20 cute buys under $30 to refresh your bedroom
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Raise your hand if you’re happy it’s officially spring! Me too. It’s a season of fresh starts, blooming, hope, and longer days of sunlight and fresh air. Pretty much everyone has heard of spring cleaning, but, how much attention do you give to your bedroom? After all, you spend a third of your life there sleeping, getting ready for the day, and binge-watching movies in bed. That’s a good chunk of your time spent in just one room.
Thankfully, you can refresh this space with a spring clean, too. Open the windows, wipe down surfaces, and wash your bedding with a drop or two of sweet-smelling essential oils. If you have the space (and energy), I recommend switching up your room’s orientation, even if that means rearranging artwork on the wall or shifting your bed a few feet. Little changes lead to big insights! If you’re looking for a further refresh, gift yourself one of these adorable, budget-friendly items below.
1. A soft, linen pillowcase or two
I bought a new linen duvet cover as a spring gift for myself, and if you’re looking for soft, easy, and high-quality bedding, I suggest you do the same. Because linen gets softer with use and is sustainably made, it can be quite expensive. A set of sheets or a full duvet may be a little pricey, but some new pillowcases, like these, from Etsy shop Kingdom of Comfort, are pretty affordable. The shop has over 16,000 sales and the pillowcases have an impressive 5-star rating. They come in over 25 shades ranging from soft pastels to ocean blues and clean neutrals—just make sure you know what size pillows you own!
2. A luxurious sleeping mask
A good night’s sleep is hard to beat, so you’ll want a silk eye mask to make the most of your slumber. These eye masks are made with silk fabric that is soft and cool on your skin. They’ll block out light and help you get the beauty rest you need.
3. These handy storage jars
You can never have too many containers. While this set of four is sold as a kitchen item, it’s just as useful for things in the bathroom or bedroom. I love clear glass jars for things like jewelry, scrunchies, and collectibles like movie and concert tickets because you can see into them for what you’re looking for. You can also fill them with decorative objects, like stones, crystals, or seashells. Versatile items like these jars are perfect for refreshing your space by changing the smaller details.
Get the Mason Jar 4-Piece Jar Set from QVC for $22.99
4. A few new pillows
If you don’t know how old your pillows are, it’s probably time to get rid of them. Old pillows are full of dust mites and dead skin cells (ew!), so it’s best to swap out your current pillows for new ones. They may be hard to get rid of, but a new pillow will be more supportive and help you sleep better. If you have any neck or back problems, you may want to splurge on a luxury pillow, but these Amazon Basics pillows were a solid middle-of-the-pack performer in our testing, and provide a good night’s sleep on a budget.
Get the Amazon Basics 2-Pack Down Alternative Bed Pillows from Amazon for $27.28
5. A practical bed tray
Working from bed isn’t recommended, but some days you gotta do what you gotta do. On those days, you’ll want a bed tray—like this one with a laminate top—to raise your laptop to eye level and prevent overheating. When you’re not using the tray as a mini desk, you can use it for your favorite dinners and take out to keep your sheets clean and your wineglass or coffee from tipping over.
6. A viney plant for more greenery
Philodendrons are easy to care for and don’t need a lot of light, making them a go-to plant for apartments and homes. Since you only have to water them once a week—even less in the winter—they make a great hanging plant. Try to plant yours in a pot with a drainage hole or with pebbles at the bottom if it lacks one. Once the vines are long enough you can use small hooks to weave them around the room for a lively, green border. You really can’t go wrong with any plant from The Sill, which we love for its variety of flora and fauna.
Get the Philodendron Green from The Sill for $23
7. A journal for better peace of mind
Ideally, your bedroom is a place for relaxation and stress relief. If you find that you can’t sleep at night or wake up with your to-do list already rolling through your mind, consider a journal that’s meant to help you find your zen. The 52 Lists for Calm book is a journal with a prompt for each week that you can complete and reflect on to lead a more balanced life.
Get the 52 Lists for Calm from Amazon for $7.25
8. A funky mirror
Give yourself a corner for getting ready, even if it’s just a small mirror and a tray for your go-to accessories. This irregularly shaped mirror adds dimension and personality to any surface, plus it’ll reflect sunlight and brighten up your space. The style is simple and minimal, so it’ll work with most design styles.
9. These fun, floral curtains
I love a light, patterned curtain. Target has some great, affordable options if you have the same taste. This light pink, flowery print is warm and lighthearted, and the rosy background still lets light through. I always take closet doors off their hinges and replace them with a thin curtain like this to give my bedroom more usable space and make it feel larger.
Get the Floral Daisy Light Filtering Curtain Panels from Target for $29.99
10. This colorful art print
Spring reminds me of Henri Matisse’s paintings: colorful, vibrant, and whimsical. Sometimes all you need to upgrade your room’s vibe is some framed art, like an exhibition poster. This Matisse print of Landscape at Collioure from a 1905 exhibition adds a pop of pastel and some texture wherever you hang it. You can get a digital download for multiple sizes to match any frame you have on hand. And if Matisse isn’t your thing, search for art that is!
