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Even though spring is usually the time for cleaning and decorating, this is 2020 and likely everyone’s going to be glad to see it gone and will be more than ready for an early 2021 refresh. Probably everyone’s going to want to do it on a budget. Here are four tips.
Give your house a declutter and clean
If there’s one time of year most of us accumulate “stuff”, it’s over the festive season. Assuming COVID19 lingers on into early 2021, decluttering will be a bit more of a challenge than usual. In most cases, however, there will be some options for making it happen. You just might need to take some extra precautions about cleaning and moving items.
Similarly, cleaning your house is more of a challenge in winter than spring. This means you need to be strategic about what you do and when. Basically, if you’re using strong chemicals or taking items to outdoor bins/storage do it in the middle of the day. That’s when outdoor temperatures are warmest and so it’s easier to have windows and doors open.
Get creative with paint
There’s nothing like a coat of paint for giving your home a new look on a budget. If, however, money is really tight, then you need to get even more creative. The trick is to use very small quantities of paint (e.g. tester pots) in a way that delivers maximum impact. For example, you could paint geometric shapes or create patterns (with sponges or stencils).
January is also a good time to go through used wrapping paper and greetings cards and see if they could get a new life as decor items. If they don’t work individually, then try making them a collage.
Make the most of dupes
A dupe is basically a way of imitating a more expensive item on a lower budget. In some cases, this can be a very bad idea. This is particularly true when discussing anything to do with finance. For example, the Debt to Success System scam is basically an example of people being tricked into using low-quality dupes of the real Debt to Success System.
When it comes to updating your home, you generally want to be careful of using dupes for key items, particularly anything electrical. Dupes can, however, be a great way of getting the “high-end decor” look on a budget. For example, if your budget doesn’t stretch to marble countertops (or you’re renting), contact paper can dupe the same look.
Discover macrame
One of the reasons why macrame is starting to make a big comeback is that it’s really easy to get started in it. After that, there’s plenty of scope for moving on to advanced techniques. There’s also plenty you can make with beginner-level skills.
That means if you’re on a tight budget, but still want that hand-made, customized look, you can get it. In fact, it will be completely authentic because you really will have made it yourself. The only equipment you need is wool (or a similar material) and there are loads of free tutorials online.
Please note that some of the links above and below are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.
