Craigslist, eBay, yard sales, consignment shops, and flea markets are all great places to start hunting for bargains when you’re filling your first place with stuff. And, sure, it’s fun to have an apartment full of mismatched furniture and decorations. But maybe your domestic side is yearning for something a little more cohesive, a little less "I just found this on the sidewalk and I think a bird is living in it." But that can hard to accomplish when you're living on an entry-level salary with looming student loan payments. Luckily, you can make your first place feel like home and on a budget too. It takes some creativity, savvy, and some of these tips gleaned from decorating insiders. What’s the secret to knowing how to decorate? After all, it’s about making a place where you feel comfortable. Just stick to your budget and try not to worry if your apartment doesn’t come together right away. You will eventually create a comfortable living space that you will be proud to call your own, even if it means shooing away the bird living in your newfound furniture so you can repaint it.

Here are some tips to get you started.You love to cook. Is your kitchen functional? You’re an avid reader. decorate your room handmadeDo you have adequate lighting? light up christmas decorations outdoorYou don’t have a bed . . . you need a bed. best christmas lights in denver 2013What is your most pressing need? exterior house colors that go with stoneAt the very least, you can ask yourself where you spend the most time. christmas decorations outdoor wooden

That room should be your priority. Be smart with your budget. You know you need to be thrifty—buying or even making couch covers instead of getting a new couch, checking out garage sales and flea markets, etc. buy pre decorated christmas treesBut it's also okay to buy things you really love, if you can. This doesn’t justify splurging on each great piece of furniture you see, but it can mean saving for one item because you know that it will make you happy every time you see it. Don’t follow the crowd. Fashion and home decorating magazines can be great sources of inspiration, but it’s their job to follow trends. As a recent graduate, you probably cannot afford to do that. Fortunately, decorating staples like black and white photography, comforting earth tones, and white sheets never go out of style. (And if you really can’t get enough of hot new trend, express it with a throw pillow or something else that’s cheap.)

Color is your friend. A can of paint doesn’t cost much, and you can really transform a room with a fresh coat. You’ll need to ask permission before you paint any space you’re renting, but your landlord might even cover the cost of materials if you're willing to put in the work. Even painting one wall an “accent” color can make a difference; try brick red, earthy shades of green, or your favorite, go-to, makes-you-happy color. (Note: don’t paint the trim or molding if you have it; leave it white or off-white.) Light is your friend too! Soft light is inviting; bright light is harsh. That’s the easy part, but are you aware that light can change colors? That nice shade of yellow in the store can become gross in the wrong light. Use paint samples and swatches to figure out what works for your space. Time is on your side. Beautiful homes are a product of one of two things: a lot of money or a lot of time. You probably don’t have the former, but you are rich in the latter.

Remember that you have a lifetime to find things that make you feel at home, so don’t feel pressured to create your dream house after one trip to Ikea.When you put the time into repairs or renovations, you will feel connected to your living space. Also, you might be surprised how rearranging the furniture you already have (or even just a thorough cleaning) can make your apartment feel like new. If you’re really industrious, you can try refinishing things (like that old coffee table you found on the sidewalk—score!) to make them more your own without buying something new. Beware of bits and pieces. Scattered small items can make any room look cluttered. Use groupings of smaller items, like a few candles or pictures, to accent a room instead. Or, exchange the little things for something bigger, like trading in a few small potted plants for one larger one. Think about the big picture. Like when choosing an outfit, you start with the basics, then you accessorize. Your decorating focus should start with the foundational elements: sofa, rug, coffee table, etc. and build from there.

If you have one or more roommates, or if you live with your significant other, you should always consult with him/her/them before undertaking any big household projects. You don’t want hurt anyone’s feelings or make someone uncomfortable, and you might even find someone to spot your ladder while you paint. Note: Did you know you could win a $10,000 scholarship for college or grad school just by registering on CollegeXpress? This is one of the quickest, easiest scholarships you’ll ever apply for. College students often don’t have a significant amount of money to spend, which is why the term “broke college student” is so well known.  But, just because you’re on a budget, doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to make your dorm room feel a little bit more like home.  Here are some ideas to help you do that without breaking the bank! 1. Print pictures from Google images, Tumblr, etc. and create wall collages/designs.  Most universities give you a per-semester print quota that most people don’t use up completely. 

Take advantage of this opportunity to make your dorm room more festive or homey.  Black and white pictures are classic and go with everything, so you don’t even need to print in color (usually your print quota doesn’t include color printing and if it does, each pages will be worth more for your quota).  Just print out your pictures and get creative (This is the wall collage I made for my room last year!) 2. Go to the drug store to print personal pictures; it’s usually pretty cheap there!  You can go the collage route and tape them to your wall with clear tape (or sticky tack if you’re worried about the paint on the walls) or go to the dollar store for some cheap frames; you don’t need anything fancy for your dorm room… but remember, frames take up space and your room will likely not be that big.  You can even try getting one giant frame, making a collage to put in it, and use command strips to hang it on your wall! 3. If you have a roommate, take a trip to the nearest craft supply place, like Michaels, and make a Saturday or Sunday out of creating your own posters, banners, and other decorations;

you’ll be likely to find a lot of cute, cheap decorations that you can make together!  It’s a great way to bond with your roommate and make your room a home away from home.  Find a common ground, whether it is a color scheme, a pattern, or a theme you both like, and run with it! (My roommate and I both love Harry Potter so we went with a Gryffindor Scarlet and Gold theme for our room Freshmen year and the above picture is a banner that we made!) 4. Get dry erase boards or small chalkboards and hang them on your door and your walls.  It’s a fun way to get your friends involved with your decorations, so just leave markers or chalk out in your room somewhere so they can write you little messages or drawings!  It’s a nice way to keep changing up your décor a little bit. 5. Buy a Plastic Storage Drawer/Cart to maximize your space.  You can even spray paint the cart to go with your color scheme and get stencils to spray paint a pattern or design to really make it pop!