How to save money when redecorating your home

All you need is a little inspiration, a touch of imagination and a whole lot of self-motivation! In no time at all your redecorating project will be complete and you’ll have plenty of spare cash to buy that lovely three-piece suite you’ve had your eye on.

Planning saves the day

The best way to save money is to create a budget and stick with it, before you even buy a paintbrush. Make sure you are realistic and do your research first. You’ll most likely find that you can find a better price online for almost anything and try to get a few quotes for bigger items or jobs. But remember, just because it’s cheaper doesn’t always mean it is better, so read customer reviews and get a sample before committing.

A plan and a budget help to keep you in check and stop you from going off on a tangent and overspending. It gives you the opportunity to review what you plan to redecorate, and whether it actually needs it. You may find your ceiling still looks fresh and doesn’t need a lick of paint just yet, allowing you to put it at the bottom of the list.

Know your limits

When you embark on you redecorating project, you’ll be feeling confident, motivated and excited, but as time goes on and progress slows for any number of reasons, your determination may waiver. 

Make sure you know when to ask for help. You may feel a little awkward at the time, but now is the time to call in all those favours you’re owed. Friends and family are a great source of help and there’s a chance one of them may be a tradesperson that can bring a particular skill to the table. Just remember, never take their assistance for granted and always be grateful. This pool of free labour will probably cost you a bit of lunch and some tea bags to keep the workforce hydrated.

Whilst on the subject, be sure to know when to bring in the experts and pay out. Electricity, gas and plumbing are not areas have-a-go hobbyists should dabble. When it comes down to literally life-or-death, or at least a very expensive repair bill if it all goes wrong, know when to take a step back and let a professional take over.

Never stop learning

Although we mentioned bringing in a professional when you’re in over your head, there are other less risky tasks you can do yourself. There is a wealth of knowledge on the internet and there’s a video covering practically any type of skill. Set aside a few hours a week and teach yourself a new skill. Perhaps you can learn to upholster furniture, saving you money which would have been spent on an upholsterer or even a new piece of furniture! 

These useful tutorials can help you improve skills you already have, such and painting and tiling, with plenty of fresh ideas to help you make better choices and even save a little in the long run.

Keep an eye out for freebies

Free paint samples are a life saver for those frantic moments when you realise you’ve missed a spot and you’ve run out of paint. Free fabric samples are a great way to test a fabric in your home, especially for window treatments or shades whose properties can vastly effect the light coming into the room. They’re also useful for when you come to clean your fabric and want a patch to test any cleaning products on.

Look after your tools

This point sounds rather obvious, but it is very much worth heeding. Wash your paint brushes after every use, clean out your paint trays and cover your surfaces before you start work. Put them away after each use to ensure you don’t lose them, which also helps you save time when you come to start work on a task.  Taking care of your tools is the easiest way to save money as you won’t have to buy as many tools as frequently.

Shop Around

Always take time to shop around before you make a purchase. For example, when you come to update your window blinds, don’t default to your standard big highstreet brands, take a look online at the likes of DotcomBlinds.com who are regularly up to 91% cheaper than the highstreet. The quality is second to none and the window blinds are made to measure, which means you can get more for your money.

What’s more, Readers Digest readers can enjoy a further 10% just by entering the code READERSDIGEST10 at the checkout (Ts&Cs apply see website for details).

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