Queen of Free spruces up your space without spending lots of cash

INDIANAPOLIS — Due to the pandemic, a lot of us are spending more time at home again. If you find yourself looking to make some changes, but don’t think you can afford a major remodeling project, Cherie Lowe, the Queen of Free, shared her advice Sunday on 13Sunrise.

Cherie said there are ways to spruce up your space without spending a bundle by switching up some things.

“One of the biggest improvements you can make doesn’t involve adding anything new to your home, but subtracting,” Cherie said in her weekly blog. “Spend some time eliminating the clutter in your home.” 

Pick one project at a time to make the overall task less daunting. Maybe choose one task for each day for a month. Start with a list and tackle one drawer, one shelf or one cabinet at a time. 

Before adding a new item, make room for it. Move furniture to another room and take down wall hangings. 

“Clearing your space provides the opportunity to take a visual inventory before you begin your work,” said Cherie.

Once you clear the clutter, you can head to the store for the fun part – new stuff. You can see some seasonal clearance items online, but the best deals will usually be in the store.

Cherie likes using YouTube to guide both purchasing decisions and DIY hacks. You can find repair and maintenance tips, as well as design projects in videos posted by people like you. 

Don’t make changes to your home unless you can make your daily life easier. Think through your daily routine and ask what small, simple improvements you can make to save yourself some steps or some time.

Go room to room with your roommate or spouse to help decide what needs fixed or changed. Use sticky notes for each project, then put them all on a big board to decide which projects need priority. When you can afford it, start knocking them out one-by-one.

Right now, the Indianapolis Home Show is full of ideas. Cherie will be speaking each Sunday through Jan. 30 in the West Pavilion if you want more ideas. You can get your tickets for $11 when you use the code QUEEN. Or they’re $15 at the door. After the show closes, there’s always the internet for ideas and inspiration on projects you can start.