My top decorating and renovation tips

When we bought our first family home last year we had no idea how much work we had ahead of us. It was a house with potential but one that was expensive and needed a lot of hard graft but we totally underestimated how much work there was to do. 

When viewing the run down property we had to try and see past all the faults and try to envision what it would look like after everything had been completed. This was easier said than done with the bright green carpets and avocado bathroom but we just knew it was the house for us. 

I'm not claiming to be an expert when it comes to all things DIY but I have certainly learnt a thing or two on our journey so I thought I would share a few of my top tips which I hope will help you save time and money. 

Be realistic - 
If you have a dozen jobs on your renovation to do list then add another twenty because once you start the work more and more will crop up. It's better to be prepared for this because we were often disheartened when we had completed one job to find another two a long the way. It's better to be realistic.

Do your research -
It's going to save a lot of time and money if you have some sort of idea on what you want. From the colour of paint on your walls to the type of carpet on your floors. Do you want paint or wallpaper? Do you want luxury carpet or engineered walnut flooring? I found that google was my best friend during this process as I searched for idea's on every aspect of our renovation.

Bargain hunt -
We had a limited budget to work with but you would be surprised with how far we managed to make our money go. We would often buy second hand products on eBay, car boots or buy and sell pages. Items were often into next to new condition and you can save extortionate amounts of money. There is nothing wrong with not buying new. 

Upcycle - 
With a new house you often want to buy new furnishings but don't throw away that old side table, it can easily be revamped with a lick of paint. Many of the furnishings in our house are family hand me downs or charity shop finds that we have upcycled by simply sanding and repainting white.


Do you have any tips that you would like to share?