Thank you again to my beloved Abi for opening up her home to me! To her credit, she had been out of town for 10 days before we filmed and I SPECIFICALLY told her not to clean or prep beforehand (which she didn’t have time for anyway). so while it is a dusty space in general, it was worse than usual!! Give her all the props and love she deserves, please!!❤
Love how real you both are…dang. Abi’s willingness to not clean up ahead of the shoot made the Before and After shots pop! Inspiring work, Caroline. Brava, ladies.Brava!
*Hey.* Thank you for this. I was futilely _navigating anxiety_ when your video appeared and it was like you were _uncluttering_ MY _headspace._ I feel lighter. So, again, thank you. I appreciate this.
Haven’t read all the comments, but I hope this isn’t because people are criticizing the space. I actually REALLY appreciate watch videos of REAL spaces. I follow a couple of accounts who do videos of their spaces that aren’t “perfect” and I can relate to those much more than the pristine homes. Her space was great and real. Also, who has time to dust? 🤷🏻♀️😁
That's the reality of a makeover in so many lives-thanks for being so down-to earth here! :) Getting rid of things is so much more important than new buys!! If not the only way...
There needs to be more of this on RUclips! I like the less consumerism and showing people the value of what they already have. I think this could be a series all its own. Love your channel.
i know how uncomfortable this is! but there is a balance for EVERYTHING. and you know when trying to save and hoard and prep for every forseeable need in the future actually becomes the thing that is strangling you
After the cleansing of my apartment four years ago. I brought half my stuff to the thrift store, other reusable I DIY'ed, and whatever was trash or recyclables. Out. It feels great to cleanse out one's space. Really recommend it! And only buy what you need, not more excess stuff. ❤ ❤
This is absolutely phenomenal. Not one dime spent, and now it no longer looks like a dorm room; it looks like a room for grownups. Caroline, you hit it out of the park with this one. 🤩
The best part of this is the kindness Caroline brings to everyone to not be hard on yourself when things are messy because these things are hard! Love it
This was soo good! It feels so much more realistic. Can you do more of these??!! All the other channels say stuff like "Update the hardwear. It's cheap and easy." But that's still something that adds up to $100+. In this economy? I reather keep my non-trendy handles and not be wasteful. Do more, do more!!!! Moarrr! Thank you!
totally, totally, totally. the consuming is stressing me out. and i'll be real here - i am not the thrift-only influencer - i totally love a good new buy. BUT i also think it gets old and unnecessary. IMO, a mix of both is great. as always, balance :)
We made over my bedroom and literally bought nothing, not even paint we just used stuff we had. But I wanted to splurge on new covers for the electric outles for multiple reasons and let's just say my brother and I were kinda dumbfounded in the hardware store....spent like 70€ on just simple / modern covers for about 15 outlets and switches. It added up tbf so if wasn't that expensive per piece but that's exactly what you said. It adds up quickly
I think what I might love best is this to me would feel like the sweetest kind of love letter from a friend: to go into someone’s home with such love and care and creativity and uncover how beautiful it already is. I don’t quite know how to articulate what I’m meaning… So much of consumerism (home design/reno/makeovers) is based on exploiting our vulnerabilities, in making us feel lacking in some way, and that we or our homes are wrong. This is the antithesis of that and it’s so good. It feels like a beautiful act of love, but also creative and full of approachable design insights. Thanks for opening part of your home to us Abi, and thank you Caroline for being such a good human on the internet and different type of creator.
This. Ditto. ESP re exploiting our vulnerabilities and the care/love this shows to a friend. So special, and love your moment of therapy. Abi, you’re not alone - so many ppl came here to hear Caroline say that too!
hah i know this first hand because i grew up in a home that sometimes struggled with this concept. so i have seen it played out for years and i know the price you pay..
Wow, Caroline, thank you! I actually have hope for my space now! I’m a refugee from Ukraine living in an overpriced apartment in Spain which not only means my budget for decor is non existent, but also that I brought mostly utilitarian items with me (none of the old familial vases, antique Ukrainian jewellery boxes, none of my books), and often have to do with what’s already available. Being a refugee becomes a mentality, when you feel like you can’t really invest into making your space cozy, since the trauma of losing it all and uprooting into the unknown stays with you. Still, I of course feel really fortunate that these are the problems I have (compared to what’s happening back home) and now with all of this wonderful advice I am so inspired to come up with something for my place! You are amazing at what you do and I love your channel!❤
I can't imagine how difficult your journey has been. My heart breaks for all Ukrainians and what you've had to endure, but I have also never witnessed a culture of people so strong and resilient. You will get through this. Your apartment can feel like home with just the smallest reminders of where you're from, where you are now, and who you truly are. In time, you *will* get back to your true home and the world will celebrate.
an absolutely amazing comment to read, and an unbelievable journey. im touched that you found your way to this video, and i am hopeful that it gives you some inspiration and pride in your existing space!
@@kkpenney444 your words warm my heart ❤️ ! From all of us - we thank you and people like you, who support our battle for freedom and believe that we will prevail. The world’s support - people’s support - is the difference between life and death for us, so comments like this make me feel so hopeful, that we aren’t forgotten, old news and just an inconvenience. You’ve made my day, have a good one!
Pls do. I would love to watch a series like this. And this is the kind of influence RUclips needs. And inspo that the world needs. Enough with buying stuff & chucking out perfectly good things. No other style channel does anything like this without buying a whole bunch of things. I hate buying crap, I love working with what I’ve got, and I just need those hot design tips (and to see the makeover possibilities that can come without needing to buy more.) can’t thank you enough for doing this video
@cassie.minimalist based on your username I would have thought you'd appreciate a series like this Especially since, you know... This makeover did involve more than just cleaning
I love this because it brings interior design out of the elitist camp and more into bettering the lives of everyday people who may not be able to drop even $100 on improving their space at a given moment. All of us deserve to live in spaces that give us peace.
Caroline, I know this is your channel, but I want to say thank you to Abi (and her husband) for allowing us to see a bit of their home because it's a very vulnerable thing to do. I, too, have a hard time with the idea of 'creating waste' so this video was great to see!
You really should win a prize for this video. Nobody else bothers to help people who can't/don't want to spend money on redecorating. You are teaching the BASICS here. Gold medal for Caroline!
As if anyone doubted your talent...this just proves it. USE WHAT YOU HAVE is something so few decorators can really do. Would love to see more of these.
