Do you like to save money where you can? I do. It is not a question of being rich or poor. Thanks to the economy being what it is, and incomes not rising at the rate they should, we just can't afford to waste any of our hard-earned money.
Besides being conscious about spending, we also try to teach our children to do the same. While regular expenses - both one-time and recurring - are a constant, every once in a while we do want to change up things around the house with a mini makeover to keep things fresh and pleasant. If you love to do your own home decorating, your design choices can actually help you save money in other areas of your life-as I discovered over the years. I am a big fan of DIY and enjoy using my creativity on everything-from saving money to home decor hacks.
Here are five ways to save money with easy DIY home decor hacks.
And yes, all five are essentials anyway-so why not leverage it to your advantage?
1. Pick fabrics that regulate temperature
What? Truth is, we all pay a lot of attention to the fabric of our clothes. We choose fabrics that are comfortable on our skin and we ditch what grosses us out. For example, wearing full-sleeved synthetic material makes me break out in hives, and so I'd obviously avoid that.
Coming to our decor choices, we can give the fabric the same attention for some great savings. According to Expat Arrivals, just basic utilities in India can cost around INR 4,000 a month, at the very least. And that's just for a tiny apartment; now imagine what a big house could cost! Much, much more!
So whatever environment you live in, your decor has the potential to help keep your temperature regulated, without needing to adjust the thermostat (and hiking up that heating bill). For example, use:
- an area rug to insulate your floor
- throws that keep you warm
- drapes that block the sun's rays.
You need to understand the properties of different fabrics and choose the ones that make you feel comfortable.
Three of the most common fabrics are:
Cotton
A thin, soft, very flexible material that encourages air flow. It's perfect for hot environments where you want to keep the temperature as cool as possible.
Wool
Wool is a thick, durable material that insulates heat better than any other. It's ideal for places that have cold winters and heavy snowfall.
Leather
Despite it's supposed thickness, leather is actually a very cool material. The porous nature of 100% natural leather means that air can circulate easily, as can water. It's best for warm, dry environments.
2. Prevent Allergies with Your Home Decor
A healthy life is a happy life. But if you or someone in your family has allergies, you know how frustrating they can be. But here is the thing: in the long run allergies can be very expensive. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America reported that allergies cost Americans around $18 billion every year. You may only be paying a small portion of that total for shots or testing, but if your decor is a contributor, it's time to redecorate.
When my son was a toddler, he wheezed a lot. The city we live in is known for inducing and aggravating respiratory problems. I remember the first time we visited the doctor after a particularly painful bout of coughing. He advised us to change the curtains, get rid of any rugs, and check all our other dust magnets, which included the mattresses and cushions.
If you're a big fan of synthetic fabrics, you may need to switch to more natural materials. Derm Net NZ reported that synthetic fibers tend to contain more irritant chemicals, like resins, adhesives, tanning compounds, and dyes compared to natural fibers. So choose décor that is easy to maintain.
What to Do if Your Decor is Making you Suffer?If you're suffering from allergies because of your fabric choices, I recommend you take the following steps for some easy DIY home decor hacks:
- Switch to natural fibers like linen or cotton.
- Choose light-colored items that go easy on the eye.
- Choose fabrics that allow plenty of circulation. Sweating triggers or worsens skin allergies.
- Restrict any decor items that need to be washed separately from others. This often means that the dye will easily start to leak.
3. Use Plants to Clean Your Air
In the same train of thought as allergens, the air quality of your home could be indirectly costing you a lot of money. The cost to England's National Health Service for treating diseases associated with poor air quality is expected to reach £5.56 billion by 2025, according to a study. You can help keep your family healthy, and reduce your medical costs, by using plants as décor.
The best plants for keeping the air clean include chrysanthemums, devil's ivy, aloe vera, and bamboo palm. None of these plants are particularly expensive, and they all look beautiful! This method can also help reduce costs from having to change your air filter as frequently and that's a long-term saving while positively impacting your health. And nurturing plants is a wonderful activity for the whole family. By the way, use old containers you no longer use for the plants.
4. Use natural air fresheners
Keeping the air clean is the first step. What if you enjoy a relaxing fragrance around you, perhaps at the end of a hectic day or simply as a calming influence? Natural air fresheners are the way to go.
Think:
- Potpourri
- Aromatic herbal plants
- Fresh flowers
- Pomander balls = such a fun activity for the whole family, and that too with wonderful benefits, not to mention easy!
5. Repurpose Worn Out Items as Decor
Just because something is past its expiration date, that doesn't mean it's worthless. You'd be surprised at how much money we waste by throwing things away into landfills that we could actually put to good use. Check to see if you can repurpose or upcycle some of your worn-out items into a unique piece of decor. Look around you to see if you have anything that can be a focal point and set the tone of the room.
Mason jars as lamp fixtures are a classic example, but there's plenty of others. I've seen people use boots as flower vases or flower pots, a ladder as a towel rack in their bathroom, and suitcases as coffee tables or side tables with storage space.
Repurposing old t-shirts into rugs, wall décor, throws, etc. is all the rage now. Best thing? They can be machine washed and don't cost a thing to make. How about your children's artwork on the walls and giving them a place of pride?
You can put those crates in your garage or attic to good use like this-rustic storage shelves that fit just about anywhere and can be adjusted according to the space or storage required. Look!
One of my friends, who was on a tight budget was setting up house as a newly-married, and her place is one of the most beautiful I've seen. Her seating was a set of old crates, lovingly sanded down and with colorful homemade cushions. Another crate made the center table and inside it, they stored books and magazines. Her walls were adorned with her own paintings. For as long as I can remember, their dining table was a cable reel drum salvaged from a construction project!
Their shelves were stacks of bricks with wooden planks that could be height adjusted and of course, there were plants everywhere because she had a super-green thumb.
Washable cane mats on the floor-perfect to sit on and comfortable in winter when the floor got cold. An absolutely eco-friendly home. As you can see, when we start thinking, the possibilities are endless when to easy home decor hacks you can easily manage on your own-and the savings can be big!
Do you repurpose things that have overgrown their use?
Got any easy DIY home decor hacks to share?
