2023 Is finally upon us, and with the new year comes the anticipation and excitement of new

beginnings. Perhaps you’re starting a new grade at school, your tertiary studies, your post-grad

internship, or simply going back to work after December leave. The start of the new year is the perfect time to declutter and get rid of the old to make space for new, better things.

And what better place to start the year with a fresh update than the place many of us spend most of our time: our bedrooms. Bedrooms are places of solitude away from everyday stresses, where we spend hours watching our favourite shows, relaxing, laughing, studying, making plans for the future and, of course, catching some zzz’s. You may think it costs a pretty penny to redecorate or update your living space in time for the new year, but this is far from the truth. 

Using the below hacks and inspo, you’ll be able to update your room, transforming it into a chic, welcoming oasis on a most welcome budget.

1.) Getting back to the basics

When one thinks of the essential items in a bedroom, it usually consists of 4 necessary things- a bed, a desk (or dressing table), a closet (or chest of drawers) and blinds (or curtains). It’s best to use these items to create the room’s desired mood/ colour palette. 

For example, if you’ve decided on a tropical theme, you’re likely to pick tones of green for your walls or curtains and could easily get a plant-themed or green-toned duvet or comforter set. If you’re not keen on painting, no worries- you can get well-priced plain or themed wallpapers at MRP Home, which you can use on your walls, bed, table etc.

Insert pics of wallpaper, trendy tropical bedroom pics

2.) Decide on a mood/ theme and stick to it

Pinterest is an endless source of inspiration for literally any room décor update. An excellent place to start would be trawling the site for bedroom décor inspo to give you a sense of what you’d like your space to look like. This doesn’t mean you have to go out and purchase expensive rugs, lamps or bed linen; it just helps you gain an idea and create a mental mood board of what to shop for to create the desired look.

3.) Keep it simple

Once you start laying out your space, it’s easy to get completely sidetracked by the existing items you already have, which can cause chaos when you plan to create a calm space with continuity in its mood and colour. It’s thus advisable to keep things like posters, figurines, trophies, drawings etc., aside until you’ve created the desired mood/colour tone with your bedroom basics. Once you’re happy, this has been established; you can select the items you’d like to place back on display. It’s your haven, but always remember that less is usually more when it comes to redecorating.

4.) Small, cheap changes can make a big difference

Stores like MRP Home, Sheet Street and Pep Home have amazing deals on décor items, big or small. A simple yet well-placed fake succulent, candle, rug or throw cushion can make a bland space look more interesting and welcoming. Even if you’ve decided to keep your bedroom basics the same, it’s very much possible to give the area a chic update with minimal effort and spending. Once again, look to Pinterest or Google for some ideas on how to lay out small décor items to highlight the look you are hoping to achieve.

Once you’re applied the above tips, you should be left with a trendy yet unique room that’s sure to send you into 2023 the right way- with a positive, serene mind and living space. Remember that there are thousands, if not millions, of décor inspiration sites, articles and blogs on the

internet. It could become a bit overwhelming, so it’s best to go in with an idea of what you want your room to look like before you begin decorating. Also, you don’t necessarily need a specific theme; you’ll still find help and great inspiration online if you simply want to maximise your space into a better studying environment or create better storage or a neater space.

Tell us: How do you decorate on a budget?