Broke but tired of looking at the blank walls all day long? You don’t need to spend a single penny to change the look and feel of your home. With a little time and a lot of imagination, you can create a brand new room in just a couple of hours.

1. Hang something on the wall. If you can’t afford (or are not allowed to) paint the walls, your next best option is to cover them. Use a nail or double-sided tape and hang a colorful rug on the wall.

2. Move things around. Repurpose furniture for other rooms, use sheets as curtains or use a bookcase as a clothing shelf. Change the layout of your room to bring attention to a different corner.

3. Place houseplants on windowsills and tables. If you have a large potted plant outdoors, consider bringing it again and placing it next to the sofa.

4. Visit the dollar store. Not technically free, but can’t afford a few one-dollar items? Get frames or mirrors to place on your walls or a chair pad to change the color scheme on your kitchen without changing the big items.

5. Look for a few large items, rather than lots of knick-knacks. Larger items have more of a visual impact, while small things can make a place look cluttered.

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When it comes to shipping your moving boxes and belongings, you should look for the best you can afford. The last thing you want is to pay for a company to box and ship your things and then discover they broke half of the contents during the move. When choosing movers, keep in mind:

1. Bad reviews are more important than good ones. The good ones could be fake, but the ones are likely to be from dissatisfied customers. Do a Google search for the name of the company you’re considering. See what’s being said about it and how realistic the complaints are. Somebody complaining that the delivery was three hours late is not the same as somebody complaining of two boxes disappearing.
2. Get referrals if you can. Ask friends, family members and coworkers for a recommendation. If somebody else used the company with success, you’re already in a better place than if you were hiring a faceless company off the Internet.
3. Don’t hire somebody who’s too cheap. If you get similar quotes from most shipping companies and a single very low one, ask yourself why. Will the services covered be less? What’s missing? Does the price include insurance? Make sure you find out why you’re getting such a bargain.

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Renting a new apartment? Don’t move in just yet. If you can afford to wait for a couple of days, visit the apartment after the old tenant has moved out and do a few things to prepare the place.

1. Clean the whole place again. Even if it looks clean, spray everything with disinfectant and clean with paper towels or disposable cloths. Not only will this leave a better scent in the place, but you’re guaranteeing that it’s really clean, rather than just dusted. Before you leave, put a couple of room deodorizers around the apartment. When you come back, the place will smell fresh and clean.
2. Replace the toilet seat. Just because.
3. Give the freezer a quick cleaning and then place a fridge deodorizer inside. Or just place an open box of baking soda inside. This will absorb all odors that might be lingering and give you a clean start.
4. Place a few roach traps around the apartment. Chances are there won’t be any bugs around, but if there are, you can get rid of them before you even move in.
5. Plug in the fridge and buy a bottle of Coca Cola or beer and place it inside. Add a bag of chips or some cookies. After all the work of moving in, you’ll be happy to find something waiting for you in the fridge!

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Moving to a new home or bringing a new puppy into the house? Pet proofing your home can prevent accidents and can protect both the new member of the family and your furniture. It doesn’t take a lot of money or effort to make your home safer.

1. Get down on your knees and then look around. This is from where your pet sees the world. Notice anything that can present a danger, such as sharp corners, electrical wires, and small items that might be a choking hazard.

2. Move everything you don’t want destroyed out of the way. Valuable items, books, magazines and expensive shoes can all seem like attractive toys to a puppy. Move them up higher or place them safely into some moving boxes so they will be out of reach.

3. Keep cleaning products and medicine out of the way. Cats can jump up to seven times their height, so avoid leaving things on the counter. Puppies have sharp teeth and can break into boxes and plastic bottles and might access dangerous liquids. Put them behind a locked door.

4. Use a child-safety gate to restrict access to dangerous areas or rooms.

5. Close the toilet lid. Your pet might try to drink from it and fall inside, risking drowning.

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