7 Frugal Ways to Turn a Plain House Into a Cozy Home

Lately I’ve been feeling like our home could use a refresh, and less of an emphasis on functional design.

If you’re frugal like I am, it can be hard to invest in nice pieces that add beauty to your house, and you end up buying whatever is cheap and has good reviews on Amazon.

This is especially the case with six kids who quickly grow out of things and wear them out faster than you’d expect. 

But one thing I have learned about myself is that my mood really is shaped by the environment I’m in. 

My soul genuinely feels lifted up when I’m surrounded by beauty and thoughtful design. 

It doesn’t have to be luxury at all, just good, thoughtful choices in how things are put together.

In some ways living frugally does make it harder to have a well-designed home. It’s quicker to just pay up and get the exact piece that fits your needs.

But I’m determined to have a nicer looking home that gives my family and our guests a beautiful place to be.

Today I spent some time thinking and what upgrades would provide the highest return on investment for the modest amount I’m willing to invest in this area.

I had the same conversation with my wife to see what came to her mind. 

What follows is the list we created, and my playbook for the next 12 months as we slowly transform our home into the kind of place we’d love to live in. 

Embracing constraints can make a project like this more fun, not less, if you have the right attitude and a willingness to think creatively.

Here are our top 7 frugal tips for taking your home from cold to cozy:

Clear our clutter and do a deep clean.

You’d be surprised how far you can get just by making things look neat and tidy. 

A clutter-free home that feels clean, without being sterile, is naturally a welcoming place.

This doesn’t cost any money, really, just some sweaty equity.

Fix anything that looks broken or in need of repair.

Before you even think about design, there’s still more low hanging fruit to be gathered.

Look around your home and identify all the little broken or worn out spots that you’ve become blind to. You might even do this step with a close friend who doesn’t mind being honest.

A well-tended home puts people at ease. It suggests care and order, and creates a pleasant atmosphere. 

Similar to the broken-window theory of policing, I’ve noticed that disrepair encourages people to stop caring how things look and leads to a downward spiral.

Touch up or repaint rooms that could use a refresh.

It’s often said that a can of paint is the highest ROI purchase you can make for a home.

In my opinion, it’s best to stick to an inviting neutral color palette unless you know exactly what you’re doing and the effect you’re trying to create.

Neutrals and organic colors evoke a relaxing mood, and aren’t trying too hard to make a statement. 

They’re an easy way to make a home feel cozy, and won’t be hard to match with.

Remove plastic objects and replace them with materials that age well.

Alright, by this point, your home is already looking better and guests will notice a real difference.

This is where the real fun begins. 

Next you’ll want to look around each room of your home and take note of things that look cheaply made.

You’re looking for things made of plastic, manufactured wood, or other flimsy materials. 

A good rule of thumb: does this product look better or worse as it ages? 

Replace those objects with ones made of natural materials that age more gracefully— one at a time.

Upgrade your lighting, especially accent lamps.

Nothing else can reinvent a room like good lighting. 

Strong overhead lighting feels sterile and uninviting in most environments and should be replaced by indirect lights whenever possible.

Each of your main rooms should have multiple sources of side lighting at different heights— floor lamps, table lamps, and wall sconces are the most common.

Combine these with bulbs that have a warmer glow, and your home will feel instantly more cozy.

Thoughtfully curate objects that add beauty to your home.

Last but not least is adding new items into your home that elevate the look.

It’s easy to get carried away at this point, and spend way more than you need. 

I recommend narrowing down on a few types of objects, and trying to add to your collection over time, slowly upgrading when you find something you love.

For this category, buying used is not only cheaper, but leads to more interesting purchases that aren’t cookie-cutter in style.

Here are a few objects we’ll plan to focus on in our home: mirrors, candle holders, old books, unique frames, plants, and richly-textured fabrics made from natural materials.

Go slowly and make incremental changes.

The quickest way to spend a lot of money on a home refresh is by trying to do it all at once. 

Instead, be willing to add pieces over time as you come across deals or as you find someone selling used versions of the items you need.

If you “need” to have something finished this week, you’ll end up buying it, and probably paying a handsome price.

Not only that, but the quicker you go, the more likely you’ll treat the changes as a one-off project instead of as a new way of approaching your home.

Big projects like that tend to have quick lifestyles of excitement, getting used to it, and then growing bored and needing to do it again.

While something you work at for years feels more special and more part of you. 

I look forward to sharing how things look when we’ve made some real progress, and would love to hear if anyone else gets inspired as well.

Editor’s note: I wrote this piece yesterday for our other blog, This Evergreen Home, but thought it was a good fit for Debt Free Forties, and wanted to share it here.