AIBU to ask for ideas how to decorate on zero budget?

[coily]

Maybe this is impossible, just wondering if anybody has any ideas I haven't thought of yet

I have MH problems that are currently making some things easier to do than others,

The ideal solution to this is to get a well paid job and pay decorators but right now that is not going to happen

I'm doing Konmari right now and I think that's helpful to my MH.... But

It's making my council flat even more obviously a wreck (always was, but the clutter isn't hiding it anymore) although having OCD I do spot the details others might not fret over

So with a budget that almost doesn't exist, and very little confidence in my ability not to fuck the place up even more, (I don't know how to DIY and hyperventilate at the idea of trying to change a light fitting) Is there a way to fix my place up?

I get so down and panicky noticing all the things that need fixing or painting and feel ashamed to invite people in right at a time in my life I know I really actually need people around me for support

I don't even feel like I can really ask family or friends, they've seen me struggle with my home for a few years and helped me get it to look more like a home than a building site people were beyond shocked at the state the council handed it over in it is liveable in now, but the sheer amount of things that I think need doing I'm finding overwhelming and it's contributing to me feeling pretty shit about my life and trapped

I think Iv just written out that I'm being U to think a solution other than cope with it exists...?

Sounds like you're a bit overwhelmed with the whole thing? Maybe ignore painting ceilings and areas you're worried you can't reach and just paint one wall in one room a nice colour to jazz it up a bit? Doing that might give you a bit of confidence to try something else in another room.

No don't intend to paint the tiles but if I get paint on them it will look as mess. Tiles are behind the bath. Not sure how to reach to cut in above the tiles for the ceiling.

I am totally overwhelmed by the whole thing.

I think working from the top down is probably the way to go for me as I function better in rigid rules of how to do things

Paint would wipe off a tile. Even if it dried you could use a scouring pad.

Tiles are easily cleaned if they get paint on. Because they are glazed, even if the paint has dried you can scrape it off.
When I paint above tiles I masking tape newspaper over the tiles so the splashes go on the paper.
I understand that you get it right and you will.😊

'Want to get it right' that is!

hello OP, well done for taking the first steps. I'm sure people without mh issues would be overwhelmed with a large list of jobs.

FWIW I would do one room at a time, listing each job to be done.
Everything you think is beyond you or too expensive leave for now, highlighting the jobs you can do for free or inexpensively.
When you have done this move on to the next room and do the same.
At the end you will be left with jobs you either need to save for or call in a friend to help.
Once you start on the little jobs you will gain confidence for the medium and then the biggies.
There are charities that collect half pots of paint to donate to others, if there are mh charities or orgs where you live they may be able to put you in touch.
Likewise with trades people.
Failing that you could leave us some details and I'll gladly nominate you for one of the tv diy programmes.

OP, can you say what area you are in?
People may be able to suggest something local to you.

From the sounds of it OP you're just lacking a bit of confidence to get going. It's YOUR place, it really doesn't matter if you make a mistake What's the worse that can happen? (Thinks back to the 90's when I did the most horrendous stars and moons theme in illuminous green paint which looked like a toddler had been set free in there )
Start by doing the least used/liked place in the flat. That way, if you make a few cock ups, it's no big deal. Just have a go, you'll learn as you go.

Your family and friends may be more willing to help than you expect- At least to lend you stuff and show you how to do things?

I know it's hard when you're a bit of a perfectionist, but try and focus on making it better rather than making it 'right'. With no budget and limited skills you will not be able to make it perfect, but you can make it cheerful and fresh with cheap or scrounged emulsion, gloss and filler and a few borrowed tools. Set aside a couple of days to do a room.

Start by choosing a room, putting on your oldest clothes, taking everything out of the room (except a radio), opening the window and borrowing a ladder, a bucket, brushes, rollers and acquiring some white emulsion and sugar soap. Start by washing the ceiling and walls with water and sugar soap, letting it dry, then painting the ceiling with white emulsion using the brush for the edges and the roller for the rest. Let it dry, fill in the bits you missed, then do a second coat. You will now be covered in paint, and the ceiling will look better than before.

Then tackle the walls.
Cutting in is done with a small brush- you sand and fill (and then sand) the dodgy bits of wall, then paint the fiddly bits with a little brush, then paint the large areas with a big brush. Then when one coat of paint has dried you can see the bits that needed a bit of extra sanding or some decorators caulk which is wonderful stuff for filling in little cracks, nailholes etc for doing the next coat. And use a pan scrubber/ sponge and a rag to get the paint off the things like light switches, tiles, etc that shouldn't have paint on. Then do the woodwork (sand, fill, undercoat, gloss, gloss again). Painted floorboards can look good too. Find out about your local paint recycling scheme if there is one (ours often has tins of farrow and ball, for goodnss sake!) If you have a wall that is too bad to paint try papering it with a bargain roll of wallpaper (you can often get one roll left over in bargain bins) or failing that wrapping paper/ maps/ postcards or put a picture over the dodgy bits.
Some Councils offer decorating vouchers towards paint when tenants move in- worth an ask?
Keep focusing on making it look better than before, and be proud of yourself for tackling it.

YANBU at all! I've used Youtube countless times to help me do jobs around the house that I had no clue about, give it a go, you'll be surprised how easy it is and you'll learn a new skill and be dead proud of what you've done!