GOD I LOVE YOU "keeping trash in your house isn't creating more trash... It's keeping it in your home" I think you just saved me from years of eco-anxiety. Thank you!!! Also I saw your $0 makeover with your sister the other day and I came on YT during my lunch break today and I thought "I so want another $0 makeover" and GUESS WHAT WAS RIGHT AT THE TOP OF MY FEED 😍😍😍
this is so normal, realistic, so good! And also respectful. So many people who are not blessed with wealth will be able to relate and enjoy watching this video and start rearranging. Thanks! It is so refreshing to not only see money being spent into the ever same style. Real people, real flats.
I love "use what you have" decorating! I learned this as a child as this is what my mom would do. Things always felt fresh and new. Great job!! More please!!!!
This was so wholesome and, Caroline, this is not nothing and it needs to be acknowledged - you are so considerate and polite. The simple but so respectful gesture of leaving her husband’s things for him to decide on ….. you’d think that would be obvious but so often it’s not. Your commentary about clutter and what not ….. you’re just a truly decent human being. I LOVED THIS !!!! This is the power of good taste and a real understanding of the principles of good design. Frigging outstanding. And Abi is adorable.
it 100% is therapy. that's why ive been disinclined to do some of this for someone else bc the decluttering is a completely separate process that is super super personal. im glad this unfolded so well
I totally feel the “it’s hard to get rid of things because I’m creating waste” because I’m trying to think environmentally. I am trying so hard to change my brain so that I don’t purchase more stuff that’s going to end up being trash.
I seriously feel so much better after shedding exactly this kind of thinking. I buy what I need. Just do it and throw away the things you don’t need. It feels like therapy.
I totally get this and what Abi is feeling. Have you ever traveled to a country or seen an area where US trash ends up? It’s wrenching. The trash we get rid of doesn’t disappear, others often are left with the burden of living with it. I am frustrated that we as individuals carry the burden and guilt of this though. Large companies create way more waste in the world and are also responsible for packaging and how many of those things come into our homes (cheaply made). This type of content is so helpful for changing that mindset you mention, being more thoughtful of what we bring into our homes and more content - and creative! Uh hello Caroline - with what we already have. And yeah, sometimes we need to just get rid of things that are weighing us down. This is exactly the content type I’ve been craving. Thanks Caroline! It’s so good
If there's something in the home, and looking at it or thinking about it makes you unhappy or kind of anxious, it needs to go. Your home should be a place you can rest. So just get up and sort that box, toss the trash, or do the floors.
You're on the right track. Buying things we don't need or wouldn't even want six months from now is what's creating waste. Buying things online that we could have bought in a store could create waste (because of extra boxes). But getting rid of something you don't use and won't replace isn't creating waste, it's just moving the waste - preferably to a place where it can be recycled.
Love, love, love this!!! Years ago there was a show on a famous home/garden network that did exactly what you’re doing! Well, that show never made the cut, because now all there is is bazillion dollar budgets, months of construction and designer furniture. Boring!!! Anyone can do that. But taking what a person already has, “shopping” in their home…it’s pure genius!!! Fabulous job!
My favorite activity with any spare brain cells is figuring out how to decorate my house with what I already have. But after rotating all the same items in different places and arrangements, I needed some extra help! Thank you!
Yes yes yes! It's like the "slow fashion" of home decor--with all the attendant benefits of environmental responsibility, economic egalitarianism etc.--but pointing our attention at creativity and play. I am so here for it.
ROUND OF FKING APPLAUSE, I agree so much with everyone saying this is so much better than all the consumerism (and your channel has always been 100000x less consumerism-focused than other RUclips channels to begin with)! Loved. It.
I LOVE this!! Rad to see an influencer do a TRULY no-buy video🎉 It’s so accessible and helpful, and I hope the feedback you get tells you how much your risk paid off- i know you were feeling nervous at the beginning of the video. Can’t overstate how much i loved this format- i’m feeling really inspired to do this in some of my own spaces now ❤
Videos like this are SO important for many reasons: 1. It shows you don’t need to constantly spend more money to affect changes in the home 2. It highlights how we all have ‘hidden treasure(s)’ that we have either stored or forgotten about that could make such a difference to a room re-vamp 3. Notwithstanding the environmental advantages, it’s good to sniff out pieces from friends and relatives that would give our home a new lease of life My only three suggestions following your tidying (no offence): 1. When storing keyboards, wrap them in a bin bag first - keeps the dust out of the keyboard; and 2. Sweaty trainers right by the bed - ugh! They need to go by a door, not in a bedroom where they pollute the relaxing space 3. I’d have used that long mirror as a headboard (landscape-ways) with fairy lights round it - SO romantic.
I love the new genre. You're a genius with the styling-without-purchasing-a-thing idea. Abi's a genius with the Rubix cube. No wonder you adore each other!
THIS is what I needed!!!!!!! THANK YOU for delivering!!!! I painfully admit that there are some people in the interior design realm that I have stopped watching on RUclips. This is because their makeovers have reached unattainable levels that are irrelevant to my lifestyle. So THIS feels soooo refreshing to see, and is actually inspiring me to take action in my own space ✨️
Oh I love restyling with my own stuff! I used to rearrange my room all the time as a preteen and now that I'm *cough* almost 40, I've been doing it in my home as well. It feels great to recycle my decor and move furniture around based on the season we're in. Yes, more of these please!!
I really liked this video. Very de-influencing in a way. Most of the transformation videos I watch are like "so now just buy a $3,497 projector and a $498 shelf from Ikea to complete this room!" Very refreshing to see how I can transform my room into something pretty without spending a single cent.
I love this. I shopped my house when the lockdown happened, and was able to practically clear out my basement, and rediscover things I'd forgotten about. But the gem I took away is 'trash is still trash, just in another place'. YES! This also means, I'm more thoughtful about what I bring into my house.
Using what you have is a better idea than going out and buying more stuff. The room looks cohesive and comfortable, more a place of rest than a muddle of stuff. Well done.
I LOVE THIS TYPE OF VIDEO also a big fan of the “thrift only” makeovers where you CAN bring new things in but they have to all be thrifted. Love everything you do ♥️
I love this video - because it is a direct example of what I do as a personal organizer. Same space, less things, using what you have to corral it, possibly arrange things differently, and voila a completely different vibe.
