Online Shopping & Gardening Tips for the Young, Fabulous and Broke:

You close the door behind you and sink down on the pile of mismatched luggage littering the entrance hall of your new abode and only THEN do you take a good look around. Up until now the thrill of having your own place kind of clouded the rest of the issue - in between deciding if you could afford the rent and pressuring a friend into helping you move, chances are that doing online shopping for drapes and throw pillows was the last thing on your mind. Looking around now, it might have been a good idea.

No need to despair, redecorating doesn't need to cost the earth. Begin by taking stock of what you do have as opposed to what you lack. Hand-me-down furniture can be easily be livened up by giving it a lick of colour or changing the upholstery. Dilute ordinary white wall paint with two parts water and use a rag to it apply to out-dated pine furniture for a fresh 'white wash' look. Professional upholstery is obviously way too expensive, so improvise. Buy some cheap and cheerful fabric from a discount store and invest in a staple gun - this way you can change the look of your furniture often and with a minimum of fuss.

Shop online for d�cor ideas and be creative in thinking of new ways to implement them in your own space. Single walls of bold colour provide interesting focal points within a room, but if your landlord is not keen on letting you loose with a paint brush the same effect can be achieved by propping large, colourful canvasses against select walls. When it comes to art, anything goes. Old postcards, pictures from calendars and blown-up photographs can all be used to liven up dreary wall space. Group objects - pull out your favourite collectibles and show off your personality. Find a display area and group related objects together in sets of three or five, varying shapes and textures to create interesting little nooks throughout your home.

The nature of your garden area will determine what your landscaping options will be. Depending on how large a space you have available, you may have to think outside the pot (so to speak). Gardening accessories can be bought from various on-line stores or scavenged from family members. The same goes for cuttings and seedlings (solely for use by the patient gardener). Learn to love hand-me-down plants. People with established gardens often alter the lay-out of their floral follies and this is a good time to score some shrubbery. Mulch empty bed space with natural materials like pebbles, nutshells and bark - not only does this serve to fertilize your soil; it also creates an illusion of fullness. Price comparison websites will give you a good idea of where you will be able to shop most cheaply and this will save you the trouble of dragging yourself from shop to shop on your precious Saturday mornings.

Speaking of fertilizer, instead of buying chemical formulas from nurseries or online stores, go green and make your own compost. Worm composting is very in right now. All you need is a container, bedding (such as shredded newspaper, straw, sawdust or aged manure), some worms (red wrigglers are best) and your kitchen waste. Worms can be bought from farms and various other establishments and are generally dirt cheap - excuse the pun. Grass cuttings, fruit and vegetable peelings, shredded cardboard, teabags and egg boxes all make excellent worm fodder. If you're uncertain if something can be used as compost, have a look on the web, online garden stores and forums which list advisable compost ingredients.

So, there you go - see the dismal state of your new lodgings as a clean slate that gives you the opportunity to get creative. There is no better time to figure out your personal likes and dislikes. Pull on some old jeans, invite around a few friends and have a go at decorating - you might just surprise yourself.