When moving house you’ll probably be keen to put your own stamp on your new surroundings and get settled in to enhance room ambience instantly.
The problem with this is after a big move many people spend the following months watching their spending. If you fall into that camp, don’t worry. These tips should help you redecorate on a budget.
Deciding what to decorate
Choosing which room to decorate can have a huge impact on how much you spend on your decorating. When you’ve just moved you’re likely to focus on which rooms need fixing first. This might not necessarily be due to not liking the décor; but rather having to address an issue uncovered by your house survey – loose tiles in the bathroom or cracks in the hallway wall, for instance.
While fixing those rooms where major work is needed, you might need to call in a professional that can, unfortunately, add to the cost. Don’t worry though; you don’t have raid the piggy bank on every aspect of redecorating. Even if you’ve had to call in the builders, there are still things you can do to save money.
Upcycling and other tips
- Upcycling – This is basically renovating a piece of old or damaged furniture, so it can continue to be used. This could be a simple case of a lick of paint, or it could be a much more involved project that completely changes the use of something – using a ladder as a shelf, for instance.
Chairs or storage picked up cheaply from a charity shop, then given a little bit of TLC, are a great way to change the look and feel of a room without breaking the bank. Pinterest is full of fantastic upcycling ideas if you’re stuck for inspiration.
- Repainting – This can be the easiest way to change how a room feels, even if you only paint one wall. Adding a splash of colour can completely revitalise a lounge or bedroom that you might have otherwise thought looked a bit tired.
If you have a lot of painting to do, try tying that into your housewarming. A repainting party where everyone grabs a brush, before tucking into a BBQ as a reward for helping out, can be a fun way to put your own stamp on your new home (and get some free painting done in the process).
- Doing the work yourself – Some jobs, like electrical or plumbing work might need to be handled by a professional. If you can handle other jobs like plastering or wallpapering, without having to pay for outside help, you can save yourself a tidy sum.
- New soft furnishings – This ties in with the idea of repainting – adding some complementary flashes of colour to a room. Doing this with cushions, curtains or a rug, for example, can give a lounge or bedroom personality and help accentuate and elevate the quick paint job you did.
These tips not only allow you to redecorate a room for a reasonable cost, but also let you do so quickly. This helps you to get settled into your new home sooner, but in a way that won’t break the bank..