11. This gorgeous suncatcher
One of the best parts of spring is the increased sunlight and later sunsets. I typically have hanging plants near my windows, but since I close my curtains in my bedroom each night I don’t have any hanging by my bedroom windows. Instead, I have a suncatcher that lights up in the morning sun and throws rainbows and shadows on the walls and floor of my room each morning. Suncatchers make each day a bit more magical, and these hand-painted suncatchers are gorgeous. There are bright sunflowers, pink flowers, and green foliage to choose from.
12. Crystals to add a unique element to your bookshelf
Quartz is a popular crystal that’s super on trend right now. The crystal is bright and eye-catching, and will help add some sparkle and shine to your room. The more quartz the better I say, so add it to your shelves, plants, reading pile, and windowsill for some extra glitz and glam. Out of their more than 3,000 positive reviews, one Etsy customer writes, “Love the chunkiness and size of these stones. Exactly how I pictured.”
13. A basket for items out of place
We all have a junk drawer in our home, and growing up most of us probably had a junk chair where we threw all of the clothes we tried on but didn’t wear or didn’t wear long enough to toss in the laundry, am I right? Jules Acree from Om and the City suggested adding a basket to your bedroom specifically for clothing that has been worn but isn’t necessarily dirty. I put the basket to the test—and I like it. I tend to wear a lot of sweaters around the house during cooler mornings, and I’m not always disciplined enough to hang them up afterward. If you’re also guilty of leaving clothes on the floor or bed, give it a shot.
Get the Woven Storage Basket from Amazon for $21.99
14. This plug to make your room smarter
My friend recently showed me smart plugs and smart light bulbs in her apartment and I added some to my mental wishlist immediately. She could control the color of her lightbulbs from her phone, so she dimmed them to a soft purple while we watched a movie and then switched them back to yellow/white as we talked on the couch. With a smart plug, you can make any electric device smarter. You could program your bedside lamp to turn on at the same time each evening, signaling your bedtime routine. Or, you could use the plugs with a lava lamp, salt lamp, or speaker.
Get the Naxa WiFi Smart Plug from HSN for $17.99
15. This boho wall hanging
Fiber wall hangings are becoming more popular, as well as colorful weavings and door tassels. These cotton wall hangings come in colorful and neutral shades. You can add them to a gallery wall to add more dimension or hang one above your bed instead of a dreamcatcher. Pro tip: spray your favorite perfume or room spray on the fiber and it’ll work as a pseudo-diffuser.
Get the Cotton Wall Hanging from Amazon for $19.99
16. A small fan for white noise
Having a good desk fan in your room is pretty essential. You can improve airflow by placing the fan near an open window and get that sunshine and clean laundry smell from outside. A fan al
so produces white noise, which helps a lot of people focus while working and sleep more soundly. And, if you live somewhere that gets hot and humid in the summer, you’ll want a fan to cool off. Even if the fan lives in your closet or under your bed, you’ll be thankful you have it on hand when you need it.
Get the Vornado 133 Compact Air Circulator from QVC for $30.99
17. A set of velvet, non-slip hangers
Spring cleaning tends to coincide with closet cleanouts and reorganizing your capsule wardrobe. If you’re feeling like refreshing or Marie Kondo-ing your wardrobe, consider switching your old hangers to velvet hangers. The velvet material keeps clothes from slipping off them, and they tend to be really slim, so you can fit more in your closet than with wooden hangers. The only downside I’ve had with them is that they aren’t as good for tops with thin necks (like turtlenecks) because they are a bit wide.
18. A simple, natural rug
This small, jute, braided rug is earthy and unobtrusive. You can place it by the door to your room as a way to separate your room from the rest of your house (and maybe imply a no-shoes rule). I also like having a rug at my bedside to step onto each morning. The braided jute material is a natural beige color that has a beachy yet minimal vibe.
19. A Venus of Willendorf statue
The Venus of Willendorf statue is an ancient figure that was found in Austria over 20,000 years ago. The figure is rumored to have symbolized fertility as well as good luck. If you’re hoping to bring more feminine energy into your life, you can display a Venus statue in your room and embrace one of the world’s oldest art forms.
20. A roll of bright wallpaper
If you want to make a big impact on your room, no matter the size, add wallpaper. You can do a single wall or even just a border around the room to change the overall feel of the space. If you live in a rental or don’t want to install wallpaper to the walls, I suggest adding it to your dresser. Even with drawers full of clothing, it’s nice to have a drawer liner with a pop of color. The paper serves a practical purpose as well; your clothes won’t be dusty or catch on the wood of the dresser drawers. You could also use the paper as a liner to brighten up shelving or desk drawers.
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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.