Cheap decorating ideas

More and more of us are affected by the credit crunch, so not-the-most-important tasks around our home Рsuch as d̩cor Рget postponed or cancelled. However your home can be freshened up easily and cheaply, (even freely!) with a bit of creative energy. Here are a few tips..

• Do it yourself – if you’re not good at DIY, it’s a good time to learn – the skills you can master will be useful for the rest of you life! The basics of woodworking, plumbing, painting, sewing, and knitting are easy to learn -also, whilst saving a lot of money, you’ll be able to make unique items (cushion covers, curtains, furniture etc) that will be envied by your friends and family. On top of that making things yourself is really fulfilling and can even be therapeutic!
• Clear the clutter – get rid of all gadgets, ornaments, household items etc. that you hardly ever use or don’t even like. Those that are in good condition can be sold on Ebay – the money you make can be used for your new décor projects!
• Quick deco – you can achieve a lot of visual impact with a new shade of paint. Painting is very easy and quite cheap. For a quick facelift just make a “feature wall”, i.e. paint only one wall in the room. You might even wallpaper it.
• Furnishing bargains – home-ware stores sell really cheap cushions, throws, blankets and linen these days – even better bargains can be bought during the Sales. These soft furnishing elements can instantly transform the style and/or feel of a room!
• Furniture – redecorate old or tired-looking pieces of furniture. For brand new ones, look on the net or at outlets for a bargain.
• Ornaments – make your own ornaments and displays. These can be very cheap or even free. Collect twigs, berries, pinecones, acorns, flowers, leaves, nuts, grasses etc. Arrange them in glass bowls or vases; or hang them in windows; or make displays in the fireplace (if it’s not in use!); or on the mantle etc. Edible fruity displays can also look very inviting and they provide a seasonal touch (and fragrance) to your home. Combine baked orange slices with cinnamon sticks and nuts, or apples, pears, plumbs and squash.
• Lighting – save some money by lighting your home with sensual candles in the evenings. Arrange several cheap church candles in a group or in candelabra!

That’s it – the above cheap decorating ideas will not only refresh your home but will also cheer you up during the winter!