When you finally have a place that you can call your own, one of the first things to do is to renovate it. Even if, on paper, it says that it’s yours, if it doesn’t follow what you want the floor plan and aesthetic to be, it will not feel like home. When you live in such a busy and hectic place such as London, you need a spot where you can relax, be at ease and feel at home.
Home renovations can be scary, especially if you’re on a strict budget. However, there’s no law saying you need to be able to afford a high-end interior designer along with thousands and thousands of pounds. There are multiple home renovations that you can do on your own or on a limited budget. You just have to be creative and innovative.
Finding where to buy cheaper materials, for instance, is one thing. So take the time to do some research on where to buy your materials to get the best price and value. It may also be cheaper to buy in bulk, instead of having to buy at retail prices, and you could always sell on the extras.
Whether you’re renovating a house or flat, here are some affordable renovation tips.
Declutter
Decluttering is perhaps the most affordable and cheapest way that you can renovate your house. You want to create as much space as you can. Remove all of the clutter in your home, so you don’t have to deal with all the mess. Studies found that a messy living space contributes to poor mental health. You’ll be surprised at just how much space you have once you’ve got rid of your non-essentials.
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Maximise Your Space
Say you have a 50 m2 room. How much exactly of that are you using? Are you 100% confident that you are maximising the space that you have? If you have a lot of dead space, think about converting it into functional storage space. Take, for instance, the space under your bed. You can opt to install a pull-out bed or turn it into a closet.
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Rearrange The Room
Rearrange your room to a floor plan that you like. Maybe you don’t really want a coffee table. Or there are too many chairs to your liking. Perhaps you want your bed to face away from the window. Just make sure that when you’re rearranging your room, you lift your furniture, instead of dragging them across the floor. Your furniture won’t exactly help your floorboards become shiny and if you’re in a flat, your neighbours won’t appreciate the noise of furniture being dragged.
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Rent a Storage Unit
So where do your extra furniture and stuff go? It would be extremely wasteful to throw them away. One option is to send them to storage. For just a small cost, you get to enjoy a spacious home. Your items will also be safe and secure. Renting self storage in London is exponentially cheaper than having to rent a big place just to fit all of your items.
Buy In Bulk
You’d be surprised at just how different wholesale and retail prices are. If you’re going to be needing a large number of materials, it’s best to contact the manufacturer and buy them at wholesale prices. For instance, if you will be renovating your entire second floor, two materials you’ll might need a lot of are cement and wood. At shop prices, it can cost you thousands of pounds. But at wholesale, you’ll be able to get them for a much cheaper price. This is because you’re eliminating the middle man.
Repair Your Fixtures
Nothing dampens your living experience more than broken parts of the house. When you’ve got the time and budget for renovations, prioritise fixing what needs to be fixed inside your home. You can delay buying that faux fur carpet rug and have your broken toilet and leaky pipes repaired first. Contact a plumber in London instead of DIY-ing your repairs. Unless you have the experience and technical know-how, it’s best to leave it to the professionals. You may actually do more damage and have to spend more money on the repairs if you try your chance and fail.
Renovate Room by Room
Instead of doing an entire renovation, why not do it part by part over the course of a year? This way, you won’t need a huge sum of money upfront. You also need to take into consideration that when you renovate your entire place, you will need to be out of the house for days. Hotel fees in London are off the scale. Unless you have a place to stay, don’t uproot your life by renovating all in one go. Start with the kitchen first, and then the bathroom, and work your way to the bedroom. This way, you can personally supervise the work going on and ensure that all goes the way you planned it.
Hang Artwork
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One inexpensive way to give your place a modern and sophisticated look is by hanging artwork. These days there are heaps of options for buying artwork online – you could get a mass-produced canvas painting for less than twenty pounds or buy affordable instant art that you can print out yourself and frame as you wish. Hang your chosen artwork on your walls and enjoy personalising your home.
Fix Your Lighting
Lighting affects your mood. Dark lighting can bring a sombre, detached, and depressing feeling. On the other hand, bright lighting creates a positive energy around the place. When you’re renovating, take into consideration your opportunities to get natural light inside. Don’t block windows with big furniture and use mirrors to help bounce light around a room.
For more home decor ideas and renovation tips, check out these posts:
Easy renovations that don’t require expensive equipment
Learn how to create 5* hotel style at home
Discover more ways to maximise your storage
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