Tiny rented house, no money .. how do I make it look good?

[Itsmeaga1n]

Just that really ... my rented house is tiny. I've no money but would like to make it look nice, specifically the through lounge dining room.

The floor is bare floorboards, rough, broken, dirty. I have a rug down on half the room but it's getting old and threadbare due to my naughty cats. I can't afford carpet or more rugs, or sanding and vanishing ... which would be impossible with my cats anyway. Anyone got any clever ideas?

I'm not allowed to paint it, but have various pictures on most walls. My fave colour is turquoise, my sofa is dark blue, I have a second hand chaise in pale sage green, turquoise curtains. My coffee table is unvarnished pale wood and ruined by my children putting cups and plates on it without coasters. Bookshelves, dining table and sideboard are pine.

What can I do to make it a nicer place to be?

Hello again - I just measured my carpet. It's 186cm x 280cm. I have tried to add a picture of it taken with flash just now. Might look a bit different in day light! If you think it might fit and you could live with the colour I can look into how much a courier would cost approx.

It looks less kind of yellow than that irl!

You can get the rings out of your coffee table with a steam iron. Use an old tea cloth and ‘iron’ the mark through it. It might take a few goes but it works.

Frisky you are very kind! I love the rug - I'll measure my room to see if it will fit, but also suspect shipping will be expensive.

I'll try ironing my coffee table - does it matter that it was over a week ago though?

I don't really want to paint the table or use a table cloth - I found the table in a charity shop a few years ago and love the natural look.

Love the foliage in vases, I'll look in the charity shops for cheap vases.

I may have a few shoe boxes somewhere, good idea re covering them with paper.

Try Anyvan for a courier quote. You put in your item & from/to places, & independent couriers bid on the job.

They’re brilliant. A friend of mine got her son’s 7th floor university room emptied & moved, along with him ( - unusual!). Loads of stuff, only 1 lift in the building, about 85 miles - £68!

www.anyvan.com

Not RTFT.
Floor and furniture look fine.
You could make a rag rug but they are quite cheap. About £15 for a 180x120 one. Ikea, Wilko and Dunelm are good for cheap and cheerful soft furnishings.
Freegle and Freecycle exist and are brilliant. I'm in a shit town close to affluent areas so have made the most of it. Google 'Local eBay' too.

The charity shops here are 'outlets' so there are real bargains. Got a huge rug that machine washed for 3.99p, Ikea Curtains for 99p. etc.

I'll try ironing my coffee table - does it matter that it was over a week ago though?

Nope, I bought a second hand Laura Ashley coffee table with white ‘burn’ marks from hot plates. Tried this trick (internet tip!) and they disappeared. It took a leap of faith as I didn’t know whether the steam would ruin the surface but it didn’t. I also had a go at a ring marked pine blanket box with good results.

Haven't read the entire thread but I have found new carpet off cuts in most carpet store skips. Amazingly clean & often large enough to be repurposed as a rug.

Don't know if there's anywhere like Emmaus where u are -- a charity that offers very cheap 2nd hand furniture.

We've found plants thrown out at the Homebase rubbish area before that took almost no effort to revive. We often look there for free plants.

Some good ideas here OP, you have the bones of a nice room, the floor makes it look very warm and I like your table and chairs. Do you have a local charity furniture shop? often the local hospice will collect unwanted furniture and sell it on in their shop. Don’t forget the small free ads in the local paper, not everyone sells online.

Thank you everyone.

In the space of a few days everything has changed - a flat I applied for 2 months ago has been offered to me and I hope to have the keys very soon. However I'll still be short of storage space and will be taking my coffee table with me, so the tips will still be very useful.

Congratulations! That's awesome news.