This video was recommended, and I love it!!! I'm so sick of all the consumption and consumerism on social media 😒. I love the idea of just moving things around and using what's already in my house 😉✌🏾
Thanks Abi for being vulnerable with Caroline's following. The space turned out SO GOOD!! It shows your real talent Caroline. Its easy with big budgets a lot of time and a lot of space to make something great but you did it without any money..... I love how it turned out and it looks very much like them not a designer did it. Kudos ladies...
You're a great writer and producer and i love your more scripted and curated videos but THIS is what I need to see on RUclips. Some real people doing realistic thing, just to make each other happy. 100% perfect !
Ummmmm YES PLZ. This was such a thoughtful concept, video, home, friend, restyle - all of it. Thank you for highlighting such a valuable concept and executing it flawlessly. Would absolutely LOVE more of these. :)
It is so interesting the difference when hanging pictures lower! It looks so much better. Making the bench the home for the shoes and packing away the keyboard was so simple and practical! If I decluttered, I would like my home again too! I like most of the furniture and art that I have. I just can't appreciate it because it is buried under clutter.
This is totally normal to me. I do this, I know how to do this and people comment that they don't know how to do this. I forget sometimes that this is not a normal skill for all. This could 100% be a new series. Allow yourself more time. One afternoon is stressful for a whole space. Loved this so so much. This is my niche. I've posted on IG to follow this channel. So excited. Please do more. Zero money, all the beauty. BRAVO Caroline!!!!!! Bra frickin VO!
3:50 I repeated this so so many times because of how pure and genuine and loving and considerate and THOUGHTFUL that one question was. There's suchhh a good and loving energy coming out of Caroline with how she's treating and speaking to one of her friends in the least toxic and manipulative way. She's checking in with a friend no matter how much their styles clash, checking to see whether or not something makes Abi FEEL something, no matter what Caroline's own judgement or bias is, is incredibly mature and heartwarming. I speak for all of us when I say... we wish Caroline only that same energy!
Omg! I love this concept, thank you for doing this! Waaaayyy back in the early days of hgtv there was a show where a woman did this and I loved it so much! So fun to see you tackle it ❤
Yes! I remember that show I think it was called Redesign or something and I loved watching it, I learned so much! Thank you Caroline for sharing this lovely makeover.
I remember a show in the recession of 2008-2009 where a woman redesigned rooms for less than $50 each. They showed how to clean up, clear out and “shop other places in the home”. They moved furniture, switched throw pillows between the sofa and the bed, found beautiful rugs stored in the garage, brought in plants from other rooms, etc. It was wonderful-just like this video. They took it off the air when people started to “recover” from the hard times. I think it’s a great idea for anyone, anytime. I loved watching it.
I always loathe how 'before and afters' seem to to be something out of a magazine on RUclips. THIS is brilliant! This is how REAL people live, and how we can all change our homes into something happier!
This is awesome! So good to see a restyling/room redo spending no money and also in a “real” lived in room. You are so right there’s such a specific style to this room and it’s beautiful to see!!! ❤
Caroline!!! I hardly ever comment on videos but I feel compelled to with this one. I’ve been hardcore procrastinating a redo/declutter of my apartment for many reasons, not least of which being the idea I had in my head that I need to buy new stuff in order to do it or make it feel complete. This video made that task seem so much less daunting, and actually exciting! I absolutely love how this turned out and can totally picture this working in my home seeing it done this way!! I can’t thank you enough for the inspiration 💞
This needs to become a series. No matter what the interior is, you never get around doing what you did in the room to make it feel nice, meaning declutter and edit it. Your friend is gorgeous. She's funny and smart and open. And the dress was nice ;) Nice job Caroline ❤
I. LOVED. THIS. As someone who is living in a camper full time i dont have the space for extra stuff but I'm always looking for new ways to organize and style to get the most out of my space without spending the money to do so!
This is a big reason why I loved being a military kid growing up. We would move every 2 years and so every move I would declutter and redecorate my room and even though it was the same stuff it felt new and cool to me
Hello Caroline. New subscriber here. I'm 67 years old, and I relate to everything you say. I've had 3 or 4 carreers in my life, and I'm going back to my first love, which is painting. Better late than never . 😊 I love your channel with all the ideas, ranting, life reflections, etc. Cheers!
Love this type of video especially being a military fam we move around and so buying things to fit a new house doesn’t always make sense. I love getting to reimagine the items I have to be used in different rooms or for different purposes. This spoke to my creative soul as you did exactly that and did it well 🤌🏼
I love this! A lot of videos are like ‘make over your room for free… I only spent 50 dollars and thrifted the rest’ You literally spent NOTHING to do this and the result is amazing! Well done 😊
Wow, this felt equally satisfying as inspiring. And the truth bomb about waste you dropped just hit me in my stomach so hard that I want to throw…out my waste! Thanks for that kick in the bum. Love your content and your way of presenting so much ❤
i love this concept! i've been trying to remind myself that the interior design videos i watch on yt are almost entirely made by people whose full-time job it is to get new things (often sponsored/gifted) and do big home projects, and i can't compare my own home changes or progress to them -- great to be reminded how much we can do for free in an afternoon. as a huge environmentalist, 100% agree with your point about living in trash. even if *you* keep trash forever, when you die it's gonna go to landfill, so why live with it until then? plus, most of the environmental impact from products happens during the manufacturing and transportation process, not what happens to it at end-of-life. being active in my local buy nothing group, finding a nearby creative reuse store, and befriending an artist who is always looking for materials to incorporate into her work have really helped me stop living in trash in an earth-friendlier way -- but the biggest change is being way more conscientious about what i buy and bring into my home in the first place. PS - in the US, you can put yourself on the do not mail registry to stop getting junk mail!!
One of my favorite decor videos you’ve made to date. It’s funny - you were racing against the clock, but it ended up being some of your best work. Isn’t that how it always is? *shutters to my college paper years*. The lamp bookend idea was chef’s kiss. Great job! And thank you abi for opening up your space for us!
haha i think you're right. i noticed that with the time crunch i just relaxed and vibed a bit. not to mention that my friend was there so i was very comfortable. but it overall just made it a very comfortable setting
I LOVED this!!! Please do more videos about making the most of your space with what you already have. Also, bravo to Abi for being willing to share her home. Her bedroom wasn't "bad" to begin with, but now it's beautiful, and I feel so inspired by both her and you! Thank you both!
