Monday, February 04, 2019

DIY | 7 Ways To Improve Your Home On A Budget ♥

A lot of you have stated that you really enjoy my posts on interiors and home improvement, so I thought I'd share some DIY decorating tips with you all that can be used in any room of the house.

If you want to update your home but have a limited budget there's no need to put your plans on hold, in fact, although I don't have the budget at the moment to redecorate my whole home I have made some changes and added things which have really changed the feel of the rooms in the house and which have really improved the look of the rooms - all without massive cost.

There are lots of decorating tips that can easily be implemented no matter how little money you have to spare. Here are some DIY ideas to inspire you and that will hopefully make a big difference to the space you'd like to improve.

Hang artwork
This is something which can improve a room instantly and it something I do a lot in my own home. I had a bare wall opposite my bed and really wanted to add something lovely there, not having the money to buy any framed artwork I decided to use some of the postcards I had been collecting for years. I created a little collage of art on the wall and love looking at it every morning when I wake up. You can pick up postcards or cheap prints from charity shops for almost nothing and the impact they can have on a room is huge.

Upcycle your old furniture
Upcycling can really change the feel of your room and help you to save money by reusing your old furniture too. If you have old chairs or tables that have lost their appeal then why not invest in some furniture paint and get creative?

I've previously upcycled some old wooden chairs and I love how they turned out. You can see my DIY wooden chair upcycle here.

Insulate Your Attic
Attic insulation isn't a new trick, but a lot of homeowners still haven't invested in it. Heat rises, so it makes sense to insulate your attic or loft with recycled or natural materials. Whilst prices do vary between local installers, you will recoup the costs of the initial investment in your energy bills within 2-3 years. 

Organise your rooms
One of the most effective ways to freshen up a room without damaging the purse strings is to give it a good tidy up and organise proper storage. Sort through any unwanted clutter and store items away neatly in storage boxes, either under the bed, in wardrobes, cupboards or on shelves. Not only will you gain extra space, but your room will be a much more pleasant environment to spend time in. I've previously shared some clever DIY storage ideas which are perfect for those on a budget. These ideas can be used in any room and are super cheap to put together too. My favourite clever DIY storage idea is using garden baskets to store children's toys and books, which I found here. I think it creates a real feature on the wall and is so cheap to put together too.

Be thrifty
You can find some amazing furniture and pieces for your home for cheap from places like thrift stores, old vintage shops, salvage yards, carboot sales and some people I know have found some real finds in skips! These pieces can be quite unique and make a real statement in your room. If you don't like the colour scheme of the furniture even though you love the shape, you can always upcycle it as stated above. You can find some real gems by being thrifty, one mans trash is another mans treasure as they say! It's my dream to find an old fashioned dressing table at a bargain price, hopefully one day I will!

Display your favourite photographs
If you're like me and love to display your favourite pictures around the house then there are plenty of DIY ideas to make a real feature of your photographs. You can pick up some frames in different colours and sizes and create a photo display on your stairs or in the living room. I've printed out some of my Instagram pictures in polaroid style and hung them on string in my bedroom. I picked up little pegs for just 60c in a local craft shop and the pictures look fantastic displayed on the wall like this.

Add handmade cushions and other soft furnishings
For a budget-friendly home revamp, updating your cushions is arguably one of the top ways to change the look and feel of a room. Cushion covers are relatively inexpensive but if you are a keen sewer you could also have a go at making some cushion covers of your own too. I picked up all my cushion covers from a lovely lady at a carboot sale, all for just £1 each and she made them using two squares of different fabrics as well as off cuts of different fabrics and lace trims to create bunting effects on the front, they are so pretty and perfect for the shabby chic feel I'm going for in my living room.

If you like to knit or crochet you could make your own throws to put over your couch or bed too. Making your own cushions and soft furnishings really gives a personal feel to your home and is great as it puts you in charge of the colour and design you want too.

These are just some of the DIY ideas out there to improve your home. I find a lot of my DIY inspiration on Pinterest, some of the ideas on there are just amazing. Of course, if your home needs a lot more than just an uplift and needs a total revamping you don't need to be in despair if you don't have the funds at hand.

You can use tools such as a loan calculator online to see if you can afford to borrow in order to create the dream space you want and asses the total repayable without any hidden fees. I know that if I had the funds my home would get a total repaint and new carpeting in all the rooms too.

Have you done any home improvements recently or have any planned?
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13 comments

  1. I love the idea of keeping your photos out on show it's such a fab way of not forgetting your best memories!

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    1. It really is Alice, it's so lovely to look at all those special memories on a daily basis.

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  2. When I was living in a student bedsit I 'wallpapered' it using full page colour photos from old National Geographic magazines that my Dad had stored in the loft for years! I used a clear varnish over them so that it became waterproof & wipe-down. I hated leaving those walls behind!

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    1. Wow, that sounds like an amazing DIY Kate!

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  3. I like what you did with the postcards. My mom has gathered so many over the years and some are over 70 years old and this would be a great idea for her to display them.

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  4. I love the way you use family photos. The memories wall :-)

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  5. amazing ideas,I love the pictures hanging the most...

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  6. the garden basket idea is brilliant, I'll definitely be using that

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  7. The hanging photos idea is really great! I don't need frames anymore

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  8. Thanks for these great ideas! I love DIY with pictures :-)

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  9. Great ideas, thank you for sharing!
    Love the basket idea the most!

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  10. Amazing ideas, love them all! Especially the photos display, such a wonderful way of keeping your best memories in sight every day. :) The handmade cushions are a great idea too, my mum has made a couple for our living room and they are give that wonderful personal feel our home.

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  11. I love to display my favorites pictures! Nice ideas Fiona :)

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