Being confined to a small space and an even smaller budget is a bit of a challenge when it comes to having a creatively decorated space. You may not realize it, but you actually have a lot of potential sitting around and waiting to be put to use. Using everything from a rock to a cheese grater, these are some ways to easily create your own Anthropologie-meets-Ikea, Pinterest-worthy space.
1. A “Grate” Way to Hold Your Jewelry
It can be hard to keep track of all of your earrings, not to mention how once you lay a pair of earrings down, you know that’s the last time you are going to see them together. To fix that, paint an old metal cheese grater and hang the earrings from the holes.
2. Scrapbook Shutters
Have a box of memorabilia you brought to school with you but no way to display it all? Use an old shutter from home or a thrift store, paint it your favorite color or leave it rustically paint-peeled and mount it on the wall. It becomes a hanging scrapbook where you can collect your photos, mementos or even random mail in the slots.
3. An End to the Book Clutter
It’s important to keep up with all of your textbooks from class. To do so, they need to sit upright and not tossed underneath your bed. Find a funky-looking rock or brick, rinse it off and decorate with spray paint or by mod-podging pictures, newspaper and postcards on the surface.
4. Put a Cork In It
If you’ve gone through a few wine or beer bottles, you’ve probably wanted to save the corks and
caps but have no idea what to do with them. Your solution: use them for a corkboard. Cut the wine corks in half so they are flat and glue to a cheap picture frame. Then, use a hot glue gun to attach the beer bottle caps onto pushpins. Use your new pins to hold up pictures, tickets and more.
5. The Best Nightstand, Bar None
Let’s be honest, no one likes that awkward distance between your bed and the outlet in the corner that’s too small for a nightstand but too big to leave empty. An old barstool is the ideal height and width that you need to sit a
clock or lamp and some knick-knacks if you’re feeling spunky. If it has a footrest, you can wrap wire or rope across the ledge to make an additional shelf.