This is my first experience of your channel and I am so impressed. I love your sillyness and hard work, and am so impressed that you bucked the inevitable pressure from sponsors and modeled a refresh with $0 out, bringing joy to what's already there. I'm excited to discover more of your content.
My Post-Mormon radar immediately went off on Abi (as a post-Mormon myself) and I was elated to find I was right when I checked out her awesome substack. Loved the transformation. Abi, you're an ICON
I kept waiting and waiting for you to show us the area with the necklaces and mirror....and FINALLY got a quick look at the end! :) Loved the whole video and definitely want more!
Abi and her husband get the Good Sports Awards for opening their bedroom up as a laboratory for this little experiment. I found the “unplayed keyboard as a hat rack” so relatable ♥️ What a gift you have for this work, Caroline! Maybe it doesn’t seem like much to you, but it is transformative and inspiring to behold. Thank you for making the world a more beautiful place, one space at a time 🌷
This makeover is awesome! Abi has great taste in decor, and you really know how to use things effectively. You should definitely keep doing these makeovers for her entire home. 😍
I really love this idea. Walking us through your thought process, the reasons behind your decisions, seeing the before and after - WOW! Super helpful video! Would be great to see this as a series.
This was great. Loved what you said about trash. The trash in your home doesn’t make more waste in landfills - it just means there is trash in your home No! Baby girl - get rid of trash
I always get the biggest smile when your videos drop. Also, I really need this right now as trying to reinvent a small bedroom which is currently in need of help. Thank you for always making me smile. Xx
I love this format of doing it WITH the client. Yes, reveals are exciting but the reactions are expected and monotone after a while. However, by doing it with the client, you get to correct along the course, give them some ideas for the future and get a much more sustainable result by the end. Plus it nice to learn about the owner's life and room, and watching the interactions as a viewer. Please do more of these!
i saw the title and was skeptical at the amount of difference you could see by just moving things around but wowZA it's so so different and fresh. moving things around and placing things with intentionality is EVERYTHING
Omg, Abi!!! I’ve got the same problem with creating trash! I have a big ikea bag of beauty products that are far too old to be used and I can’t get myself to getting rid of it because it breaks my heart that it’s not even recyclable 😭😭😭
IKR?! But Caroline's brilliant comments about how the trash is already there and we're just living in it if we don't get rid of it makes it super easy to - y'know, take that crap to the trash bin!
@reformerka, I totally feel you on this. If its something that you are comfortable throwing money at (or have friends that you could go in on together), you could always grab a Terracycle box. I just did it and my under-sink space has never been happier. ;)
@@lauriemorris9175 yes, I also tell this to myself but it’s not so easy to take the next step. But I’m moving soon and promised myself to not bring any useless crap to my new home
@@kaylafletcher224 I’ve never heard of Terracycle and from what I see on their page it’s not available in my country but maybe I could find a similar solution here. Thanks!
I've seen people use expired makeup products as paints! Which might be an option next time you do some arts and crafts? Especially with colourful/glittery eyeshadow palettes etc
Thank you. I thought that making my home beautiful was too hard for me. I'm very linear and not particularly creative. Having simple guidelines to try (put things on a tray, height variation, not having a bunch of "leggy" furniture all together) and now seeing you apply those principles with Abi's existing things is truly life changing. Even in the midst of a large family in a small home that's never really shipshape, I can still have those little places that are lovely.
I love this, because it feels like a real home, tells a story about who lives there, and it's not too "decorated." It feels like a nice blend of Abi and her husband. This is exactly what I try to achieve in my own home. Nicely done!
Thank you again to my beloved Abi for opening up her home to me! To her credit, she had been out of town for 10 days before we filmed and I SPECIFICALLY told her not to clean or prep beforehand (which she didn’t have time for anyway). so while it is a dusty space in general, it was worse than usual!! Give her all the props and love she deserves, please!!❤
Love how real you both are…dang. Abi’s willingness to not clean up ahead of the shoot made the Before and After shots pop! Inspiring work, Caroline. Brava, ladies.Brava!
*Hey.* Thank you for this. I was futilely _navigating anxiety_ when your video appeared and it was like you were _uncluttering_ MY _headspace._ I feel lighter. So, again, thank you. I appreciate this.
Haven’t read all the comments, but I hope this isn’t because people are criticizing the space. I actually REALLY appreciate watch videos of REAL spaces. I follow a couple of accounts who do videos of their spaces that aren’t “perfect” and I can relate to those much more than the pristine homes.
Her space was great and real. Also, who has time to dust? 🤷🏻♀️😁
That's the reality of a makeover in so many lives-thanks for being so down-to earth here! :) Getting rid of things is so much more important than new buys!! If not the only way...
Makeovers/decluttering in spaces where you see no dust at all is so unrealistic !
There needs to be more of this on RUclips! I like the less consumerism and showing people the value of what they already have. I think this could be a series all its own. Love your channel.
This! My words exactly! :D
yessss to making this a series! so satisfying.
this should be a series all its own
Yes, yes, yes! Make it a series - less consumerism, less waste, save money and live in a designed space...all the good things!
I totally agree. I am honestly tired of buying/thrifting things I don't need. I just want it.
The 5:15 'It's already trash, it just means now you're living in the trash' revelation was so wonderful and such a freeing feeling - thank you
i know how uncomfortable this is! but there is a balance for EVERYTHING. and you know when trying to save and hoard and prep for every forseeable need in the future actually becomes the thing that is strangling you
YEEES!
And theres the Thrift Store.
After the cleansing of my apartment four years ago. I brought half my stuff to the thrift store, other reusable I DIY'ed, and whatever was trash or recyclables. Out.
It feels great to cleanse out one's space. Really recommend it!
