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As the seasons change it seems that everything else must too: this month my wife has mentioned redecorating the house, again. It seems that every year our house needs some sort of makeover, but this year, I refuse to spend the fortune that it usually costs. For those with family homes, it is almost impossible to keep a clear and tidy living space amidst the school runs, friend pick-ups, sleepovers, big family meals and so on. That is why it is useful not to have to spend a huge amount when you fancy a change, as you will most certainly fancy, if not need, another one soon. One thing I have learnt about home improvement is that neutral is essential for an easy life. If you are able to create a neutral base around your home, on your walls and floors, you will be able to re-decorate over and over again with many different looks for a lot less money, and hassle. With huge varieties of paints for any room, household and effect, you no longer have to avoid lighter colours if you have children, many are now tough enough to cope with all sorts of wear and tear (you can even get washable now). Flooring is also useful to keep rather neutral, as whatever changes you make to a room are unlikely to be ruined by a subtle floor. Light coloured carpets are easily stained, so are obviously slightly higher maintenance but effective carpet cleaners are readily available at most supermarkets. With a carpet you obviously get a warmer, homelier feel and it suits households with young crawling children. Wooden flooring, on the other hand, is very popular as it is neutral but adds a very nice authentic effect, plus, there are no problems cleaning it. For those that cannot afford wooden floors, some laminates do a very good job of mimicking it. These are a cheaper alternative and they still offer a very realistic looking floor for a fraction of the price. By using these as a base, it is much easier to give your rooms a makeover with the smaller touches. You are able to completely transform a plain room with textiles such as rugs, curtains and cushions, as well as feature pieces of art and furniture. These do not have to cost much at all, if you keep an eye on your local charity shops and eBay, you will certainly find something that you like, or often you will find exactly what you were looking for! Other useful ways of finding low-budget furniture or ‘bits’ for your house is on gumtree or even freecycle, both are also very handy ways of getting rid of your own unwanted stuff, hassle-free. For other areas such as your bathroom and kitchen it is not as easy as just buying a new throw or cushion to transform your room. There are, however, other ways to customise them. Changing small things such as door handles can make a big difference, and basin taps now come in so many various designs to suit so many variations of sinks (kitchen and bathroom) that you can significantly change the appearance of a room by changing one object. Bathroom accessories such as mirrors can be altered with a frame, or a different shape and even just changing your hand towels and bath mats will freshen up the room. Painting your cupboards is also an option, as mentioned earlier; paints have become so much better designed for many different uses. Just make sure that you choose a speciality cupboard or surface paint as they take a lot more wear and tear than you would think! So next time it seems a huge overhaul is on the horizon, do not fear! There are so many cash-saving options that you will be able to do it all on a low budget, even if it is just to tide you over until you can afford that huge re-design job later on. If you found this helpful, feel free to look at my other articles on Twitter!
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DIY, redecorating, home repairs, home improvement,
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