When times are tight financially as they are for many of us at present, it can be tough to give your home the same amount of attention as previous. But the majority of people feel happier at home when they have been able to spend some time and money in brightening the place up. Whether it's a lick of paint on the walls, a new piece of furniture or even something small like some new cushions, it's nice to make some changes that the whole family can appreciate.

One really easy, and cheap, way to brighten up your walls is to use a cork notice board. Notice boards might seem boring but they can be enjoyed by the whole family.

Your kids will love to have a notice board in their bedroom. You can buy boards in a variety of shapes and colours from teddy bear and train shaped, to hot pink or bright blue boards there is something for kids of all ages. They will enjoy having something to decorate, and you will enjoy not having to clean sticky-tac and tape marks from the walls!

Having a cork notice board in your living room or hallway can be great fun. Not only can they help to keep your home organised by acting as a place to keep receipts, doctor's notes and other important pieces of paper, you can also decorate them too. You could put up pictures from your latest family vacation or a recent day out, or use it to pin up keep-sakes and souvenirs. Each time you walk past your cork notice board you will feel a bit happier seeing pictures of fond memories.

There are so many notice boards you can choose from. Cork notice boards are often popular because of the choice of pins that are available to make them even more fun. Magnetic notice boards are great for the kitchen however, and you can even buy smaller versions that can be attached to your fridge.

Why not consider a felt or cork notice board for your home and see what you might like to put up on it.