Instantly Give Any Room A Brand New Look Without Buying A Single Thing

We somehow get it into our heads that we need to buy new decor, repaint the walls, and switch out our furniture to refresh a space. This is a big misconception in the design world and interior designer Erika Dale is here to prove otherwise. Dale, the face behind Erika Dale Interior Design, spoke exclusively to House Digest, sharing that it's absolutely possible to give your spaces a fresh look and feel without spending a dime. The trick is to "play with the arrangement of furniture, artwork, and accessories for a refresh."

"I like to call it shopping from your own house," Dale explains. "Moving things to a new location or room gives it a new life, often shining in a way it didn't in a previous space." Not only will you be saving money, but it's also a lot more sustainable. Rearranging the items you already have equals less manufacturing, packaging, and shipping waste on your watch.

While this DIY decor tip allows you to transform an entire room in a day, there's a catch or two, according to Dale. First is the risk of damage or dings (more on preventing those below); second is annoying your partner or roommates during the process. As Dale puts it: "When the tape measure comes out in my house, everyone braces themselves for a bit of a mess until I have worked through the process!" With that out of the way, let's jump into how to get a brand-new room like a pro for zero dollars.

It's relatively hard to get the inspiration rolling when you're staring at the same old furniture day in and day out. Therefore, it's best to start small. "My biggest tip is to measure and measure again before you go dragging your furniture around," Dale shared exclusively with House Digest. "I don't know how much time I have saved by taking the time to see if the new arrangement I am imagining will even work from a measurement perspective (and how much time I have wasted by not taking my own advice!)."

Her next tip is to "try" to picture the ideal layout and look at things with a new perspective to see if a furniture piece would work elsewhere. Walking around the house definitely helps. For example, let's say you're looking to give your bedroom a refresh without spending a fortune. You could plop your living room accent chair in the corner of your bedroom and shift your bed to a different wall. Maybe move one of your nightstands into the living room (if it's taking up a ton of space) to serve a new purpose as a sofa side table. "You would be so surprised how often you will discover the exact thing you need hanging out and not doing much good in another room," the designer shared.

As exciting as overhauling a space can be, you'll still want to stay safe, protect your floors when moving furniture, and also keep the pieces intact. Dale's number one advice is to "Grab a buddy so you can lift safely, minimizing furniture, floor, and people damage." On a similar note, she suggests using furniture sliders (like this eight-pack option from CADONO), though she warns to be careful not to drag anything too heavy over wood floors as it can scratch. Since we're on the theme of not spending money, you could use cardboard, pieces of old towels, or even tennis balls as makeshift sliders.

Another alternative is to use lifting straps if you have any at home. These can help make quick work of extra heavy items without the risk of floor damage. Last but not least: "Always empty your shelves and drawers to reduce the weight of the items you are moving and reduce the risk of damage," Dale exclusively tells House Digest.