If the style of your home is starting to feel outdated, it might be time for a decorating project. Instead of blowing your savings on a whole house of new furniture, check out some of these budget-friendly ideas to decorate your home.

Shelving Units Are Your Friend

The beauty of shelving units is being able to stash those items you use frequently, but don’t want left all over the place. Picking shelving units in plain colours allows you to strategically place homewares on each of the shelves. Check out a retailer such as www.superamart.com.au for affordable and practical storage units, then dress them up by adding some colourful knick-knacks, vases or photo frames. You can also use these shelves for storing magazines, music collections or even linen. If the block layout doesn’t work for you, look at laddered designs for something different. Storage doesn’t have to be hidden away, or boring!

Add in Some New Lighting

Lighting your home doesn’t require expensive chandeliers or pearl light covers. There are plenty of inexpensive ways to add light to your home without going over your budget. Look for bedside lamps, lanterns for the dining table or candles to spread around the house. These are all quick, easy and affordable ways to add some light and colour to your home. Candles can be bought quite cheaply from department stores and there are so many scents, styles and colours available to match with the décor of your room.

Dress Up Your Walls with Canvases & Prints

If you have an eye for art, this is the perfect time to use it! Colourful artworks, beautiful photos printed on canvas and framed prints can completely change the look of a room. You don’t have to search galleries to find an investment piece for your home. Instead, select your favourite family photo to be printed and mounted, or scout around craft markets for creative transfers on wood and gorgeous sketches. Once you have found something you love, hang it as your statement piece in the room.

Reflect Some Light into the Room

Subtle additions of light through reflection can exaggerate the size of the room. Placing a mirror where it catches light (either natural or artificial light) makes the room instantly look bigger. Hallways and entrance ways can benefit from the addition of a mirror (either small or large) to brighten the area up. Mirrors can be bought second-hand from most charity shops, or purchased cheaply from many homewares stores. When hanging or standing a mirror, avoid placing it where the surface reflects outside a window or doorway – it’s considered very bad Feng Shui.

Add Small Pops of Colour

You don’t have to use large pieces of coloured furniture to decorate a room. Small pops of colour through rugs, throws, knick-knacks or vases can make a big difference to any space. You can pick up vases in a range of materials, colours, styles and sizes relatively cheaply. These can be placed on mantelpieces, side tables, dining tables or even on your shelving units. Don’t feel that you need to fill your vases either – let coloured or quirky designs speak for themselves.

Re-decorating areas of your home doesn’t have to be an expensive activity.

What are some of the key pieces you use to decorate with?

This is an S2 POST.

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Mums are the easiest people to buy for because we are (usually) just happy when someone thinks of us. I have put together a Christmas gift guide for women to give a little assistance to those who may not have any idea of what to get the lady of the house. With gifts to suit all budgets there is something for everyone!

Christmas Gift Guide for Women

Under $20

Contour Glitter Candles (3 pack) – Turquoise, Mint, White. Available from Dusk for $10.00.

With the current sale you can get a 20×20 hard over photo book from Snapfish for only $14.00.* To get 65% off ANY of their photo books use code: FESTIVEBK.

Canvas Print 30x45cm from Snapfish.* Use code: FESTIVE60 and get it for $20.00.

Under $50

Wife on the Run – By: Fiona Higgins.* When social media and a mobile phone expose a high school scandal and a husband’s shameful secrets the only thing left to do is … run. In the remarkable new novel from the bestselling author of The Mothers’ Group a beleaguered wife and mother escapes it all on a family road trip – without technology – to reclaim her life and rebuild her family. RRP $23.95 from Booktopia.

Yes Please by: Amy Poehler.* This paperback is a hilarious collection of stories that finds Amy riffing on sex, love, family, friendship and plastic surgery. It is chock-full of great jokes and sage advice (the useful kind, not the annoying kind you didn’t ask for). RRP $25.95 from Booktopia.

Beautiful Swarovski pearls with “Tree of Life” charm from Jet Empire. Available in 12 different colours so there is something to suit every woman. RRP $45.00.

Karlsson Little Big Time Wall Clock is perfect for the clock lovers out there. Available in black or silver for $49.00 from Gyrofish.

Under $100

Viktor & Rolf Bonbon 90ml perfume. This deliciously feminine fragrance is currently on sale at Myer for only $99.00. This is my favourite perfume at the moment – it smells so good!

Over $100

The Emily is gorgeous, compact and versatile. Available in 4 colours and is the perfect size, not too big – not too small. RRP $169.00 from My Best Friend is a Bag.

Need ideas for HIM?

What are you getting your mum, sister or wife for Christmas? What’s on your wish list?

*affiliate link

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