With winter well and truly behind us and our spring cleaning complete, it’s now time to relax and enjoy our home and garden for the remainder of the summer months.  With light flooding through the windows for the majority of the day it’s a great time to really notice our living surroundings as the colours pop out whilst the sky is so bright.

The doors and windows are open, the chunky throws are tucked safely away until winter and this is the time our gardens become a real extension of the home.  Stores are filled with colourful summer décor and I always feel inspired to update my home for the summer months.  As much as I’d love to splurge on some cool new furniture, our summer budget is reserved for holidays and kids activities. 

However that doesn’t mean we can’t treat our home to a few quick and easy summer updates that don't cost a lot of money.

Here a few ways to refresh your home and garden for the summer months, even if you’re on a budget.

Hanging basket

There’s nothing quite like a huge overflowing hanging basket filled with beautiful colourful flowers and dripping ivy.  Add one to the front of your home to really make an entrance or a couple to the back garden for your own enjoyment.  Our local garden centre sell the most beautiful selection for around £20 for a ready made basket and they really do make a tremendous difference in even the plainest or unkempt of gardens.

A touch of paint

A tin of paint is not all that expensive and could be all you need to freshen up your living space.  Choose light and airy colours for the summer months or versatile creams and whites.  If you don’t fancy a total change just touching up with the colour you already have and covering any marks will make a difference and help you to save money.

In the garden use some all-weather spray paint to update furniture, planters and pots.

Vase of flowers

There’s nothing quite as summery in a dining room as a big bunch of blooming flowers in a vase, or anywhere in fact.  Add flowers to your windowsills, shelves and sideboards for a pretty summery and homely feel. 

If you can't afford a bunch then pick some local wildflowers or cut some fresh flowers from your garden.

Summery cushions

If an abundance of woolly cushions is making you feel hot just by looking at them, it’s perhaps time to remove some from your sofas for the summer and hide them in your attic! 

Keep a couple out and replace the covers with floral or nautical designs.  Choose thinner materials and bright pops of colour or lighter shades.

Place mats

Give your dining room a mini makeover with new coasters and place mats.  Choose light, bright or Moroccan themed sets for a summer vibe.  Raffia place mats or tasselled edged versions are fun for the summer.

Add some fruit trees

Always dreamt of owning an orchard? 

Well you can start by planting a fruit tree in your garden! 

For around £20 you can buy an apple, pear or plum tree.  Fruit trees are much easier to grow than you might think.  We have six fruit trees in our garden and not only do they provide us with fruit each year, they look great too!

Mow the lawn and trim the trees

One easy and affordable way to make your garden look amazing, easily, is to simply give it a good tidy.  Just mowing the lawn can really make the garden so much neater and more welcoming. 

Pull out the weeds and trim back your bushes and trees.  If you have some large trees that need some extra attention then make use of local tree trimming services to ensure your trees are shaped naturally and beautifully without damaging the tree.

Final word

Keeping your garden looking tidy and refreshed doesn't have to break the bank.  These tips will help you affordably spruce up your garden and enjoy for the warm months.