Improve your home for less than 25 euro

LET’S go shopping. Not a mad debt-inducing spree mind you, but a reward for a month of hard graft to bring something new to your surroundings and a lift to the spirit.

Leave the credit card at home and let’s see what we can do with €25.

Don’t think for a moment that because you lack hundreds to spend that you can’t pick up something chic and on trend. Sometimes the less money you have the better, as it forces you to really shop around and make the best of your budget, and I promise you can get something lovely for it.

Take a walk through your home and assess which room would benefit from a new purchase. Maybe that bathroom floor you’ve been threatening to replace for years would benefit from a cover-up, so try a bath mat. They went out of fashion when wooden-slatted versions that are hard under foot came into fashion. The mat also dispenses with improvised ones made from towels which are left on the floor for you to pick up by resident slobs. M&S has a toe snuggler version with blue fish pattern against a white background to distract from the offending floor and bring softness to a room defined by cold, hard surfaces.

A cushion can shift the focal point of a room by piling three on a favourite chair so the ensemble draws the eye as you enter. Opt for a new shape like the in-vogue rectangle with a patterned finish defined by texture as well as colour. Carolyn Donnelly Eclectic for Dunnes Stores offers lovely versions with subtle chevron patterns detailed with beading in mint or pink (€20).

Changing the shades on two table lamps and placing them on either side of the room can make a significant difference. It’s a better option than changing an overhead light shade which will largely go unnoticed.

Photo frames can transform a room, creating art on a console or a wall. As household purchases go they are inexpensive and will make you feel your €25 is stretching far. Home Store + More’s selection starts at €3.50, with window-style frames to accommodate nine pictures retailing at €8.

One of the banes of modern households is the ever messy utility room, and it’s great to have this spot at which to throw the debris of modern living. But if you’d like to smarten it up, try a new ironing board cover with a matching clothes peg bag.

Kitchen chaos can be quelled with the sight of new tea towels. Opt for three in the same colourway. one striped, one plain and one floral set against the same colour. If you love everything to match and already have a kettle and toaster set, just add in the textiles.

But if there is anything that will focus the eye in a kitchen, it’s a happy little tea pot. You may not get the fanciest one out there for €25 but you will get a bright, cheery little cosy to keep your brew warm.