After going through some minimalist bedroom ideas on Pinterest, I realized that a lot of the most beautiful ones have very simple design layout and elements. Most of what I see does not require a lot of money. As such, I’ve tried many things to turn my regular bedroom into a minimalist one without spending much money.
Based on my experiences, I have compiled a number of tips and ideas that I learned along the way. So here are the 12 easy tips to turn your regular bedroom into a minimalist bedroom on a budget. Let’s get started.
12 Quick Tips to Create a Minimalist Bedroom on a Budget
1. Keep Things Tidy
This is by far the most important tip to create a minimalist bedroom, hence being the first on the list. It is also the simplest and quickest way to shift your bedroom from a hurricane-ridden mess into a minimalist sanctuary. That over-sized sweater on the floor or that pizza box from your slumber party last week has got to go. Keeping a clean and tidy room helps ease your mind, and your mom happy.
Another important thing is to remove things you are not using anymore. Use the Declutter Formula, which basically states that if you haven’t used something for 6 months, chances are you don’t need it (you can read about it here).
There is a good quote from Marie Kondo in her book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, “From the moment you start tidying, you will be compelled to reset your life. As a result, your life will start to change.”
2. Limit Colors
Another easy way to achieve a minimalist bedroom look is to reduce the number of color pallets. Just white, bright colors or neutral colors work wonders. If possible limit your bedroom colors to 1 or 2 colors only. Keep this in mind when purchasing new duvets, pillow covers or rugs.
You can go for dark if you want a more masculine look while keeping it minimalist.
This can also extend to the objects you frequently have out in your bedroom. Things like phone casing, laptops (even your laptop wallpaper), and even your wallet colors can also compliment your room. You don’t want an object to strikingly pop out when everything else is in theme. However, this is not very important.
3. Add Space
Empty spaces between your room’s furniture adds a big sense of minimalism. This is because empty spaces makes your bedroom less cluttered.
An easy way to get more space is to push everything to the walls or corners. Pushing your bed to a corner will create new space you never knew even existed. Other things you can push to the wall or corners are tables, and wardrobes.
Another way to add more space is to use wall lamps as opposed to a standing one. This will give you more movement space, and also less cables to worry about.
4. Keep Things Hidden
You don’t want to come home from an intense day at work only to see your dirty laundry pile welcoming you. Keep your things in the drawers & wardrobes. In the case of the dirty laundry, keep them in a laundry basket with a lid, or better yet put them in the laundry room (if you have it). Make a habit of putting your notebooks, pens, and papers in the drawer when not being used. A clean empty desk keep things clear and minimal.
Another good place to put things under your bed. Keep things that you don’t really use in a box, keep it under the bed, and hide them using a long bed cover.
Have enough storage places for different things. If possible have a high shelf so that you can stack your things up and have more ground space.
5. Choose Simple Shaped Furniture
Furniture choice can have a huge impact on the whole look and feel of your room. It’s safe to choose square or rectangle shaped tables, chairs and even lamps.
Try to avoid big bed frames. In fact, if you’re on a budget, you can just go frame-less!
Furthermore, simple shaped desks, bed frames and wardrobes are easier to move around and fit in corners.
6. Add A Plain Wallpaper
Your bedroom walls might be filled with chalk marks from your nephew Timmy, or being covered by the Victorian era wallpaper your mom thought was pretty tasteful when she installed them back in the early 2000s.
A plain looking wall can greatly enhance the entire look of your room. If painting your whole room seems a bit messy and expensive, you can opt for a plain colored wallpaper instead. This is an easy way and can also be done in a day if you put aside the time and effort. It’s important to choose the color based on your room’s theme, or choose your room color theme based on the color of the chosen wallpaper.
7. Choose A Simple Wall Art
It’s easy to put too much unnecessary things on your walls. However, if you do want to put a wall art up, limit them to only 1 or 2 for your bedroom. A big part of making your bedroom walls look minimal is the right kind of wall art.
Rather than putting a complex picture or art, you’re better off choosing something simple like a vector art. Vector style art usually have simple shapes and very few colors. If you prefer to put a picture, a good way to make it look minimal is to choose a monochrome (black & white) one.
8. Keep Things Sorted/Arranged
If you are fortunate enough to visit a typical Japanese house, you will realize that everything is neatly arranged. From sandals, books to table items. Keeping things properly arranged will make your whole space look much more minimal. This is another way to achieve a minimalist bedroom without spending anything.
If you do have a lot of things that you want to stay outside the drawers that you use frequently, just arrange them nicely and orderly. Examples include keeping your shoes pointing at the same direction, stationery lined up perfectly and books standing tightly together.
9. Keep Some Walls Bare
While there is nothing wrong with putting wall art up, it’s good to keep some walls empty. This will add on to the less cluttered look of your room. Having a plain colored wall can also be great fun if you want to take a minimalist photo of your cat.
10. Tame Your Cables
This is something that is easily overlooked. Nowadays with each person having multiple gadgets, we tend to have plenty of cables filling up our bed rooms.
Firstly, you should always keep the cables that you don’t need in the drawers. If you have extra long cables, roll the excess up and tie it neatly.
Another way is to opt for wireless gadgets to reduce your cable struggles. Things like wireless mouse, wireless charging docks and headphones do not cost that much now.
11. Use A Simple Table Clock/Wall Clock
With smartphones always being present, most people now don’t really need a dedicated clock next to their bed anymore. However, if you do still prefer a bigger display to show you the time or to wake you up in the morning, choose a clock with a simple design. Most digital table clocks have simpler design than analog ones. However, for wall clocks there are plenty of minimal design options out there. I love wall clocks that doesn’t have any numbers on them. We’ve been looking at clocks our entire lives, I don’t think numbers are really that necessary.
12. Add A Plant
Lastly, minimalist aesthetics doesn’t mean cold and empty. Your bedroom should always feel warm, natural and homely. So I recommend adding a simple plant to compliment the whole minimalist look of your bedroom. Make sure it doesn’t take up too much space, and not obstructive. I believe this is a beautiful addition to your bedroom, and a good last point to the article.
Wrapping Things Up
Creating a minimalist bedroom does not need much. It actually needs less. So being on a budget should not be an obstacle.
It has been fun gathering these tips. I hope these tips can help you create your own minimalistic bedroom!
