Posts made in May 2017

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Running a house is exhausting. Not only do you have to keep everything clean and tidy but you have to also deal with the cruel effects of age. No matter how hard you try, things are going to start wearing out over time, and you’re going to have to bite the bullet at some point in terms of considering renovation. Of course, that’s all easier said than done. Even if you had the time to renovate in between working and taking care of your family, there’s always the small matter of money.

When funds are low, it feels as if there are a million costly items on your ‘To Do’ list, but you only have the money to cover a few of them. Renovating your house is probably quite low down because you feel as if you can live with it. However, you don’t have to live with it. In fact, redesigning your home hardly has to cost you any money at all if you put some long, hard thought into it. Here are some tips to help you renovate your home when funds are low.

(photo credit)

Make a plan.

When the budget is a huge part of the renovation task at hand, it’s important to put some time into making a clear and detailed plan. Diving straight in isn’t a good idea because you’ll end up far less impressed with your house if you realize halfway through the project that you’ve run out of funds. A half-completed house might look messier than the old one. Set yourself a clear budget, and stick to it.

Figure out how much materials will cost, and decide which tasks are the most important if you don’t have enough money for everything. If the bathroom has needed a makeover for a while then make that a priority over any other room. Plan every last detail before you get started, and give the house a deep clean and deep tidy before you start so that you get a real idea of how much work you actually need to do. You don’t want to waste money.

Get stuck in with DIY.

Now that you’re ready to get started, try and do as much by yourself as possible; you might be surprised by how much you can achieve without the help of other people. You could do your own demolition and save a huge amount of money, for example. YouTube videos are your friend, and you could be putting up your own shelves or fitting new kitchen appliances in no time. You’ll probably want to get yourself a trusted set of screwdrivers because screws truly are the answer to fixing every broken thing in an old household. Okay, maybe not everything can be fixed with screws, but broken shelving, cabinets, bed frames, wardrobes, and essentially anything involving wood can be fixed with screws.

Don’t cut too many corners.

Before you leave this article and get stuck in, take this last piece of advice on board; don’t cut corners. If you want to save money then do so by taking on small projects. Don’t take on a big project and do a substandard job. Remember, when you’re saving for the sake of saving then you’re costing yourself your happiness rather than your money. Being frugal is sensible, but your household budget can still survive if you stay within the realm of spending what you can afford in order to make your home look that little bit nicer.