And only buy what you need, not more excess stuff. ❤ ❤
Also, technically, recycling is not trash :)
This is absolutely phenomenal. Not one dime spent, and now it no longer looks like a dorm room; it looks like a room for grownups. Caroline, you hit it out of the park with this one. 🤩
big smile reading this. thank you
The best part of this is the kindness Caroline brings to everyone to not be hard on yourself when things are messy because these things are hard! Love it
very happy to read this. it's a deeply personal dynamic. if someone judges, they just lack understanding
❤
This was soo good! It feels so much more realistic. Can you do more of these??!! All the other channels say stuff like "Update the hardwear. It's cheap and easy." But that's still something that adds up to $100+. In this economy? I reather keep my non-trendy handles and not be wasteful. Do more, do more!!!! Moarrr! Thank you!
totally, totally, totally. the consuming is stressing me out. and i'll be real here - i am not the thrift-only influencer - i totally love a good new buy. BUT i also think it gets old and unnecessary. IMO, a mix of both is great. as always, balance :)
We made over my bedroom and literally bought nothing, not even paint we just used stuff we had. But I wanted to splurge on new covers for the electric outles for multiple reasons and let's just say my brother and I were kinda dumbfounded in the hardware store....spent like 70€ on just simple / modern covers for about 15 outlets and switches. It added up tbf so if wasn't that expensive per piece but that's exactly what you said. It adds up quickly
I think what I might love best is this to me would feel like the sweetest kind of love letter from a friend: to go into someone’s home with such love and care and creativity and uncover how beautiful it already is. I don’t quite know how to articulate what I’m meaning… So much of consumerism (home design/reno/makeovers) is based on exploiting our vulnerabilities, in making us feel lacking in some way, and that we or our homes are wrong. This is the antithesis of that and it’s so good. It feels like a beautiful act of love, but also creative and full of approachable design insights. Thanks for opening part of your home to us Abi, and thank you Caroline for being such a good human on the internet and different type of creator.
aw man this is so so sweet.
I love this comment and agree wholeheartedly!
This. Ditto. ESP re exploiting our vulnerabilities and the care/love this shows to a friend. So special, and love your moment of therapy. Abi, you’re not alone - so many ppl came here to hear Caroline say that too!
“It just means now you’re living in the trash” my sustainable heart aches but it’s so true✊🏻😔
yeah that was a necessary and loving side swipe hahah
it's hard to hear but so true. i think that's why THE most important thing is intentional shopping :D
That was such a big takeaway for me.
hah i know this first hand because i grew up in a home that sometimes struggled with this concept. so i have seen it played out for years and i know the price you pay..
True, its trash the moment youve gotten it.
Oh dang. “You’re not creating trash, it’s already trash, you’re just living with it” 😮🤯 Thank you for sharing you with us via RUclips! 💕
I would watch one million videos of you styling your friends homes with things they already own, love it
same here
Yes! Me too 😊
This would be a great series!
Same. Same. More please. And then come to my house.
I second this. More content accessible for people who cannot spend!!
Wow, Caroline, thank you! I actually have hope for my space now! I’m a refugee from Ukraine living in an overpriced apartment in Spain which not only means my budget for decor is non existent, but also that I brought mostly utilitarian items with me (none of the old familial vases, antique Ukrainian jewellery boxes, none of my books), and often have to do with what’s already available.
Being a refugee becomes a mentality, when you feel like you can’t really invest into making your space cozy, since the trauma of losing it all and uprooting into the unknown stays with you. Still, I of course feel really fortunate that these are the problems I have (compared to what’s happening back home) and now with all of this wonderful advice I am so inspired to come up with something for my place! You are amazing at what you do and I love your channel!❤
I can't imagine how difficult your journey has been. My heart breaks for all Ukrainians and what you've had to endure, but I have also never witnessed a culture of people so strong and resilient. You will get through this. Your apartment can feel like home with just the smallest reminders of where you're from, where you are now, and who you truly are. In time, you *will* get back to your true home and the world will celebrate.
an absolutely amazing comment to read, and an unbelievable journey. im touched that you found your way to this video, and i am hopeful that it gives you some inspiration and pride in your existing space!
@@Caroline_Winkler you are so kind, it means a lot to read this! I’m sure, your advice is helping a wider variety of people that you might imagine 🥰
@@kkpenney444 your words warm my heart ❤️ ! From all of us - we thank you and people like you, who support our battle for freedom and believe that we will prevail. The world’s support - people’s support - is the difference between life and death for us, so comments like this make me feel so hopeful, that we aren’t forgotten, old news and just an inconvenience. You’ve made my day, have a good one!
Please make this a series!!!! There's nothing like this on RUclips!
highest compliment. i may consider making more!
Pls do. I would love to watch a series like this. And this is the kind of influence RUclips needs. And inspo that the world needs. Enough with buying stuff & chucking out perfectly good things. No other style channel does anything like this without buying a whole bunch of things. I hate buying crap, I love working with what I’ve got, and I just need those hot design tips (and to see the makeover possibilities that can come without needing to buy more.) can’t thank you enough for doing this video
@@Caroline_Winklerdo Abi’s living room next.
There is it's called cleaning haha but I still would watch it
@cassie.minimalist based on your username I would have thought you'd appreciate a series like this
Especially since, you know... This makeover did involve more than just cleaning
I love this because it brings interior design out of the elitist camp and more into bettering the lives of everyday people who may not be able to drop even $100 on improving their space at a given moment. All of us deserve to live in spaces that give us peace.
Caroline, I know this is your channel, but I want to say thank you to Abi (and her husband) for allowing us to see a bit of their home because it's a very vulnerable thing to do. I, too, have a hard time with the idea of 'creating waste' so this video was great to see!
she is perfect every day
You really should win a prize for this video. Nobody else bothers to help people who can't/don't want to spend money on redecorating. You are teaching the BASICS here. Gold medal for Caroline!
As if anyone doubted your talent...this just proves it. USE WHAT YOU HAVE is something so few decorators can really do. Would love to see more of these.
so delighted. thank you!
GOD I LOVE YOU "keeping trash in your house isn't creating more trash... It's keeping it in your home" I think you just saved me from years of eco-anxiety. Thank you!!!
Also I saw your $0 makeover with your sister the other day and I came on YT during my lunch break today and I thought "I so want another $0 makeover" and GUESS WHAT WAS RIGHT AT THE TOP OF MY FEED 😍😍😍
Making over a space without buying anything makes it accessible to anyone and that's super motivating
the amount of serotonin i get when these notifications come in… it’s criminal!
Same here!! 😂
Agreed! 😂❤❤❤
Your comment confirms that brilliant people attract brilliant people ❤😅
seriously 😅
this is so normal, realistic, so good! And also respectful. So many people who are not blessed with wealth will be able to relate and enjoy watching this video and start rearranging. Thanks! It is so refreshing to not only see money being spent into the ever same style. Real people, real flats.
