Keeping the cost of decorating down

Painting and decorating is a great way to refresh a home or give a room a different feel.

It’s also an essential part of upkeep: life in general means wear and tear, from worn carpets and furniture to chipped or stained paintwork.

With the cost of living set to keep rising over the next few years, we know the importance of keeping decorating costs as low as possible. With that in mind, here are six ways to minimise spend while maximising style.

Plan ahead

'Winging it' is not the best approach when it comes to decorating. Amending mistakes afterwards can end up costing more, so it's important to have a plan.

Instagram and Pinterest offer plenty of inspiration, so take your time to look at lots of different ideas and have a moodboard at the ready to help you decide what will work where. That way, you can research the cheapest options for everything you buy, rather than impulse shop.

Declutter and upcycle

Clearing out a room first will help you recognise the clutter you no longer need and highlight any items you might want to keep or upcycle.

Upcycling is a great way to breathe new life into old pieces. BeKind Magazine has a list of great bloggers who could give you upcycling ideas and inspiration.

Do it yourself.

We love professional painters and decorators. Their work takes a lot of skill and, if you have a larger job, a good tradesmen will do a great job for you.

That said, if you don’t think the job is too challenging, why not do it yourself?

Doing your own painting and decorating can save yourself a few hundred pounds (around £380 for each large room, based on the average price of a professional). A weekend or a few evenings is enough time to set aside for the task (unless we are talking a whole house, of course!) and trust us – it can be great fun.

You could even have a paint party, and invite your friends to help - with wine AFTER the painting is done, of course!

Look for competitions

There are loads of competitions and offers running in home magazines and on social media - we run them periodically ourselves. Entering can be a great way to engage with brands, get ideas and maybe even win some product for free, with no obligation to pay.

Re-use

You don’t need to buy new kit each time.

Wash your tools after every use so they can be put to purpose on your next task. If stored well, paint can be re-used too. As long as it hasn’t frozen and has been sealed well, quality paint like Zhoosh paint will last around two years without spoiling.

Try Zhoosh Paint

A new coat of Zhoosh paint can be a great way to change or update a room at a reasonable price.

Our water-based paints are all made in the UK, reducing transportation costs and limiting wastage. By using the best possible materials throughout our whole process, we also minimise any cost that is passed on to the final paint product. We like to think of Zhoosh as a premium paint brand without the premium price tag.

Decorating needn’t cost the earth. By choosing UK manufacturers you are keeping your costs down, and by recycling, reusing and researching, you are in the best position to create a wonderful new space with less stress on your budgets.

Visit our blog for more decorating tips and inspiration, or shop our range of eco paints online.