10 ways to refresh your home without spending a cent

From rearranging shelves to moving your bed, try these cost-savvy ideas to give your home a fresh new look and feel

1) MOVE ART AROUND

Shifting your wall art can give you a whole new view of your home. Group together a selection of pieces for a strong visual impact, or place standout pieces on their own in highly visible places.

TIP: If you decide to create a "gallery" wall, better balance is usually created by hanging your larger pieces on the left.

2) TAKE AWAY FIVE THINGS

This is a great way to refresh my home. Most of us accumulate clutter faster than we realise, so taking away just five things - and donating them to a worthy cause - will not only be a first step in spring-cleaning and decluttering, but will give you that feel-good factor to boot.

TIP: The idea is to refresh your home, so the biggest impact will be gained by getting rid of five highly visible items.

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3) REARRANGE YOUR SHELVES

A cleverly arranged shelf can be a design statement on its own. There are so many ways to spruce up your shelving - think painting the back of the shelf a darker shade to the rest of the room, interspersing your books with decorative pieces such as vases or a clock, or bringing in organic items such as beautiful rocks or air plants.

TIP: If you're looking to rearrange your books, mix up the placement by arranging piles of horizontal books among your vertical books. Or alternate vertical and horizontal placements on different shelves.

4) REMOVE A RUG

We often talk about adding rugs or moving them around, but in summer you may find removing a rug completely will create a new freshness in your home. Plus, it'll give you a chance to get your rug professionally cleaned.

TIP: Bare floors instantly modernise a room, so make sure you leave some cosiness in the space to balance the look.

5) REPURPOSE YOUR FIREPLACE

If you're lucky enough to have a fireplace, you probably leave it sitting empty for most of the year. Now that summer is here, move some of your favourite pot plants into your fireplace for a satisfying temporary garden.

TIP: Make sure you only use indoor plants that don't need much sunlight.

6) MOVE YOUR BED

It sounds basic, but moving your bed even a few centimetres can transform the environment in your bedroom. For example, if your bed is centred, shifting it over to one side can allow space for a rug or an occasional chair alongside. Play around - you'll be amazed at the seasonal transformations you can make.

TIP: In general, moving your furniture around is a good idea as it protects your flooring from wear and traffic. It also means you can shift seating around to take advantage of the season's changing light patterns.

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7) SWAP LAMP SHADES

This is a really simple way to alter your home without spending a cent, and barely putting in any effort. Take lamp shades from your bedroom and switch them with those in the lounge. Or change perspective by switching shades between floor lamps and hanging pendants.

TIP: For a modern industrial look, remove a lamp shade entirely, leaving the bulb exposed.

8) BRING OUT YOUR PHOTOS

We all have boxes of photographs that never get seen. Select a few of your favourites and replace old framed pictures with new ones for an instant change of scenery.

TIP: Arrange your frames in odd numbers on walls, shelves or tables.

9) BATHROOM TOWELS

Who says bathroom towels need to be matching? Use two complementary sets together and mix and match your colours.

TIP: A hanging shelf in your bathroom is a great place to store extra towels. Roll them up rather than fold for a particularly luxurious feel.

10) BRING THE GARDEN IN

Store-bought flowers are great, but a more personal (and inexpensive) touch is bringing in clippings from your garden.

TIP: Repurpose clear bottles and jars in differing heights and use them as single-plant vases.