The living room is the heart and soul of the home - it's the multi-purpose space where family gather to watch television, where you receive guests over a cup of tea, where you curl up with a good book. It's the place for social time, family time and down time. That means it can experience a bit more wear and tear than other areas. So whether you need to give your living room a revamp to sell your house or just want to freshen up the room here are eight inexpensive ways you can make over your space. Caroline Walsh, interiors guru and head of buying at online furniture and homewares store,Temple & Webster, says the best way to start is by clearing out the clutter. Being the hub of the home the living room can be a dumping ground for books, magazines, kids toys, DVDs and other ad-hoc bits and pieces that accumulate there. Throw out, recycle or donate any items that you don't regularly use. Store the things you want to keep in plastic tubs in cupboards or in the garage. After you have de-cluttered now you can 'shop' your home. Despite the word 'shop' this exercise is free (hooray!) and involves you revisiting furniture and homewares pieces you have in other rooms or stored away in garages or attics and swapping pieces out. Look at everything with an open mind and you may be surprised to find something works well in the space and gives it an instant new look. Walsh suggests another tip to try that also won't cost you a dollar. "Move your furniture around to suit the seasons. Now the winter is upon us you are less likely to want to look at the window on a cold and wet day. Face furniture away from the windows to create that cosy feeling when you're relaxing." For that instant lift you can't go past introducing a new colour scheme into your living room. Rather than splash out on expensive furniture Walsh recommends new cushions and throws are the most cost effective way to change the look of your living room space. Choose for the season, pick a colour palette that you personally love and run with it. Another way to inject a bit of colour is to decorate with flowers. Something as simple as a vase on your coffee table filled with an inexpensive bouquet of daisies adds instant cheer. Sydney Flower Markets at Flemington is open to the public and you can pick up stunning roses at wholesale prices - usually around $5 a bunch. Get crafty and create your own wall art. Purchase an inexpensive pinboard or very large frame and pin family photos, postcards, pictures you love and things that inspire you and your family to the board. It will give your living room a personal touch and you can constantly update the pictures with new ones. If you want something more polished and classic, purchase a series of frames in different shapes and sizes and group together on the wall. If arts and crafts isn't your thing, check out online storeetsy.com for beautiful, well-priced one-of-a kind prints. For a cheap as chips way to create ambience; Walsh recommends changing your light bulbs from white light to warm light. This will immediately give you a cosier feel this winter. When it comes to homewares there are so many ways to create an impact without breaking the bank. Think: grouping various jars and vases together, lining the mantle with pretty tea light candles that fit your colour scheme, beautiful coffee table books, or a large candle on a side table with your favourite scent. Look at these as the finishing touches and don't go overboard. Less is more in this case - you want to highlight the pieces you have.