Fiction | Fantasy | Life

Home renovations can be costly to make and to carry out if you are on a limited budget. Whether you are changing your mind on a whim because you have outgrown your current look or, like me, have left things so long it is a necessity rather than indulgence, there can be many ways to keep the costs down should you need to.

Having started updating my homes look and style around 12 months ago, it has been quite a long process for me and there are still things that need to be started or even finished off around my home that either I’m not 100% sure on what to do or I don’t have available funds as of yet. A lot of my items I have found in sales or charity shops to enable me to keep the costs down but this isn’t always possible with everything.

I am really lucky that, even though I live in rented accommodation, I can still redecorate my home and put my stamp on it. This isn’t possible in most rented homes and you will need likely need permission or have to check your rental agreement before carrying out any changes to your home.

Despite having redecorated most of my home, including a complete overhaul in the living room, there are still a few things that need to be done before I am fully satisfied and happy with how my home looks and feels.

Flooring.

One thing I have mentioned time and time again is the carpets in my home. They were put down as I moved in when the house was still empty and they are looking old and worn and in desperate need of replacing. Ideally, I would love to replace them with solid wood flooring but right now this is something that is out of my budget. So replacing them with either laminate flooring and/or vinyl flooring is probably the route I would take. I would love to carry this through my whole home as opposed to replacing with carpets but this is still something I am unsure over.

Garden

Oh, my garden, where do I start! I have had a bit of a love-hate relationship with my garden over the years. It is a lovely place to sit in the sun and relax but also I hate having the job of keeping it neat and tidy. This year I got myself some quotes to have my small patch of grass removed to open up the garden but this is something I will need to save up for and look at getting done ready for next summer now. For the time being, I will keep my trusty lawnmower to hand to keep it looking neat and tidy. This time of year is great for finding some bargains to help me give my garden a little mini makeover before next summer.

Bathroom.

When I moved in, I was told that in the near future I would be getting a completely new kitchen and bathroom. Whilst the kitchen was replaced within a few months of me moving in, work on the bathroom hasn’t materialised. As this isn’t something I can realistically afford to do myself, nor would I be allowed to do without thorough plans and checks all approved by my landlords, the only option I have is to freshen it up.

A fresh coat of paint and new lino or vinyl flooring is needed and possibly some new accessories to pull it all together. Ideally, I would love a proper shower or even a wet room but for the time being, I will have to wait and hope that plans are in progress for these works to be carried out.

What plans do you have for your home? Have you managed to redecorate on a budget or have any tips for me for completing the work I would like done?

*collaborative post*