5 Ways To Freshen Up Your (Cat's) Space For $25 Or Less

I have partnered with Apartment Guide to serve as an Official Apartment Guide Pet Blogger! As an official blogger, I will be sharing articles filled with tips for living on a budget. This month our topic will focus on ideas for pet-friendly decorating on a dime. Whether you're living, looking or moving, Apartment Guide offers how-to tips for making the most of a space for you and your pet on a budget.

January is my least favorite month of the year, because it's cold and boring and there's not much to look forward to until nature begins to bloom again in the spring. With that in mind, when Apartment Guide asked me to create a "How-To Guide For Living on a Budget," I decided to pick some easy items that would help brighten up a dreary indoor space, while there's still snow on the ground.

I really wanted to find cool, interesting pieces that came in under the $25 price point, and the theme for my collection was ultimately inspired by a treat jar that looks like a tree stump. Kind of an unusual cat product for sure, but I love that it looks more like a cookie jar for humans, which could easily blend into your home without any of the "meow" motifs you're likely to find on feline decor.

1. ORE Pet Woodland Placemat :// $4.99, Wag.com

Charlie gobbles down his food as fast as he can, and it's not unusual to find remnants of his dinner everywhere, his head and the floor, included. This cute mat, which also matches the treat jar (there's a matching bowl, too), wipes up easily, camouflages crumbs, and will go a long way in alerting your guests to the earthy cat lover you really are.

2. Mee-U Organic Catnip Toy :// $8.00, GEORGE

Every kitty deserves a catnip treat, but why stick to boring designs when there's a whole world of cool nip out there to discover? For under $10, you can go to sites like Etsy, and find catnip in every design under the sun, from sushi to severed heads. In keeping with my theme of bringing the outdoors inside, I chose this cute little catnip with a goldfinch illustration on the front and a sweet passage from a vintage children's book on the back (The kitten said, "Mee-u," and rubbed against his foot. One thing is certain. We ought to go home and it looks to me as though the kitten has made up its mind to go wherever we go).

3. ORE Pet Woodland Pet Treat Jar :// $21.99, Wag.com

4. Pet Greens Garden Pet Grass Self Grow Kit :// $4.29, Petco

Do your cats enjoy munching on household plants? If you don't fully appreciate their gratis pruning services, cat grass is a wonderful, safe alternative to keep your kitty satisfied and add a little extra greenery to your home. You can buy seeds to plant yourself like the like ones shown, or pick up a plant up from your local pet store for under 5 bucks a pop.

5. Molly Meow Cat Duvet - Green & White Lattice :// $25, Wag.com

Finding a stylish bed for $25 or less was a challenge, which is why I was excited to find these great duvet covers from Molly Meow. In addition to being an inexpensive way to give new life to a cat bed you already have, you can also improvise by stuffing it with blankets and clothes from around the house (which is what your cats are probably already sleeping on anyway). The duvet covers come in four cool colors and patterns, including the bright green shade shown, and are a simple way to freshen up tired decor without shelling out a ton of cash.

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If you’re ready for a whole new space or are looking to move, Apartment Guide has the photos, floor plans, features and tips to help you find the perfect pet-friendly apartment community. Bringing home a new pet? Use these ideas from Apartment Guide for how to decorate your apartment or home to make your pet feel at home. They also a guide for essential pet items to buy to keep your pet happy and healthy.

Like Apartment Guide on Facebook at facebook.com/ApartmentGuide or follow them on Twitter @AptGuide for real-time tips and updates on making the most of your space.

Disclosure: Apartment Guide and owner Consumer Source, Inc. have partnered with bloggers like me as Official Apartment Guide Bloggers. As part of this program, I have received compensation. They have not told me what to purchase or what to say about the products used, and believe that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Consumer Source’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.