The Easiest Way To Refresh Your Home Without Spending Any Money

Have you ever looked around a space in your home that has been decorated the same way for a while, and felt like it could use an overhaul? Even a design you once loved can get a little stale and in need of a refresh. If so, fantastic — let the makeover begin. 

What can you do, though, when buying new items for a room refresh simply isn't in the budget? Don't give up. The great news is that there is one easy trick to completely change the vibe of a room without spending a dime — swap rugs. That is, take a rug from one room and swap it with another in a different room. Seriously.

As a professional interior designer, I'll tell you that rug selection is such an essential part of shaping the overall design of a room since it is one of the largest surface areas of color, pattern, and texture in a space. Since it has such a strong impact on the aesthetic, changing the rug alone can go a long way towards making a room feel completely new. So, grab your measuring tape, call up a buddy to help you move furniture, and start "shopping" for a new rug in your home to give your space a fresh, no-cost makeover.

The first step for an easy and free rug swap is to determine the right size rug for your room. Grab a measuring tape so you can get an idea of your minimum and maximum size options that will work in the room based on the size and furniture arrangement. If you plan to rearrange the furniture, as well, for even more of a fresh look, try drawing your room to scale to make sure the rug will fit properly in the new setup. Trust me, measuring ahead of time is always worth the extra effort, because even if you think you have great spatial judgment, there is nothing worse than spending an hour rearranging the furniture in two rooms, only to have the rug be two inches too large. Do as I say, not as I have so haphazardly done ... and then undone.

Once you know the size requirements for maintaining a properly placed area rug in the space, it's time to look at options throughout your home that fit the bill. Consider how the new rug contenders will affect the color palette and patterns in the two spaces. Remember, a change in these things is welcome and what you are ultimately after, but it must still look cohesive as well. You may need to make additional small swaps of small furniture or accessories like pillows, decor, or artwork to pull the new color scheme together and complete the transformation to the fresh aesthetic your new rug will bring to the space.

When you have selected the rug you'd like to use, have your buddy help move the furniture, so you can officially make the switch. You now have a brand-new look in not one but two rooms in your home, all without spending a dollar.