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You might not have a big enough budget to bring in an interior designer, but giving your flat a bit of a touch-up needn't cost the earth. Here are some ideas to help you give your pad a new look without spending a fortune.
1. Put everything away as soon as you've used it. There's nothing more depressing than clutter everywhere.
2. If you need new furniture, invest in things that store well and aren't too obtrusive: shelves, corner units, trunks or storage units, under-bed storage drawers or big bags you can hang on your walls.
3. Make up seasonal storage boxes: store away any bits and pieces, rugs, picnic gear, cooking utensils and linen you don't use in autumn and winter and store them in the attic for 6 months. You can change your scenery in summer!
4. Move your furniture around to give yourself a fresh outlook on your home.
5. Swap rooms around! Switch your bedroom and lounge, kitchen and utility room, hall and study. You'll feel as if you've moved flats.
6. Colour-code your different living areas in an open space flat. Go for pale, pastel colours to make a room look larger: pale rose paint for your office corner, violet for your living area and wallpaper for your kitchen/dining area.
7. Make a list of everything that needs doing in the house and get all your cleaning, DIY and repairs done. You'll feel better without that naked bulb hanging in the hall, wonky table in the kitchen, dripping tap and grannyesque lampshade you've never bothered to change.
8. Change your lighting for a rose-tinted view of your room and give everything a glow. Get coloured bulbs, candles and hanging lights.
9. Sell anything you don't need or want at a car-boot or jumble sale or on the net. You'll be surprised what you can buy with the money from your old junk.
10. Sick of your old IKEA shelves? Give them a lick of paint, gloss or alternate colours. Customise your furniture to give it a personal touch.
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