You hang up the key, transfer the dust from your hands to your jeans and sink down leisurely on the pile of mismatched luggage taking up the most of your new entrance hall. It is only then that you take a good look around. The thrill of at long last having your own place sort of clouded the issue up until now. Between coercing a mate into helping you move and scrimping to make the rent and deposit, chances are doing some online shopping for throw pillows and wall art was the very last thing on your mind. From where you’re sitting now, though, it seems that might have been a good idea.
This is the point where you need to take a deep breath and chill out. Redecorating may seem daunting but it doesn’t need to blow a hole in your already strained budget. Let’s start at the very beginning (a very good place to start): take stock of what you have as opposed to what you lack. Now is not the time to be picky. Second-hand furnishings can be given a new lease of life with a simple coat of paint. Dilute ordinary white PVA (wall paint) with two parts water and use a rag to apply it to tired-looking pine furniture for a fresh ‘white wash’ look. Professional upholstery can get really expensive, so improvise. Shop around form some cheap and cheerful fabrics and invest in a staple gun – this way you can change the appearance of your furniture as often as you change your mood and with a minimum of fuss.
Window shopping online can be a great way of getting ideas for your place. If you’re too skint to afford expensive wall art single walls of bold colour can create interesting focal points in a room. If your landlord blanches at the idea of letting you run around with a paint brush you might want to try propping large colourful canvasses (easily constructed from wood and unbleached linen) against select walls. Keep in mind that when it comes to art, anything goes. Old postcards, pictures from calendars and even blown-up happy snaps can all be used to liven up your wall space. Group objects together on side-tables to create interesting nooks. Now is the time to dig up your favourite collectibles and show off your personality.
The type of outside area you have will determine what your landscaping options will be. If you’re not lucky enough to be on the ground floor a few bright potted plants will have to do the trick. Think about incorporating some herbs in your patio garden, this way you’ll have fresh produce on hand when you start experimenting with cooking. If you have a sizable garden area, on the other hand, the sky is the limit. Gardening equipment can be bought from various on-line stores or scavenged from family members. The same goes for cuttings and seedlings (solely for use by the patient gardener). Learn to love hand-me-down plants. People with established gardens often alter the lay-out of their floral follies and this is a great time to score some shrubbery. If you’re feeling flush and would like to buy a few pieces of your own, price comparison websites will give you a good idea of where you will be able to shop most cheaply and this will save you the hassle of dragging yourself from shop to shop on your precious Saturday mornings.
When it comes to fertilizer, going green will save you a wad of cash. Chemical formulas can be very expensive, whereas making your own is cheap and good for the environment. Worm composting is very hot right now. All you need is a container, bedding (such as shredded newspaper, straw, sawdust or aged manure), some worms (red wrigglers are best) and your kitchen waste. Worms can be bought from farms and various other establishments and are generally dirt cheap – excuse the pun. Grass cuttings, fruit and vegetable peelings, shredded cardboard, teabags and egg boxes all make excellent worm fodder. If you’re uncertain if something can be used as compost, have a look on the internet, online garden stores and forums which list advisable compost ingredients.
So, there you have it, instead of sinking into a bout of decorating despair see the dreary state of your new lodgings as a clean slate that gives you the opportunity to get creative. There is no better time to figure out your personal likes and dislikes. Pull on some old threads, invite around a few willing friends and have a go at decorating – you might just surprise yourself.
it is true:) many people have started a wormery as a means of reducing green waste, finding that they love it – and are now settingup small businesses selling worms and wormeries to friends and family. a very good thing to do in our troubled economic times, and a great thing to do anyhow. cheers stacey