I love "use what you have" decorating! I learned this as a child as this is what my mom would do. Things always felt fresh and new. Great job!! More please!!!!
This was so wholesome and, Caroline, this is not nothing and it needs to be acknowledged - you are so considerate and polite. The simple but so respectful gesture of leaving her husband’s things for him to decide on ….. you’d think that would be obvious but so often it’s not. Your commentary about clutter and what not ….. you’re just a truly decent human being. I LOVED THIS !!!! This is the power of good taste and a real understanding of the principles of good design. Frigging outstanding. And Abi is adorable.
You’ll never know how much this whole comment meant to me. Thank you for taking the time
@@Caroline_Winkler 💕🌸
I love how safe Abby felt having you in her space, you’re not here to judge you are here to help and it was so successful!
needed that therapy session... "keeping trash in your home is not creating more waste... keeping trash in your home is not creating more waste"
it 100% is therapy. that's why ive been disinclined to do some of this for someone else bc the decluttering is a completely separate process that is super super personal. im glad this unfolded so well
❤️
The most enlightening thing I've heard in a long time.🏝👵💙💛
I totally feel the “it’s hard to get rid of things because I’m creating waste” because I’m trying to think environmentally. I am trying so hard to change my brain so that I don’t purchase more stuff that’s going to end up being trash.
I seriously feel so much better after shedding exactly this kind of thinking. I buy what I need. Just do it and throw away the things you don’t need. It feels like therapy.
I totally get this and what Abi is feeling. Have you ever traveled to a country or seen an area where US trash ends up? It’s wrenching. The trash we get rid of doesn’t disappear, others often are left with the burden of living with it. I am frustrated that we as individuals carry the burden and guilt of this though. Large companies create way more waste in the world and are also responsible for packaging and how many of those things come into our homes (cheaply made). This type of content is so helpful for changing that mindset you mention, being more thoughtful of what we bring into our homes and more content - and creative! Uh hello Caroline - with what we already have. And yeah, sometimes we need to just get rid of things that are weighing us down. This is exactly the content type I’ve been craving. Thanks Caroline! It’s so good
@@colourmehappyallie yes, it is hard to handle. I am reading “Consumed” by Aja Barber. Recommend.
If there's something in the home, and looking at it or thinking about it makes you unhappy or kind of anxious, it needs to go. Your home should be a place you can rest.
So just get up and sort that box, toss the trash, or do the floors.
You're on the right track. Buying things we don't need or wouldn't even want six months from now is what's creating waste. Buying things online that we could have bought in a store could create waste (because of extra boxes). But getting rid of something you don't use and won't replace isn't creating waste, it's just moving the waste - preferably to a place where it can be recycled.
Love, love, love this!!! Years ago there was a show on a famous home/garden network that did exactly what you’re doing! Well, that show never made the cut, because now all there is is bazillion dollar budgets, months of construction and designer furniture. Boring!!! Anyone can do that. But taking what a person already has, “shopping” in their home…it’s pure genius!!! Fabulous job!
My favorite activity with any spare brain cells is figuring out how to decorate my house with what I already have. But after rotating all the same items in different places and arrangements, I needed some extra help! Thank you!
Yes yes yes! It's like the "slow fashion" of home decor--with all the attendant benefits of environmental responsibility, economic egalitarianism etc.--but pointing our attention at creativity and play. I am so here for it.
ROUND OF FKING APPLAUSE, I agree so much with everyone saying this is so much better than all the consumerism (and your channel has always been 100000x less consumerism-focused than other RUclips channels to begin with)!
Loved. It.
Someone said "this is so wholesome" and my thought was: yes! Wholesome as Fk!❤
Thank goodness a video that’s NOT a haul of buying new shit that we don’t need!
Love how you two worked together ♥️
I LOVE this!! Rad to see an influencer do a TRULY no-buy video🎉 It’s so accessible and helpful, and I hope the feedback you get tells you how much your risk paid off- i know you were feeling nervous at the beginning of the video. Can’t overstate how much i loved this format- i’m feeling really inspired to do this in some of my own spaces now ❤
Videos like this are SO important for many reasons:
1. It shows you don’t need to constantly spend more money to affect changes in the home
2. It highlights how we all have ‘hidden treasure(s)’ that we have either stored or forgotten about that could make such a difference to a room re-vamp
3. Notwithstanding the environmental advantages, it’s good to sniff out pieces from friends and relatives that would give our home a new lease of life
My only three suggestions following your tidying (no offence):
1. When storing keyboards, wrap them in a bin bag first - keeps the dust out of the keyboard; and
2. Sweaty trainers right by the bed - ugh! They need to go by a door, not in a bedroom where they pollute the relaxing space
3. I’d have used that long mirror as a headboard (landscape-ways) with fairy lights round it - SO romantic.
I actually was thinking that too.
I LOVED LOVED LOVED this video. I'm so tired of consumerism, this is very refreshing!
Plus, your personality always brings a smile into my face :)
I love how you use what people already have instead of bringing in more stuff!! I also like the vertical use of space!! 🎉🎉
I love the new genre. You're a genius with the styling-without-purchasing-a-thing idea. Abi's a genius with the Rubix cube. No wonder you adore each other!
she is 100% genius! i was adamant the rubix cube get some screen time
I would love more content that revolves around not spending or very minimal spending. Loved this!
I love it! Finally, the real world of makeovers! How refreshing.
THIS is what I needed!!!!!!! THANK YOU for delivering!!!! I painfully admit that there are some people in the interior design realm that I have stopped watching on RUclips. This is because their makeovers have reached unattainable levels that are irrelevant to my lifestyle. So THIS feels soooo refreshing to see, and is actually inspiring me to take action in my own space ✨️
Oh I love restyling with my own stuff! I used to rearrange my room all the time as a preteen and now that I'm *cough* almost 40, I've been doing it in my home as well. It feels great to recycle my decor and move furniture around based on the season we're in. Yes, more of these please!!
it's genuinely so much fun when you find a new spot for something and it works even better there!
I really liked this video. Very de-influencing in a way. Most of the transformation videos I watch are like "so now just buy a $3,497 projector and a $498 shelf from Ikea to complete this room!" Very refreshing to see how I can transform my room into something pretty without spending a single cent.
I love this. I shopped my house when the lockdown happened, and was able to practically clear out my basement, and rediscover things I'd forgotten about. But the gem I took away is 'trash is still trash, just in another place'. YES! This also means, I'm more thoughtful about what I bring into my house.
