There are three things that are incredibly easy for me to do:

• Get distracted by something fluffy.
• Cancel plans.
• Walk into IKEA and accidentally spend $100.

The first two aren't changing anytime soon. Cute pets will always win, and if I can cancel plans to stay home, I'm probably going to.

The third one, though? That's worth talking about.

So here's the challenge: You hand me $100 at IKEA and tell me to make your living room look noticeably better. The budget is strict. Every dollar has to earn its place.

It is super easy to walk into Ikea, fill your cart with $100 worth of random decor, go home, and not make any improvements to your space with your purchase. The stuff is cute, the price tag was agreeable, but now you’ve just added clutter into your home, and you’re out $100.

When shopping for your home, I challenge you to buy less pieces, and stick to things that are impactful instead. Let’s go through what I’m putting in the cart. And what I’m staying away from.

Curtains

Curtains are the first thing I’d buy, because they are one of the highest impact purchases in any room. If your curtains aren’t drastically changing your room, you’re using them wrong. Most people hang them directly above the windows, making ceilings feel lower. A simple trick is to hang your curtains high and wide. This creates the illusion of taller ceilings and larger windows. Even inexpensive curtains can look custom when they’re installed correctly. A suggestion is to spend the money to get wider curtains rather than more expensive fabric. The visual width will elevate the space more than a narrow but more expensive fabric will.

At Ikea, I’m definitely adding curtains to the cart, because their simple panels are affordable enough to let the installation do the heavy lifting. I found a few pairs in simple designs for $20. That leaves us with $80 to find more impactful items. Which brings me to the next thing I’m looking to put in my cart.

Large Plant

Every room benefits from something living, or something that convincingly looks alive. Plants soften hard furniture lines, introduce texture without creating visual clutter, and naturally add height to otherwise empty corners. Don’t fall into the trap of getting smaller and cheaper plants, because that means more and more is better, no? No. One larger plant makes a stronger statement than several tiny ones. The small ones will get lost, and won’t be nearly as impactful as a large plant. Larger plants also make a room feel finished, instead of just decorated.

Ikea has lots of great real and faux plant options, and I found a bunch online for around $25, bringing our running total to $45. We still have enough in the budget for a major design upgrade.

Large Artwork

Not every space needs a gallery wall. In fact, a lot of the time, small artwork is one of the biggest reasons rooms feel unfinished. Most people are afraid of going too large, but oversized art actually creates an instant focal point. Larger pieces simplify a room because when you have one strong statement, that replaces several weak ones. There is a time and a place for a gallery wall, but if you’re looking for immediate impactful design, large artwork is the way to go. You’ll get visual return on investment with this, because a single oversized print often looks more expensive than several small frames. So spend a little more for the larger piece, and your space will look that much richer.

I found an artwork print I like for around $25 online. Our running total is now at $70, which doesn’t leave us much wiggle room, but I know exactly what the next thing is to go into the cart.

Decorative Tray

This one is tricky, because decorative trays aren’t really decoration, they’re organization disguised as decor. Trays are game changers to any large surface area. Set one on a coffee table and suddenly the candles, remotes, coasters, and books don't look like clutter anymore, they look intentional.You’ve instantly reduced visual clutter without actually removing anything! A tray works in any room, living rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms, and entryways. Corralling smaller items on a tray not only visually groups everyday items, it’s also practical.

Ikea has so many items that work as decorative trays, or bowls. It’s really easy to find something that matches your aesthetic, just think outside of the box. The description might not say that it's a decorative bowl or tray, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be used as one. I found one for $12, landing us at a solid $82 into our budget.

Save the Rest

We have $18 left, and I’m officially cutting us off. Yes, I know that we can easily find something at Ikea for $18 that we can add to the cart, but that’s part of the problem that led us to this challenge. Just because you could spend the $18, doesn’t mean you should. No small trinket is going to make an impact in the space like the other items we picked out. What would be nice to add, would be a lamp. However, I don’t think we’re going to find a good one for the room with the money left over. Therefore, I suggest we pocket the $18, and save up towards a lamp purchase. Don’t spend the money on filler, save it for something better. You’ll already have a head start towards your next impactful purchase!

What's Staying on the Shelf

A few rules of thumb of what to avoid when looking for impactful items on a small budget.

Tiny Faux Plants:

They disappear visually. They rarely have enough visual weight to change how a room feels. You might be able to get three tiny plants for less than one large one, but they won’t have nearly enough of an impact to be worth it. Most of the time, they often end up looking like clutter. If you really love greenery in your space, scale matters.

Season Decor:

Seasonal decorating is fun, but it shouldn't consume your decorating budget. Invest first in pieces you'll enjoy year round. Seasonal accents can always be layered in later. You’ll have a stronger foundation to work with if you focus on bringing in timeless decor first.

Plastic Storage Bins:

I’m not saying never use plastic bins. Plastic bins are fantastic inside closets, garages, or under beds. However, in visible spaces, woven baskets instantly feel warmer and more decorative. Storage should contribute to the room, not distract from it. Choosing woven baskets over clear plastic instantly softens a room while still keeping everything organized.

Small Artwork:

Just to hammer home the point, in most cases I’m going to suggest you skip the small artwork. Small pieces often require several companions to fill a wall. That usually ends up costing more than one oversized piece. And the impact isn’t nearly as great. Large art creates confidence. And for all the maximalists out there, empty walls around large art isn’t wasted space…it lets the artwork breathe

Budget Breakdown

Curtains ................. $20

Large Plant ............. $25

Large Artwork ........ $25

Decorative Tray ...... $12

Total Spent ............ $82

Left in Budget ........ $18

Final Thoughts

You'll notice a pattern in everything I chose: one large plant instead of several small ones. One oversized piece of art instead of a gallery wall. One tray that organizes many objects. Curtains that change the whole room instead of decorative accessories.

I almost always choose fewer, larger, higher-impact pieces over lots of little decorative items.

Rooms rarely feel expensive because they have more things. They feel expensive because the right things were chosen.

If I only had $100 to spend at IKEA, I wouldn't try to decorate an entire room. I'd buy the handful of things that completely change how the room feels.

That's the difference between decorating with intention and simply filling space.