A New Look And Feel At Home And Cash Still In Your Pocket
I really wanted to freshen up my home but didn't have much spare cash.
I just got stuck in to a few jobs that I knew would make a difference.
It wasn't long before I realized that it's not that hard to make some really dramatic changes without a big spend.
I'm not a builder, but I can tackle a few easy jobs like these just by keeping a clear head and making the effort.
If I can do it, I'd say anyone can, just be confident and work within your abilities.
Sometimes all it takes is to get up off the 'couch and give it a go.
Save A Carpet Carpets don't always need to be replaced.
just because it's dirty, doesn't mean its finished.
With a good clean, an old dirty looking mat or carpet can get a new lease of life.
Maybe one of your friends has a DIY machine like a ProAqua or another one of those machines that you can use to shampoo your own place with.
If you can get your hands on them, they're easy to use and actually do a great job.
I had a filter-less water filtration vacuum that I used to first clean thoroughly with the rotating turbo head, and then used the shampooing accessory to give a great finish.
A Featured Wall A great thing that we did at home to magically change, and improve dramatically our bathroom, was to paint one wall a different color to the other 3 in the same room.
You will be shocked at how this can improve the look of a room, and the feel of space and warmth that was added was nothing short of amazing.
One thing that is useful to remember is that you should think carefully about the color you use on the fourth wall.
For example, use earthy colors with other earthy ones, so that it's not too much contrast that can make it look really weird.
You can go 2 or 3 shades in the same color band to make a really nice effect that's not too much for most peoples tastes.
It wont set you back a packet either, as you only need a small amount of paint to do one wall as compared to all 4.
Run your ideas for colors by a friend or 2, before deciding, if you are nervous.
Paint And Grain Kits What I did one time with my kitchen units and doors, was to use a "paint and grain" kit to add the look of natural wood to some existing decor.
This works by first putting a base coat all over the areas to be painted.
The second part of the kit is a different color that goes over the base, and while it is wet, you scrape it with the special scraper provided in the kit to create a grain-like effect.
They come in different colors and can look quite cool.
It really brought my old units and doors back to life, and cost very little, it just took the time and about $30 for the kits.
Try to get a color that will work nicely with existing furniture and flooring as well as wall colors for the most attractive results.
Fixing Loose Tiles Here's an idea we had this year that really made a difference.
Our grout had become loose and cracked in the bathroom gradually over the last 4 years.
We decided to sort it out, both to protect the wooden floor beneath, as it's on the upper floor, and to re-energize the old look.
The first step was to scrape out all the loose and damaged grout, that took a few hours, and I went through 2 scrapers - the ones that have the small jagged blades on a small handle.
Next, take up any loose tiles that need to be reset, you need to do this slowly and carefully by putting a metal scraper underneath and gently lifting.
Don't force anything.
I found several that came up easily.
Clean underneath where the old tiles were, and get rid of any dead grout and adhesive in the area.
Give the lot a good clean and vacuum.
Clean the back of the tiles too.
Then, you need to re-stick the old tiles with "spacers" to get them set where they were before.
I used a fast acting all-purpose mega-grip adhesive from a tube like a silicone tube, the ones with a gun applicator, because I was applying mine to a wooden sub floor as I mentioned before.
You can use any tile adhesive that you are comfortable with.
Best to use waterproof and flexible adhesive for bathrooms and kitchens when there is water about.
When it dries, take out the "spacers" and mix up the grout.
Follow the instructions as on the packet, or go online to see exactly how to do it best, it's actually quite easy I found, once you get into it.
Give it all a good clean and you will be shocked how much better it makes the room look.
I thought it looked so good that we had gone back 4 years to when we first decorated the bathroom.
Small projects like these can make a huge difference to how you feel at home.
We like to do something like this every couple of months during the year, and it can be quite addictive.
It doesn't have to cost the earth and can be done fast.
Each of these were completed from start to finish in a weekend.
Quick Fixes Other things that you can do at home that can make a huge difference, and make you feel really good include: 1.
if you have a good sewing machine, you can get some fabric at reasonable prices, and make new curtains or furniture covers, and save a lot of cash compared to buying ready made ones.
2.
get some new accessories for your kitchen - it's amazing the difference that a new set of pots and pans or a new espresso machine can make.
Although not always cheap to buy, quality products will last a very long time, and will look and function well for the duration.