Using what you have is a better idea than going out and buying more stuff. The room looks cohesive and comfortable, more a place of rest than a muddle of stuff. Well done.
I LOVE THIS TYPE OF VIDEO
also a big fan of the “thrift only” makeovers where you CAN bring new things in but they have to all be thrifted.
Love everything you do ♥️
Love these decor videos about reorganizing and purging what is there and not buying more stuff! Please keep it up! 😊👏🏻
I love this video - because it is a direct example of what I do as a personal organizer. Same space, less things, using what you have to corral it, possibly arrange things differently, and voila a completely different vibe.
100%. honestly i think most of design is just organizing lol
This video was recommended, and I love it!!! I'm so sick of all the consumption and consumerism on social media 😒. I love the idea of just moving things around and using what's already in my house 😉✌🏾
Thanks Abi for being vulnerable with Caroline's following. The space turned out SO GOOD!! It shows your real talent Caroline. Its easy with big budgets a lot of time and a lot of space to make something great but you did it without any money..... I love how it turned out and it looks very much like them not a designer did it. Kudos ladies...
You're a great writer and producer and i love your more scripted and curated videos but THIS is what I need to see on RUclips. Some real people doing realistic thing, just to make each other happy. 100% perfect !
A) yay you did more interiors content
B) it was a consise yet totally relatable before and after. Yay!
Ummmmm YES PLZ. This was such a thoughtful concept, video, home, friend, restyle - all of it. Thank you for highlighting such a valuable concept and executing it flawlessly. Would absolutely LOVE more of these. :)
And thank you Abi! Your home is so fun and real. Its so refreshing to see a lived-in home on the webs. :)
Much better! A Lesson in just getting rid of the clutter and the lone art floating too high on the wall. Love the hight variation tip!
It is so interesting the difference when hanging pictures lower! It looks so much better. Making the bench the home for the shoes and packing away the keyboard was so simple and practical!
If I decluttered, I would like my home again too! I like most of the furniture and art that I have. I just can't appreciate it because it is buried under clutter.
This is totally normal to me. I do this, I know how to do this and people comment that they don't know how to do this. I forget sometimes that this is not a normal skill for all. This could 100% be a new series. Allow yourself more time. One afternoon is stressful for a whole space. Loved this so so much. This is my niche. I've posted on IG to follow this channel. So excited. Please do more. Zero money, all the beauty. BRAVO Caroline!!!!!! Bra frickin VO!
3:50
I repeated this so so many times because of how pure and genuine and loving and considerate and THOUGHTFUL that one question was. There's suchhh a good and loving energy coming out of Caroline with how she's treating and speaking to one of her friends in the least toxic and manipulative way. She's checking in with a friend no matter how much their styles clash, checking to see whether or not something makes Abi FEEL something, no matter what Caroline's own judgement or bias is, is incredibly mature and heartwarming. I speak for all of us when I say... we wish Caroline only that same energy!
I'd love it if you'd make this into a series!!!
This MUST become a series! Loved this video! Whadda hero you are!!
Omg! I love this concept, thank you for doing this! Waaaayyy back in the early days of hgtv there was a show where a woman did this and I loved it so much! So fun to see you tackle it ❤
Yes! I remember that show I think it was called Redesign or something and I loved watching it, I learned so much! Thank you Caroline for sharing this lovely makeover.
I remember a show in the recession of 2008-2009 where a woman redesigned rooms for less than $50 each. They showed how to clean up, clear out and “shop other places in the home”. They moved furniture, switched throw pillows between the sofa and the bed, found beautiful rugs stored in the garage, brought in plants from other rooms, etc. It was wonderful-just like this video. They took it off the air when people started to “recover” from the hard times. I think it’s a great idea for anyone, anytime. I loved watching it.
I always loathe how 'before and afters' seem to to be something out of a magazine on RUclips. THIS is brilliant! This is how REAL people live, and how we can all change our homes into something happier!
This was REAL REALLY helpful!!! An actual REAL LIFE makeover! 🙏💕
This is awesome! So good to see a restyling/room redo spending no money and also in a “real” lived in room. You are so right there’s such a specific style to this room and it’s beautiful to see!!! ❤
Caroline!!! I hardly ever comment on videos but I feel compelled to with this one. I’ve been hardcore procrastinating a redo/declutter of my apartment for many reasons, not least of which being the idea I had in my head that I need to buy new stuff in order to do it or make it feel complete. This video made that task seem so much less daunting, and actually exciting! I absolutely love how this turned out and can totally picture this working in my home seeing it done this way!! I can’t thank you enough for the inspiration 💞
i LOVE hearing that it makes the task feel actually exciting! i know that feeling when u watch a good video that helps get you amped. im so glad
This needs to become a series. No matter what the interior is, you never get around doing what you did in the room to make it feel nice, meaning declutter and edit it. Your friend is gorgeous. She's funny and smart and open. And the dress was nice ;) Nice job Caroline ❤
I. LOVED. THIS. As someone who is living in a camper full time i dont have the space for extra stuff but I'm always looking for new ways to organize and style to get the most out of my space without spending the money to do so!
This has to be one of my favourite room renos. It’s inspirational for people who actually don’t have any money to spend. It looks amazing!!
I was just about to reorganize and redecorate my room. Girl how do you always time these videos so perfectly
Really enjoyed the no buy room refresh. It turned out so nice! Now gives more relaxing & welcoming vibes. :)
This is a big reason why I loved being a military kid growing up. We would move every 2 years and so every move I would declutter and redecorate my room and even though it was the same stuff it felt new and cool to me
hah maybe that's partially where it comes from - i was a military kid too! for a few years at least
Hello Caroline. New subscriber here. I'm 67 years old, and I relate to everything you say. I've had 3 or 4 carreers in my life, and I'm going back to my first love, which is painting. Better late than never . 😊
I love your channel with all the ideas, ranting, life reflections, etc. Cheers!
Love all of your decorating videos. Actually, love all of your videos.
This is so realistic, and really works through the thought process. I will use this guide.
