finished, go back in and look over every inch, again. Chances are, you’ve left something, a blanket throw over the couch, a family picture, a low stack of books.

Redo a room by reimagining your space

Why purge? Because only once the room is completely empty of everything but the permanent furniture can your mind’s eye fully begin to reimagine your room.

Next up? Try to remember your intention when you first designed this room. Is it your family’s gathering spot, so it’s about reading, watching TV, playing with the family dog, warming up in front of the fire? Does it still work for that purpose? Or, have your kids moved on or out and you no longer need a homework space? Do not pass go until you have either redefined or defined the purpose of your room.

Maybe it’s the kitchen, the place you cook your meals, eat, gather. You can’t begin to reimagine until you clarify the purpose of your space. Honestly? You may have all-but-forgotten what your counters looked like without all the appliances and clutter routinely covering them. Your kitchen may no longer resemble a kitchen.

You may have realized as you carted armloads of stuff out of your kitchen area that it was full of shoes, piles of empty grocery bags, and canned goods left out on the counter from your last shop that you actually have more space than you remember. Next, remove the sweatshirt tossed over the back of a chair you use on your morning walk, the dog leash hanging over the doorknob, your muddy sneakers.

The least fun but the most gratifying part in redoing a room

Once the room is empty of everything but what you know will remain, it’s time for the least fun part of the project: cleaning. Why do most of us hate to clean? At least for me, it’s the pre-cleaning phase (which you’ve just completed!) that makes cleaning hard. Cleaning’s hard because it really starts with an entire phase of decluttering before you can even begin!

Well, you’ve just removed all that. So go at it! Dust all the furniture. Vacuum the soft surfaces. Remove the couch cushions and really get in there. Dust the baseboards, maybe give the interiors of your windows a quick spritz. Vacuum and mop hard-surface flooring.

The crazy thing? This won’t take long. Really. Once there’s nothing in a room but permanent furniture, cleaning is a breeze. Now? Stand back and admire your pristine space. Maybe recommit to your paint color, realizing the wall color really wasn’t what bothered you about the room. It was everything else.

Maybe the paint color does seem like a problem. But if you don’t want to wing it, or paint test swatches on your walls, try this: Order some inexpensive foam board. Boards that are 24″ x 36″ are usually large enough to give you a good sense of how you feel about a new color.

The trick here is to paint them exactly as you’d paint your walls. By that, I mean give them a coat of primer, first. Then paint two fresh coats of your new color over the primer. Only by doing this will you get a true sense of how the color will perform for you.

Then, move these foam boards around the room at different times of day. As anyone who’s painted knows, colors can look drastically different in the morning light than they will at dusk or in the evening. You’ll want a color that makes you happy at any time of day.

Redoing a room can be as simple as rearranging the furniture

One of the simplest and most impactful ways to redo a room, without spending any money, is to rearrange your furniture. Changing the layout of a room can instantly make it feel brand new. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Decide on a focal point – Maybe the picture window in this room overlooks a beautifully landscaped back yard. Maybe you have a lake right outside. Maybe it’s a fireplace. Whether there’s something obvious to focus on, or you have to work a bit to define it, you can create a focal point. If you’re overlooking a pond or a lake as your focal point, then acclimate your furniture so the majority of your seating takes in this view. Same with a fireplace
  
• Maybe you realize your space really has no focal point, despite having large, expansive walls. Consider an art wall. There are limitless options for frames, and you can make your focal your own. A favorite family vacation, or pets throughout the years make an interesting conversation piece
  
• Flow – We’ve all been in the room where you find yourself pivoting around furniture to get from one end to the other. There should be clear walkways from end-to-end, and between seating, to create a natural flow. This is also when further decisions may need to be made about furniture
  
• More furniture is not necessarily better. Sure, you want enough seating for those who live in the house to have a spot. But you probably don’t need four ottomans, or three small tables, when you also have a larger coffee table. Just taking the time to think about what’s really needed vs. what you’ve ended up putting in a room can make all the difference. This is your chance to weed out the small furniture clutter. (You can always add it back in, but err on the side of moderation at this stage)
  
• Angles – Lining all your furniture up against the walls of your room is often our default. It can open up a room, but it can also make the space feel uninteresting and uninviting. My office overlooks a lake and I’d always thought looking straight out at the lake was a view I couldn’t pass up. But the truth was, the glare hit my computer screen, and when I was really working, I wasn’t even looking out the window
  
