Try a Primpover to Update Your Home Without Spending a Penny
A low-budget primpover might be just what your home needs this summer.
Did you ever rearrange your bedroom as a kid, just for the fun of it? It’s truly amazing how rearranging some furniture and decor can make a space feel brand new. Little did you know that childhood-you was giving your bedroom a primpover—reimagining the space by using furniture and decor that you already own in new configurations.
As adults, it’s easy to convince ourselves that we need to buy new things to make a meaningful update to our space, but we really just need a little bit of creativity. The truth is, you probably already own everything you need to completely redesign your space. Sometimes, all a tired design needs is a little primping to give it a fresh new look.
Whether you’re on a budget or are just looking for a way to refresh your existing interior, a primpover may be just what you need. Here’s everything you need to know about giving your home a primpover, plus some expert-approved tips for effectively primping your space.
Related: Decor Swaps Are the Best Way to Change Up Your Space Without Spending a Dime
What is a primpover?
A primpover is a way to restyle your space—without spending any money—using items that you already own. It involves reorganizing, decluttering, cleaning, and rethinking an existing room to give it a facelift.
“You take one item from one room, and something else from another, and voila!” says Lauren Saltman, professional organizer and owner of Living. Simplified. “You have reenergized your space without spending a dime or a ton of time.”
Expert Tips for Primping Your Home
To make the most of your primpover, there are a few things expert organizers and interior designers recommend.
Tackle One Room at a Time
One of the most important things to keep in mind when doing a primpover is to take it one room at a time. Attempting to revamp your entire house all at once will get overwhelming quickly, and leave you with a mess of rearranged furniture and decor that will take ages to sort through. Start with the room that most urgently needs a refresh, and go from there.
Declutter
Before you start rearranging, give your space a thorough cleaning and declutter items that you no longer use—or no longer like very much.
“If you haven’t used it in a year and forgot that you even had it, then it can be donated, or at the very least put in a storage container,” says Kristyn Harvey, principal designer and founder of Kristyn Harvey Interiors. “Lack of clutter will immediately make the space feel larger and make you feel an inner sense of calm."
Clear Out Your Decor
Next, it’s time to clear away all of the decor and other small items in the room—this will give you a blank slate to work with. Any items that would be difficult to remove from the room, especially those you know will be staying (like furniture and large rugs), don’t need to be moved out. Lori Shaw of Lori Shaw Interiors recommends creating a “staging area,” which could be a large desk or table, where you'll temporarily keep all of the decor. This will help you see and organize what you have more clearly, and decide what can go back into its original space versus what should be moved to a different room.
In addition to the decor from the room that is being primped over, take a walk through the rest of your house and grab any pieces of decor that feel out of place. If they look like they need a new spot, add them to the staging area for consideration, Shaw says.
Rethink Furniture Configuration
“Next, consider rearranging the furniture by moving the couch or the chairs, or even bringing in furniture from another room,” says Saltman. “Switching up the furniture arrangement can make a place feel brand new again.”
Consider pulling the furniture off of the walls by a few inches, reorienting your couch or accent chairs, rotating area rugs, moving side tables, or creating a new reading nook. Be sure to keep the flow and functionality of the space in mind as you rearrange the furniture. How is the space normally used? Is there way to rearrange the furniture so the space feels more practical and functional? Can you remove any furniture to open up the space and make it feel less crowded?
Restyle Your Space
Once you’re happy with the arrangement of the larger furniture, it’s time to restyle the space with decor and artwork. Take a look back at your staging area and identify the pieces that you like before slowly starting to integrate them back into the room, says Shaw.
“Sometimes a little rearranging, new (to that room!) decor items, a perfectly draped throw blanket, and maybe some flowers or branches from outside placed on a table can give you the designer look you didn’t know you had!" Shaw says. "And it was right in front of you all along!"
Don’t be afraid to hang artwork in new locations, rearrange your throw pillows, and entirely reimagine the space.
Use Fresh Produce and Greenery as Decor
Lastly, using produce or freshly cut branches from outside to decorate is a great way to add a finishing touch to your space without spending a dime. To add a pop of color to a room, try placing produce in a glass bowl or vase. If you prefer to use branches, arrange one or two in a tall ceramic or glass vase to give your space a designer look.
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