So go on, see what you can do with your place to give it a lift this year.
I just got stuck in to a few jobs that I knew would make a difference.
It wasn't long before I realized that it's not that hard to make some really dramatic changes without a big spend.
I'm not a builder, but I can tackle a few easy jobs like these just by keeping a clear head and making the effort.
If I can do it, I'd say anyone can, just be confident and work within your abilities.
Sometimes all it takes is to get up off the 'couch and give it a go.
Save A Carpet Carpets don't always need to be replaced.
just because it's dirty, doesn't mean its finished.
With a good clean, an old dirty looking mat or carpet can get a new lease of life.
Maybe one of your friends has a DIY machine like a ProAqua or another one of those machines that you can use to shampoo your own place with.
If you can get your hands on them, they're easy to use and actually do a great job.
I had a filter-less water filtration vacuum that I used to first clean thoroughly with the rotating turbo head, and then used the shampooing accessory to give a great finish.
A Featured Wall A great thing that we did at home to magically change, and improve dramatically our bathroom, was to paint one wall a different color to the other 3 in the same room.
You will be shocked at how this can improve the look of a room, and the feel of space and warmth that was added was nothing short of amazing.
One thing that is useful to remember is that you should think carefully about the color you use on the fourth wall.
For example, use earthy colors with other earthy ones, so that it's not too much contrast that can make it look really weird.
You can go 2 or 3 shades in the same color band to make a really nice effect that's not too much for most peoples tastes.
It wont set you back a packet either, as you only need a small amount of paint to do one wall as compared to all 4.
Run your ideas for colors by a friend or 2, before deciding, if you are nervous.
Paint And Grain Kits What I did one time with my kitchen units and doors, was to use a "paint and grain" kit to add the look of natural wood to some existing decor.
This works by first putting a base coat all over the areas to be painted.
The second part of the kit is a different color that goes over the base, and while it is wet, you scrape it with the special scraper provided in the kit to create a grain-like effect.
They come in different colors and can look quite cool.
It really brought my old units and doors back to life, and cost very little, it just took the time and about $30 for the kits.
Try to get a color that will work nicely with existing furniture and flooring as well as wall colors for the most attractive results.
Fixing Loose Tiles Here's an idea we had this year that really made a difference.
Our grout had become loose and cracked in the bathroom gradually over the last 4 years.
We decided to sort it out, both to protect the wooden floor beneath, as it's on the upper floor, and to re-energize the old look.
The first step was to scrape out all the loose and damaged grout, that took a few hours, and I went through 2 scrapers - the ones that have the small jagged blades on a small handle.
Next, take up any loose tiles that need to be reset, you need to do this slowly and carefully by putting a metal scraper underneath and gently lifting.
Don't force anything.
I found several that came up easily.
Clean underneath where the old tiles were, and get rid of any dead grout and adhesive in the area.
Give the lot a good clean and vacuum.
Clean the back of the tiles too.
Then, you need to re-stick the old tiles with "spacers" to get them set where they were before.
I used a fast acting all-purpose mega-grip adhesive from a tube like a silicone tube, the ones with a gun applicator, because I was applying mine to a wooden sub floor as I mentioned before.
You can use any tile adhesive that you are comfortable with.
Best to use waterproof and flexible adhesive for bathrooms and kitchens when there is water about.
When it dries, take out the "spacers" and mix up the grout.
Follow the instructions as on the packet, or go online to see exactly how to do it best, it's actually quite easy I found, once you get into it.
Give it all a good clean and you will be shocked how much better it makes the room look.
I thought it looked so good that we had gone back 4 years to when we first decorated the bathroom.
Small projects like these can make a huge difference to how you feel at home.
We like to do something like this every couple of months during the year, and it can be quite addictive.
It doesn't have to cost the earth and can be done fast.
Each of these were completed from start to finish in a weekend.
Quick Fixes Other things that you can do at home that can make a huge difference, and make you feel really good include: 1.
if you have a good sewing machine, you can get some fabric at reasonable prices, and make new curtains or furniture covers, and save a lot of cash compared to buying ready made ones.
2.
get some new accessories for your kitchen - it's amazing the difference that a new set of pots and pans or a new espresso machine can make.
Although not always cheap to buy, quality products will last a very long time, and will look and function well for the duration.
So go on, see what you can do with your place to give it a lift this year.