Savvy mum shares five hacks for updating homes on a budget
The rising cost of living is on our minds at the moment.
So anything we can do on a budget is welcome – whether it’s grocery shopping, buying second-hand clothes, or reducing our monthly outgoings.
The same also goes for interior design and household updates.
And a savvy mum from Birmingham has shared how you can change your home’s design on a budget.
Roxanne Morris transformed her kitchen for just £57 – giving it a new lease of life, without breaking the bank.
She also turned her attention to the rest of her house, which she updated while keeping costs down.
The 32-year-old has shared her five top tips for how you can update your own home on a budget.
Plan, plan, plan
Cost – free
We all know that redecorating your home can have a lot of hidden costs, so if you get stuck into it without planning, it might cost more than you anticipated.
Roxanne says a key way to avoid this is to plan thoroughly.
She explains: ‘Once you have an idea of what you want, start by writing a list of materials and items you will need.
‘From there, shop around to find the best deals or prices for what’s needed. Doing this means you’ll have a solid understanding of what budget you’re working with and can make a call on whether you need to adjust your expectations if the cost is too high.’
Use paint instead of wallpaper
Cost – from £12
‘While wallpaper can be great for delivering exciting patterns and textures into a room, the cost of covering multiple walls can quickly add up, with some popular DIY retailers charging up to £145 per roll,’ explains Roxanne.
‘Plus, if you’re inexperienced in hanging wallpaper, you may need to either buy extra to account for errors or even hire a tradesperson to do it for you, all of which will increase your budget.’
She adds that paint, on the other hand, is an easier route for novice decorators – and can give you much more for your money.
‘I always opt for a good quality paint that can deliver great coverage in less coats, making it a more cost-effective purchase,’ the mum continues.
‘A hack I always use to ensure leftover paint lasts longer is placing a rubber band over the centre of an open tin and use that to wipe off any excess from my brush instead of using the rim.
‘When you use the rim, the paint dries around the edge meaning the lid will no longer go on properly. This causes the paint to dry out and no longer be fit for any touch-ups later down the line.’
Switch things up and revamp tired areas
Cost – from £6.70
Roxanne says if you don’t want to spend money on a total room transformation, but want to get that fresh feeling, a great way to do this is by playing around with your accessories.
She adds: ‘I have a sofa from ScS that came with double-sided cushions that have different patterns on each side, so I tend to flip these around regularly to keep the room looking exciting.
‘You can also revamp existing accessories, such as candlesticks, picture frames, vases and mirrors, with a bit of DIY. Things like spray paints and sticky-back vinyl can be picked up for a good price and can totally transform something you’ve already bought.
‘My kitchen was a slightly bigger job, and I couldn’t afford brand new counter tops and cupboard doors, so instead I revitalised the space by making use of sticky back vinyl and paint. A new work surface would have cost me upwards of £95 to achieve the look I wanted, but by buying the vinyl and an applicator kit, I only spent £23.10 in total (three rolls at £6.70 and an applicator kit at £2.99).
‘For the cupboards, instead of buying new doors I just refreshed them with some multi-surface paint, which only cost me £34. I then used some leftover flooring from my old house to cover up the existing tiles.’
Don’t be afraid to get stuck in
Cost – free
A huge way you can save money on home updates is by doing the work yourself, adds Roxanne.
She continues: ‘From panelling on walls, to upcycling furniture, there are plenty of opportunities around the home to try your hand at something new.
‘I renovated most of my home over lockdown, so had to rely on myself to get things done. Not only did I save loads of labour costs, but also gained key skills to help me with future redecoration projects.’
Swap your furniture layout for an instant refresh
Cost – free
If you’re a bit bored of a certain room, simply switch some of the furniture around for an instant update.
Roxanne adds: ‘Playing around with furniture layout can be great for refreshing a room because it’s totally free. All you need to do is set aside a couple of hours in the day and experiment with a new structure.
‘This will help keep the look and feel of the room exciting and interesting for any visitors.’
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