You would have to be living under rock (or have intentionally placed yourself there) not to know we have hit the hardest financial times since the 80s.

So, how do I justify home decorating when times don’t look that great? Because when things are all doom and gloom it’s the most important time to make our home into an oasis of calm and tranquility as it gets our mind off all the negative energy in the “real” world.

We have to cut back on the luxuries like travel, the movies, going out for dinner and even limiting petrol use. So all you have are your four walls and friends and family to get you through these times.

Your home is where you bunker down to feel safe from the outside world and in financial times like this, you turn your focus inwards. Whether you are renting, renovating or just staying put and tightening your belt, you really can make a difference by focusing on your senses. As this is the core of why we decorate.

So, if you have NO money to spend on decorating follow these simple pleasures in your home to heighten your senses.

Touch – Texture and lots of it. Do you have a high piled rug or carpet, take off our shoes and run your feet over them and truly feel the layers on your skin. Textured cushions and blankets; have them near where you sit and feel the change in the pile and ribs. We often put texture in areas for the way it catches light and causes subtle shadows but rarely to do we ‘interplay’. Nothing feels better than crisp sheets. Wash your linen and for sheer indulgence iron them before you put them on the bed and imagine you are in the finest hotel.

Smell – I have talked about scented candles in the past and hopefully you have been stocking up on them, and now is the time to bring them out along with scented soaps and oils. Most of the time we buy beautiful candles and never light them and leave the soaps for when the guests come. Well now is the time to break them out. Nothing like a beautiful heady scent of gardenia to give you the image of a room filled with flowers or a rich vanilla to get the taste buds exercised.

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Look – Colour is our biggest emotional trigger. Look for colours of lavender, soft blues and greens for calming a stressed mind or bring out the dramatic reds and oranges to re-energise and give you the excitement your cost cutting have taken from you

Taste – Food always tastes better if you up the presentation. Bring out the cloth napkins, the plates and special glassware you have been saving for that ‘special occasion’ and make dining an event.

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Listen – Too much bad news breeds negativity so turn off the news and the current affairs. Put on your favourite music and have a dance in your lounge room.

Decorating isn’t just about spending, it is using what you have and rediscovering and recreating the beauty around you.