If you want to do a little DIY on a budget, then here are
some suggestions for cheap projects that each cost under £10. Improving your
house can be a great way to lower the cost of your insurance. You should also inform your
insurer of any changes you make to your house that could impact the cost of
your insurance.
Sort out your bookshelves
The first of our projects won’t cost you anything at all
apart from time. If you have a good number of books, the chances are that they
sit on your bookshelves in random order and it always takes a time to find the
book that you are looking for. Sort out your books in a logical manner, either
by subject or author. Alternatively sort them out so that they look nice,
either in terms of size or colour.
Make a pair of cushions
Visit your local department store and buy a meter of fabric
for around £6. Cut two oblongs out of the fabric, one for each cushion. Get out
the sewing machine and make the cushions following one of the many videos on
YouTube. For the stuffing use fire resistant polyester stuffing which you can
buy for £3.99 from eBay; total project cost = £9.99.
Renovate an old kitchen chair
Do you have an old painted wooden kitchen chair? If so then
stripping it down to the original wood and applying a semi-transparent wood
stain can transform it into a beautiful item of furniture. You will need to buy
a can of cheap paint stripper (£6.89). Stipple it on, wait until the paint
starts to bubble, then remove the paint with a stripping tool if you have one
or an old knife if you don’t. Wash the surface down and when dry sand it down
with sandpaper (£0.99). Next make your own wood stain by mixing some left-over
coffee with a little balsamic vinegar in which a piece of steel wool has been
soaking overnight, and applying it just like a conventional wood stain. Brush
it on and let it dry for a great semi-transparent finish. If you prefer other
colours then you can use food colourings rather than the coffee.
Make a picture for your wall using dried flowers
For this you will need some glue, some tissue paper, and
some thick coloured or white card, a
pair of tweezers and a spray can of art
sealant, all of which you can buy online
or from your local stationers for a little under £10.
The first stage is to press some flowers. Find a thick book
that is smaller than the tissue paper, open it and place a sheet of tissue on
the page. Select some blooms along with some leaves and stems and lay them out
the tissue paper sheet in a similar way you want them to look on the card.
Place another piece of tissue over them and carefully close the book.
Place several heavy books on top of the first one and leave
for a week, then check to see how the flowers are drying; give them a little
longer if necessary. When they are ready pick each out in turn with the
tweezers, add a little glue to the back and place on the card. Allow the glue
to dry and protect by spraying with art sealant.
I'd love to read your budget DIY tips, please share them below!