Make lists! We've got a 'house to home' list.
Each room has a list (I like lists ) and then every time I think of or see something that needs doing I add it to the list.
Great satisfaction in ticking things off and seeing things getting done.
Post on freecycle or Facebook groups for left over paint or furnishings or whatever you need.
Join a Helping Hands group where you trade skills ie you babysit and they paint your lounge or you do their accounts and they do your gardening

Just marking my place so I don't lose this thread 😄

Ok Iv bought rollers, dust sheet, paint stirrer, rollers small and large and paintbrushes from the pound shop

Will Konmari cupboards to check if any paint at home already later and then go buy the masking tape and paint for the ceiling

Iv decided to just try and do the ceiling for the first goal and given myself till the end of the week to do it

Iv seen on Pinterest and I'm tempted adding glitter to paint.

Good idea or very very bad idea on small dingy bathroom ceiling???

I'd like to brighten it up and like a bit of sparkle but don't want to look like I live in a nightclub

Noooo! Step away from the glitter.

Keep it simple for your first attempt. Nice clean white will probably brighten it up anyway.

Well done on getting this far. I've also been KMing and started doing some more cleaning and even dipping my toe into some of our DIY backlog, so I do know how daunting it can feel. You can do it!

Yeah maybe your right. Maybe il save the sparkle for finishing touches when Iv built up some confidence rather than trying to be creative at the outset

Do I need to wash the ceiling before I start? I just saw that below...

Why?

I've always washed before painting. I think it helps the fresh paint to have a clean surface to stick to?

I'm no expert - I use clean warm water with an e-cloth and some elbow grease. But I think people use something called sugar soap?

Once you've sourced the cheap paint (I love white walls) could you get friends over for a painting party?

Could you put a shout out on e.g. facebook for any help with the house - just say there's a cuppa and a biccie and your eternal gratitude in the bargain. A friend did this when they moved.

Most of our furniture has been found/donated by family/family friends/house clearances or from ebay/freecycle or is from ikea.

Are you on pinterest? Lots of ikea hacks and low cost/no cost decorating ideas. It's often not about what you've got but what you do with it.

Plus - as long as it's clean and tidy I doubt anyone else will care about lumps and bumps in the wall.

You can whack pictures over any dodgy plastering at eye level. If it's not at eye level, then it's probably not that noticeable anyway.

If you don't have any pictures you like, then I just framed some pretty wallpaper samples (raided Homebase and helped myself to sheets of anything I liked the look of!) and cut them to fit the frames I had. Cheap, cheerful and colourful. If the frames are ugly you can paint them in a pot of tester paint for a couple of pounds (or Poundland actually do nice small frames).

Don't underestimate how different everything will look even with just a fresh coat of white paint!

While you're decluttering, if you come across any dresses, t-shirts, blouses etc that you love the fabric of but you can't wear for whatever reason, maybe you can cut them up for cushion covers if you're handy with a needle and thread?

Also, not a DIY tip as such, but it's surprising how much difference fresh flowers can make to a room. Cut some tulips or a sprig of blossom from the garden and pop it in a jam jar. It brightens everything up.

Oh bugger.

Got paint. Got ladder out. Got XHs old clothes kondod mine without leaving any for decorating so will ruin his,

Tried to start masking walls off at the top...

The person who painted walls last did a shit job and there's purple paint on the ceiling edges... And I can't see to put the masking tape straight now

Maybe I will just not mask off and worry about masking off ceiling from walls when I get to them?

I divide it into

1. Decluttering
2. Repairs
3. Redecoration

You sound as though you are doing brilliantly on the decluttering front

I declutter one room a month: hallways counts as a room

I only re-decorate 2 rooms a year. This is because once you start all sorts of needs crop up and the cost and time mount up. Forget 60 minute makeovers.

Repairs are v important in the bathrooms and kitchen. Get someone to come and do them.

I paint walls pure brilliant white (matt) Dulux Trade when short of money.

I sow nice duvet covers and curtains but tbh there is loads on ebay and IKEA is very reasonable and their cotton duvet covers and curtains are good quality and wash well. I get those paper lanterns for light fittings when short of cash flow.

I avoid wallpaper like the plague unless in a wealthy phase and some one else can do the papering.

Hope this helps. Keep going.

My old HA used to do decorating sessions - by getting their tenants doing a good DIY job makes their property look better so they were always free, additionally I'm sure B&Q do decorating sessions, in the hope you'll buy from them out of loyalty! Ask around and see if either of these are available

Tbh, if you plan to decorate the walls I wouldn't worry about getting a straight line on the ceiling. Once it's white you'll probably see a line easier anyway!

Also, if a glittery ceiling would make you happy, go for it! I have a tiny living room and everyone advised me to paint a pale colour "to give the illusion of space". I painted it dark green and I love it. Pale colours don't give you more floor space, and my friends can enjoy their dull magnolia. I am the one who lives here and I wanted dark green!

Great, you sound like your getting started. I wouldn't bother with masking round the ceiling. Any rough edge can be painted over when you paint the walls.
When you paint the walls use a small brush to paint a straight line where the wall meets the ceiling, first. Then you have a neat edge. Don't worry if it's not perfect, it takes years of practice to get any paintwork perfect!
I am enjoying reading about your progress. I usually listen to the radio when painting either music or radio 4. It makes it more enjoyable! 😊

Well done for making a start with decluttering coily - great advice on this thread. Good luck.