Many of us have our dream home in our minds and try our best to recreate it within our homes. Though, due to the economy in recent years many of us have been forced to use a very tight budget and look after every penny we get!
This does not mean we have to stop creating our dream home – it just means we have to budget and watch our spends. Your home could look amazing with simple splashes of paint and revamping tactics, there is no real need to take things to the extreme and knock walls down etc. Here we will run through a few ideas that I actually used on my own home (most of them I got by watching home improvement shows).
De-clutter the home
This should be first on the agenda even though many of us hate de-cluttering and going through all of our old things that we have not seen in years! As with me, I seen things I may someday need, or so I think… It just ends up back in the exact same place and nothing gets thrown out! You must let go of things if you want the space in your home, it will even let more sunlight in and make it look a lot better!
A splash of paint
So simple yet so effective, painting your walls, skirting boards and Dado rails will have a huge impact on the home and make it look fresh. No matter what colour you choose paint always brightens up the home and makes it more warming and cosy.
Kitchen tactics
Your kitchen is one of the most used in the house. You do not need to spend a tonne of money on a brand new one, why not switch up the cupboards and replace handles and draws yourself? Within no time at all it will look as though you have purchased a brand new kitchen. Some people even peel away the plastic coating on the cupboards and buy a different colour, which is even cheaper!
Need a builder?
Do you require a builder for some needed DIY work that surpasses your own skills? Well, you will be pleased to know there are many builders out there in the same position as us, on the budget and looking for work. This means you may be able to get a fantastic competitive deal, so shop around and grab as many quotes as you can lay your hands on and bag that bargain!
Update the lighting fixtures
Through the years lighting fixtures become outdated and some turn yellow due to the sunlight and heat off the bulbs. Replacing the fixtures will give your lights a new lease of life and provide a nice lift to the home. You do not need to spend a lot on these which brings me to my next point…
Take advantage of the sales
Taking an advantage of retail sales could mean the difference between spending a lot or saving a lot. Many retailers have sales, which are happening quite a lot at the moment. Check the TV adverts or online for the sales and pop along to snatch your bargains.
It is not all about the inside
It is a great idea to do the outside of the home and the approach up to the house. If you have a driveway try jet-washing it down to bring back the sparkle. If you have a lawn, trim the grass and throw some grass feeder on to get the luscious green colour back.
Try silicone
We all have the mouldy, discoloured silicone behind the sink and bath don’t we? Why not pickup some silicone at the local store? It’s only a few bucks! Stick a tiny thin layer on the top of the currant one and you will get a brilliant white finish.
Landscaping
This I thought for me would be a tough one but mine actually turned out quite well! Try putting down grass feeder to get that grass green first of all. Then what I did was came across a builders skip with big boulders on and all kinds of nice looking rocks and built myself a rockery for free! Check it out:
Pretty neat huh? Literally anyone can achieve this, I mean there are rocks everywhere, right? All you have to do then is buy cheap rockery seeds from any garden store.
So you see, with these neat little tricks it could transform your home into a much more warm and comfortable place to be. Just remember that budget and only spend when very necessary.
Emily has written many articles on a variety of subjects and given countless reviews on different products. Emily also works for an Edinburgh Estate Agents in the UK and writes for them part time.