Whether you’re decorating a small bathroom or your entire hose, setting a budget will help to keep your spending on track and stop you from wasting money. Decorating can be a stressful job! Establishing and sticking to a budget can help to relieve some of the pressures involved.
Check out our top tips on decorating budgets and how to keep to them.
Plan Out Your Project
When you first start thinking of your project, plan out every aspect of the job. Create a plan of what you want to achieve then, create a wishlist of everything you’ll need to do it. Take inspiration from home decor sites and social media like Pinterest and Instagram.
Once you know what you want to do, research what you’ll need for each aspect. Start with the bigger aspects such as the colour scheme and matching furniture. Then work towards the smaller stuff like accessories and any wall art you want to add. Create a list of every aspect including the equipment you’ll need such as paint brushes and the finishing touches.
Set Your Budget
Before you look at buying everything, set your budget from the research you’ve done. Use your list to buy everything before you start the job to help keep on target. Shop around to get the best deals on your equipment and look at any sales first. Once you’ve priced everything up, pick the cheapest options to complete your job.
Purchase tester pots of paint before buying enough for the job. This will give you the opportunity to make sure you’re happy with your colour choice before wasting money on paint that you might not be able to return. Make sure the equipment you buy is right for the job. Kitchens and bathrooms may need specialist products to prevent any damage from moisture and grease.
Avoid impulse buying when you start shopping. This is a quick way of racking up the cost and forgetting your plan.
If you’re looking at using decorators or labourers, compare prices of local tradespeople. Avoid paying them before the work unless a formal and legally binding contract has been signed. This avoids any issues as you can ensure you’re 100% satisfied with their work before payment.
Prepare For Overspends
Once you’ve purchased everything, allocate an additional budget for any overspends. This will help avoid any nasty unexpected fees that can come up during the work. An additional 15% should give you plenty of leeway.
Even with the most thorough planning, it’s easy to miss things. It also gives you cover in case additional work is found in your project. Ideally, this money will be left over at the end but you’ll be covered if the worst happens.
This is particularly important if you’re inclined to overspending. If you have a habit of spending too much on projects, set aside enough money to cover this.
Keep Track Of Spending
Once you start buying everything, note down what you spend, even on the small stuff. This can help you keep track of where you are in terms of your budget. The smaller decorating equipment can quickly add up, so stay on track of where you are.
A spreadsheet is a handy way of monitoring your spends during the project.
Stick To Your Plan
During your project, keep your initial plan in mind. Avoid deviating from what you wanted to do, especially once you’ve started.
If you change your mind on an aspect and overspend, you’ll need to compensate for this in another area so it’s worth staying with what you originally wanted.
Avoid adding to your project by moving into other rooms. This can easily happen when you’re decorating but try to keep new projects as separate jobs. Finish off the first before beginning the next and always start at the planning stages.
Final Thoughts
When you first catch the decorating bug, don’t jump straight into your project. Planning is the most important stage when it comes to setting a budget, so take your time before getting stuck in.
If you’re on a tight budget, consider making small changes that have a big impact. Change up the accessories, upcycle what you have or create a feature wall that matches your existing decor to avoid the need to decorate a full room.
Always keep your budget in the forefront of your mind to stay on the right track.
Author Bio
David Atkinson is a Digital Marketer at Icon Wall Stickers, a premium manufacturer or wall art including stickers and murals.
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