• One day I decided to move my desk perpendicular to the window. It now juts out from the opposite wall. Everyone who’s seen it both ways is amazed at the positive change. And this one change created a space to place an upholstered chair in front of the window, overlooking the lake. Suddenly, I felt like I had a brand new office, one with a dedicated work space, but also one with a “dreaming chair” as I call it. Sometimes I sit there to read, and sometimes I just gaze out the window and let my mind wander. All because I rearranged the furniture I had

Repurpose and/or refresh your furniture

There’s an old decorating rule I don’t subscribe to: Never paint wood. Some of the most interesting rooms I’ve been in are an eclectic mix of stained and varnished wood furniture, with a few painted pieces thrown in.

Here are some ways to think about what you have:

• Chairs – If you’re redoing an eating area, one of the simplest things you can do is give the seat cushions a refresh. Yes, this might entail spending a bit but it doesn’t have to be expensive
  
• Bookshelves – Shelves are another element that can take on a whole new look by doing just one thing. Remove all the shelves and paint the inside back of the shelves with a bright color, or cover it with a wallpaper remnant you have from an earlier project. This can easily take your shelf from so-so to fabulous
  
• Dressers, nightstands, or cabinets – Again, not free, but changing the hardware or pulls on a piece of furniture can completely transform the way it looks. Maybe that end table near your favorite chair looks a little tired. Give it a coat of cornflower blue paint, or even red, to give it a whole new life

Accessories can make or break your room redo

I’m going to include rugs, throw pillows, lamps, pictures, and even artwork as accessories. Instead of donating everything you’ve got, why not think about them in a new way.

Reimagine everything

A cluster of family pictures, framed in complimentary frames makes a highly personal statement on a bookshelf. Perhaps a favorite picture one of your kids finger painted in kindergarten just needs a frame refresh to hang on your art wall. Maybe you’ve got a picture or two that no longer speaks to you. Donate!

• Throw Pillows – Pillows are one of the first things to consider replacing during a refresh. Maybe now’s not the time, but just knowing you need a refresh when you see the right ones is helpful. If you’re not great with color memory, maybe find something to carry around with you that replicates the color you think you’re going for.
  
• Lamps – Layered lighting puts every room in the best light. If you need a good light next to a reading chair, maybe move the better lamp no one uses to a new position. Swapping out shades, even from lamps in other rooms can make a big difference. Same goes for bulbs – swapping bulbs with energy-efficient options can completely change the ambience of a room.
  

Edit your space

We all know how quickly clutter builds. Crowded, overstuffed rooms tend to feel uninviting and uninspired, so carefully edit all items before you bring them back into the room.

• Storage – Sometimes it’s as simple as adding a basket beneath an end table to catch all the stray flyers, magazines, discarded mail, etc., that tend to accumulate around your main seating area. I won’t get into organizing drawers and cabinets; you already know the amazing benefit well-organized drawers can have!
  
• Negative Space – Sometimes we have the urge to fill every space or put something impactful on every surface. Resist. Negative space, or areas of your room free of furniture and decor help create a sense of balance and openness, making the space feel fresh and airy
  
• Plants – This is one of my favorite ways to add warmth and life to a space. Staying alert to light needs of individual plants, try placing your plants in new locations. Swap out their planters or repurpose a basket or even a pitcher to give a plant a whole new look
  
• Groupings – Maybe all your coffee table needs to look more cohesive is a tray beneath your decorative elements and your favorite book to bring it all together. This is also another way to add personality to a room. Get that tray passed down to you from your grandmother out of the closet and onto your coffee table. You’ll be surprised at the pleasure it brings to gaze upon it every day instead of keeping it tucked away
  
• Natural Materials – Never underestimate the power of natural texture instead of smooth or synthetic decor. Bring the old bamboo table in from the garage or incorporate bamboo planters. Natural materials can instantly make your space feel more earthy and calming

Sit back and enjoy your room redo

Redecorating a room doesn’t have to be costly. By being creative with items you already own, you can create a fresh, new, functional space you’ll love to live in. Whether you’re rearranging furniture, repurposing old accessories, or experimenting with paint and natural elements, the possibilities for transformation are endless.

Last update on 2025-08-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API