If you need inspiration for your making your house a home, but have a budget to stick to, you’ve come to the right place.
I too want to be as frugal as possible with the money I invest in my home. I’ve remodelled my own fixer-upper and have shared all the dos and don’ts along the way
Browse through my DIY posts and upcyling projects room-by-room to get advice on renovating your home, inspiration for revamping furniture, and discover thrifty ways to decorate on a budget…
This month, I’ve been preserving my apple harvest so I’ve shared a recipe for cinnamon apple jam below if you want to give it a go. Plus, there have been a few vegetable latecomers this year…
Buying your very first house is a joyful time but the truth is that it’s never cheap and often there’s not much money left for the interior. That was certainly the case for me when I bought my fixer-upper home!
I want to make the most of the warm autumn days by getting outside and relaxing in my garden, so I’ve created a copy spot for a cuppa on my decking with a DIY living coffee table planter…
Did you know that shopping seasonally doesn’t only apply to food? When you buy any product there will be a cheaper season to buy it and you can make some impressive savings by purchasing at the right time of year. Here are some items that you’ll definitely get a deal on in September…
Late summer/early autumn is a lovely time of year – the weather is still warm (but not too hot) and there’s plenty of plants still blooming in the garden. This combination makes it an ideal time for outdoor entertaining so here are some tips to make sure your gathering is cosy and fun…
During August we’ve been enjoying the fruits of our labour with plenty of veg to harvest but we’ve also dealt with blight, non-ripening peppers & fruit trees desperate in need of pruning. Here’s how we got on & more info on the DIY greenhouse we built…
With the soaring price of wood and a need to create more growing space in my veggie patch, I’ve come up with a way to make a low-cost planter out of pieces of furniture that were headed for the skip. Here’s how…
With the sun shining and summer still in full swing, I thought that today would be a great time to share a garden tour of Isatu Chaborn’s incredible property, including a ‘before’ and ‘after’ of the epic transformation.
We’ve all been spending more time in the garden lately so, if your garden furniture that could do with sprucing up, here are some tips to restore your outdoor furniture so you don’t have to replace it, but rather extend the life of your garden items…
If, like me, you’re renovating your kitchen, my recent research might help you to decide which window treatments to choose and how to save money by going for the DIY option of wooden shutters…
I can finally report that we have been enjoying some veg from our kitchen garden! The plot is doing well, so much so that we’ve had to start freezing the excess produce! Here’s an update on this month’s bumper harvest…
Incorporating antiques is great way to add personality to your home. However, most of us haven’t inherited family heirlooms so, if you want to buy a special vintage piece for your home, here are some tips for going antique shopping on a budget…
Do you know how hard it is to plan a new kitchen? I can’t believe just how many things there are to consider. To help you if you’re planning a kitchen revamp (and to help myself, TBH) here’s a list of everything you’ll need for a top-to-toe makeover…
That first couple of days when you get the keys for your new home are the best – you’ve not yet unpacked so it’s a rare opportunity to thoroughly clean (& even decorate) your home before settling in. Here are some tasks to tackle…
Although I’m a keen DIYer, home renovations are not the same as home repairs, so it’s certainly something that needs a little more planning than simply getting out your toolbox! Here’s a guide to organising your next DIY project, step-by-step…
FINALLY. Things have started to happen in our garden. Vegetables are growing – and I’ve actually eaten some of the produce from our plot woo! And there’s even been a harvest of our autumn crop. Here’s my monthly garden update for June…
Moving house can cost thousands of pounds so, in the spirit of thriftiness, why not stay where you are and put that money to better use? Here are some fab home improvements that’ll increase your home’s value & help to you enjoy living there too…
Epic home tour of a stunning 19th Century swing-beam agricultural barn, packed full of rustic features and vintage collections, which was rescued and renovated by April and Andy Hershberger…
Here’s a quick DIY video that shows you how to upcycle scaffold boards and offcuts of pressure-treated timber to create your own outdoor bench seat for your garden. Using scaffolding is a low-cost source of timber and you can upcycle old planks too…
I’ve been looking for sustainable & natural flooring for my kitchen. It needs to be moisture resistant, easy to clean, simple to install and hardwearing. Is that too much to ask?? Here are some of the products I’ve discovered during my search for ‘healthy home’ flooring…
When the sun’s shining and the weather warms up it’s wonderful to enjoy the sights and sounds of the season – whether that’s in your garden or from inside your home. Here are 4 ways to achieve that indoor-outdoor vibe in your own home this summer…
Little ones grow up so fast and their needs change quickly – so if you’re buying new items for every stage of baby’s development, the costs soon add up. So, how can you save money & even get freebies while bringing up your little one? Here are some ideas:
I’m sure it’s the same for everyone but I feel like our garden is SO behind compared to last year! I’ve finally been able to plant out some of the hardier veggies but we’ve also built a DIY cold frame from pallet wood to keep growing our seedlings…
If you want to put up some nesting boxes and attract birds into your garden, why not upcycle them with fun colours and patterns before you install them? Here’s how I created my colourful cluster of bird ‘apartments’..!
When you’re searching for an affordable rental there’s much more to consider than just the monthly cost of rent. Here are 8 things you should factor into your budget when you’re moving into a rental property for the first time…
What do you do when you’ve got a shed full of tangled tools and a spare pallet in the garden? Why, pull it apart and build a tool silhouette storage board, of course! Here’s how to DIY your own shed hanging system to organise your essential tools…
You know how something isn’t a problem until you notice it? A feature so functional that you barely see it but then realise it’s not to your taste or could be improved? Well that’s how I feel about my front door, which is why I’ve decided to revamp it…
I finally feel like things are happening in our garden now. Looking back over the month of April, I’m actually surprised by how much we’ve got done, even though there’s not much in the way of veggies yet! Here’s the veg we planted & projects we built…
We’ve decided to bring our kitchen renovation plans forward a little so, not only am I browsing for new units (blimey, there’s a lot of options out there!), but I’m also researching flooring. Here’s my shortlist of materials for my kitchen floor…
Keeping tech gear and cables organised (and safe) can be tricky, which is why I’ve DIY’d some custom foam inserts to safely store my important photography equipment, tech accessories & hobby kit. Here’s how to spring clean & tidy your office drawers…