Love this type of video especially being a military fam we move around and so buying things to fit a new house doesn’t always make sense. I love getting to reimagine the items I have to be used in different rooms or for different purposes. This spoke to my creative soul as you did exactly that and did it well 🤌🏼
I love this! A lot of videos are like ‘make over your room for free… I only spent 50 dollars and thrifted the rest’ You literally spent NOTHING to do this and the result is amazing! Well done 😊
Do more of these ! Levels? Levels.
levelssssss
From frat dorm to sophisticated light filled happy place. Beautiful and restful! And no $$ spent!!!
Wow, this felt equally satisfying as inspiring. And the truth bomb about waste you dropped just hit me in my stomach so hard that I want to throw…out my waste! Thanks for that kick in the bum. Love your content and your way of presenting so much ❤
i love this concept! i've been trying to remind myself that the interior design videos i watch on yt are almost entirely made by people whose full-time job it is to get new things (often sponsored/gifted) and do big home projects, and i can't compare my own home changes or progress to them -- great to be reminded how much we can do for free in an afternoon.
as a huge environmentalist, 100% agree with your point about living in trash. even if *you* keep trash forever, when you die it's gonna go to landfill, so why live with it until then? plus, most of the environmental impact from products happens during the manufacturing and transportation process, not what happens to it at end-of-life. being active in my local buy nothing group, finding a nearby creative reuse store, and befriending an artist who is always looking for materials to incorporate into her work have really helped me stop living in trash in an earth-friendlier way -- but the biggest change is being way more conscientious about what i buy and bring into my home in the first place.
PS - in the US, you can put yourself on the do not mail registry to stop getting junk mail!!
One of my favorite decor videos you’ve made to date. It’s funny - you were racing against the clock, but it ended up being some of your best work. Isn’t that how it always is? *shutters to my college paper years*. The lamp bookend idea was chef’s kiss. Great job! And thank you abi for opening up your space for us!
haha i think you're right. i noticed that with the time crunch i just relaxed and vibed a bit. not to mention that my friend was there so i was very comfortable. but it overall just made it a very comfortable setting
More please!! Home edits like this are relatable and show creative ways to shop our own home.
I LOVED this!!! Please do more videos about making the most of your space with what you already have. Also, bravo to Abi for being willing to share her home. Her bedroom wasn't "bad" to begin with, but now it's beautiful, and I feel so inspired by both her and you! Thank you both!
This is my first experience of your channel and I am so impressed. I love your sillyness and hard work, and am so impressed that you bucked the inevitable pressure from sponsors and modeled a refresh with $0 out, bringing joy to what's already there. I'm excited to discover more of your content.
My Post-Mormon radar immediately went off on Abi (as a post-Mormon myself) and I was elated to find I was right when I checked out her awesome substack. Loved the transformation. Abi, you're an ICON
You have great pieces and balancing the height worked perfectly. These are my favorite types of makeovers because they’re real! Thanks so much!
I kept waiting and waiting for you to show us the area with the necklaces and mirror....and FINALLY got a quick look at the end! :) Loved the whole video and definitely want more!
Abi and her husband get the Good Sports Awards for opening their bedroom up as a laboratory for this little experiment. I found the “unplayed keyboard as a hat rack” so relatable ♥️ What a gift you have for this work, Caroline! Maybe it doesn’t seem like much to you, but it is transformative and inspiring to behold. Thank you for making the world a more beautiful place, one space at a time 🌷
This makeover is awesome! Abi has great taste in decor, and you really know how to use things effectively. You should definitely keep doing these makeovers for her entire home. 😍
Abi has great taste in decor?????
I really love this idea. Walking us through your thought process, the reasons behind your decisions, seeing the before and after - WOW! Super helpful video! Would be great to see this as a series.
This was great. Loved what you said about trash. The trash in your home doesn’t make more waste in landfills - it just means there is trash in your home No! Baby girl - get rid of trash
This is one of my favourite videos because it takes a real space and elevates it! It feels achievable. Please do more!
You killed it Caroline, love the make over, do more of these, it's inspiring!!!
The before and afters on the room with the bookshelves in it was really helpful, in addition to the actual makeover tips of course
✨this is very cute and I hope you get to do more of these :) loveee to shop from within the home
Yesss! Shop your own home like shop your own closet!! Love this!! Please do more and in all different rooms. I’ll sure watch!!
I always get the biggest smile when your videos drop. Also, I really need this right now as trying to reinvent a small bedroom which is currently in need of help. Thank you for always making me smile. Xx
I love this format of doing it WITH the client. Yes, reveals are exciting but the reactions are expected and monotone after a while. However, by doing it with the client, you get to correct along the course, give them some ideas for the future and get a much more sustainable result by the end. Plus it nice to learn about the owner's life and room, and watching the interactions as a viewer. Please do more of these!
PLEASE do more of these!
i saw the title and was skeptical at the amount of difference you could see by just moving things around but wowZA it's so so different and fresh. moving things around and placing things with intentionality is EVERYTHING
Omg, Abi!!! I’ve got the same problem with creating trash! I have a big ikea bag of beauty products that are far too old to be used and I can’t get myself to getting rid of it because it breaks my heart that it’s not even recyclable 😭😭😭
IKR?! But Caroline's brilliant comments about how the trash is already there and we're just living in it if we don't get rid of it makes it super easy to - y'know, take that crap to the trash bin!
@reformerka, I totally feel you on this. If its something that you are comfortable throwing money at (or have friends that you could go in on together), you could always grab a Terracycle box. I just did it and my under-sink space has never been happier. ;)
@@lauriemorris9175 yes, I also tell this to myself but it’s not so easy to take the next step. But I’m moving soon and promised myself to not bring any useless crap to my new home
@@kaylafletcher224 I’ve never heard of Terracycle and from what I see on their page it’s not available in my country but maybe I could find a similar solution here. Thanks!
I've seen people use expired makeup products as paints! Which might be an option next time you do some arts and crafts? Especially with colourful/glittery eyeshadow palettes etc
Thank you. I thought that making my home beautiful was too hard for me. I'm very linear and not particularly creative. Having simple guidelines to try (put things on a tray, height variation, not having a bunch of "leggy" furniture all together) and now seeing you apply those principles with Abi's existing things is truly life changing. Even in the midst of a large family in a small home that's never really shipshape, I can still have those little places that are lovely.
I want more of this series of Caroline pimping her homies’ cribs without cost! ❤
i loveeee this
I love this, because it feels like a real home, tells a story about who lives there, and it's not too "decorated." It feels like a nice blend of Abi and her husband. This is exactly what I try to achieve in my own home. Nicely done!