Re-decorating without buying anything new seems to be my sole purpose in life, because it’s something I actually do well and truly enjoy. Lately, I have been consuming less and making more thoughtful purchases, including any decor for my apartment.

Disclaimer: all pieces are new at some point, but the key takeaway from this post is to spend more time making conscious purchases and really thinking about the lifecycle of a product. Ask yourself, “Will I use this for a few months and then toss it or will I treasure the life of this new item for as long as I possibly can?” I highly recommend the second option. 😉

So welcome to my journey of redecorating without having to buy anything new. It’s amazing to see what I’ve done with some of my favorite, reusable pieces.

Decorative green vines

My trusty fake green vines deserve the first spotlight of this blog because they are so inexpensive, and I have been able to use these in so many ways. I originally bought these vines 2 years ago, and they are still as good as new. These green vines look amazing behind a bed, in a small corner, a living room space, or even a bathroom.

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Real and/or fake plants

I take both sides to fake vs. real plants because I love them equally. Right now I have mostly fake because my current apartment does not get a lot of outside light. I have also accumulated many small plants over the years, which makes for great redecorating since they don’t lose value.

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Wall collages

An easy way to accumulate amazing pieces is by starting a wall collage and moving items around later in order to create something somewhat new. I did thrift some items for my wall, but I tried to use decor on other walls to really bring this look together. See below for my beautiful transformation. 🙂

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DIY crafts

Next is a personal favorite—DIY crafts. Crafting will most likely be another blog post, but an important part of a redecorating journey without buying anything is the practice of zero-waste. When I grocery shop, I try to minimize my plastic intake and opt for something in a glass jar instead. For example: spaghetti sauce, salsa, drinks, etc, which provides for the best zero-waste crafts. Shown below is old sauce jar that I painted and transformed into decor, and a water bottle I used as a vase.

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If you are really up for redecorating without buying anything new, it’s important to stay creative and optimistic. It is so easy to go out and buy new, amazing items, but try this strategy first and see how you feel after you finish. If you absolutely feel the need to buy a piece of decor, I recommend thrifted pieces like these vintage wall decor butterflies. I found these on Poshmark for $10, and just the fact that I was giving them a whole new life made me so much happier than buying something traditionally new.

Thank you for following along with my redecorating journey, and if you decide to do something similar in your own space, please tag me or let me know because I would love to see what you come up with. ❤

Until next time,

-R