Easy Ways to Affordably Upgrade Your Rental Apartment

Designing and decorating your sweet new digs is often top of mind when you move into a new home. However, the costs can add up. My boyfriend Dylan and I just moved into our first apartment together — and even though I wanted to make sure that it felt super cute and like both of our homes, I didn’t want to spend tons of money. Here’s how we took our place from empty and new to beautiful and ours — without breaking our budget.

Treasures from thrifting

Some of my fave home decor finds are from the thrift store. It’s seriously amazing what you can find in there for a fraction of the usual retail price. One of my favourite finds is this vase I scored for less than five dollars that currently holds my cooking utensils. If you’re looking for big ticket items,  I highly recommend checking out a Habitat for Humanity reStore. They’re home and building supply stores that accept and resell quality new and used building materials and furniture. Every year, Habitat ReStores help divert thousands of tonnes of material that would otherwise end up in a landfill. It’s a sustainable option and  are extremely fair —I always find something cool there!

Find zero-waste options

This tip will not only save you a considerable amount of money, but also keep your space toxic free and environmentally friendly. As a start, try swapping saran wrap for beeswax wrap, Windex for vinegar + water solution, and composting your vegetable scraps.

Plants to liven up your space

Plants literally add life to your space for an extremely affordable price.I love going to my local floral shops and asking the staff which plants are the easiest to care for. Pothos, Snake Plants & succulents are all great starter plants for your home. Thrift some cute jars — and voila! An easy, cute home display.

Command adhesive is your new BFF

Since we’ve moved, I’ve been hanging EVERYTHING with command wall hanging strips. They are renter-friendly, and won’t ruin your walls. You can buy them in bulk on Amazon and use some light frames from your dollar store to create a cheap and chic gallery wall.

Buy in bulk

This is the time to really utilize your family’s Costco membership. We love to buy our quinoa, granola and tea in bulk and store them in glass jars. Not only does this save uscash, but the uniformity of the jars make our small kitchen look like Pinterest goals. For real. I love that these tips not only save us money, but we’ve also learned  to be less wasteful in the process.  Rachel Spencer Wong is a Canadian Style YouTuber with a love of all things creative! Through the years her channel, RachSpeed has grown into a destination where young women can learn how to cultivate a wardrobe they love while also on a budget.Find her on Instagram @rachspeed