If you’re a homeowner, chances are you’re willing to do some home improvement projects to enhance your property. But maybe you’re not prepared to do a whole-house renovation or even a major kitchen makeover.
The good news is that there are quite a few home improvement projects you can do yourself, quickly and inexpensively.
Here are 10 quick and easy home improvement projects you can do yourself:
1. Paint an accent wall
Accent walls are big in the interior design industry. You can dramatically alter a room’s appearance by changing just one wall, and all it takes is a can of paint and a couple of hours of your time. If you want to give a room a significantly different look, pick out one wall and give it a new color. Be bold if you want; that’s what accent walls are for. And painting one wall is quicker and easier than painting all of them.
EXPERT TIP ON PAINTING AN ACCENT WALL — Take into account the color on your other walls. Most accent walls look best when they adjoin walls in a light to medium shade.
2. Re-caulk
It’s not as sexy as creating an accent wall, but re-caulking is a fast, easy endeavor that can actually put money in your pocket. If you have old windows, peeling off old caulk and laying a new bead can result in greater energy efficiency for your home. When it comes to tubs, showers, and sinks, re-caulking can prevent mildew, mold and water damage by maintaining bathroom fixtures. Plus, a fresh bead of caulk can make your space look brand new again.
EXPERT TIP ON CAULKING — Apply painter’s tape to control your caulk lines.
3. Pressure wash
If you don’t own a pressure washer, you can rent one. And in one day’s time, pressure-washing your home’s siding, gutters, driveway, deck, and sidewalks can rejuvenate your entire property. It’s an easy bang-for-your-buck home improvement project.
4. Put in a backsplash
Even if you’re not comfortable setting tile or using a tile saw, you can install a pretty cool backsplash in just about any kitchen. Vinyl tiles, which now come in many self-adhesive varieties, can be stuck to your kitchen walls and take on almost any look you want, including faux subway tiles, rustic wood, and ship-lap.
EXPERT TIP ON CHOOSING THE RIGHT BACKSPLASH — One big factor in deciding which tile material to go for is cost. If you are on a budget, the best options include porcelain and ceramic. If you are able and willing to spend a bit more, you might want to consider more expensive options such as marble, granite, and glass.
5. Swap out every handle
If you want to update kitchen cabinets without replacing them, try switching the hardware. Modern cabinet hardware can help transform old cabinets. The same is true with door handles throughout the house. Ditch those round brass doorknobs for a more modern finish, and your whole home can look more up-to-date.
EXPERT TIP ON SWAPPING OUT KITCHEN HARDWARE — Browse for new options at your local big-box store, at handcrafted glass or metal shops, antique shops, or specialty retailers like Restoration Hardware.
6. Plant some things
Curb appeal is a major factor when it comes to attracting homebuyers, but even if you’re not selling your home, most people’s impressions of it are derived from its exterior. You could, in one weekend, plant entire beds of greenery or flowers around your house to improve its looks.
EXPERT TIP ON CREATING CURB APPEAL — One of the most common curb appeal killers, and easiest fixes, is to simply give those tall and window-obscuring shrubs and bushes out front a nice flat-top trim.
7. Redo the registers
Every home has register covers for heating ducts and cold air returns. If you have builder-grade, plain white covers, you can modernize your home with a couple of hundred bucks and one trip to your local home-improvement store. Swap out your stale register covers with aged-bronze or brushed-nickel ones, and your home can instantly appear more contemporary.
8. Lighten up
New lighting fixtures are also a sure way to modernize your home. And using the newer LED technology, which often means brighter, whiter light, can make spaces appear larger. All you need to change light fixtures is access to your electrical panel and a screwdriver.
9. Clean the carpet
If you have carpet in your home, you know what a beating it can take. Spills and stains occur occasionally, but there is also regular wear and tear. Professional carpet cleaners can be expensive, but you can buy or rent equipment that will do a similar job. Spend a weekend extracting soil from any carpet, and you might be surprised at how much fresher your home will appear.
10. Paint the front door
It’s kind of cliché, but you never have a second chance to make a first impression, Often, your home’s first impression is made by its entryway. Sun, heat and cold all take their toll on your home’s front door, and putting a fresh coat of paint on it once in a while can definitely boost your home’s curb appeal.
EXPERT TIP ON PAINTING YOUR FRONT DOOR — Why paint your front the same color it was before when you can make it more memorable? From blue, to green, to salmon and every color in between, there are so many beautiful front door color options.
It’s tempting to do major overhauls to your home. But major projects aren’t always affordable, money-wise or time-wise. That makes quick, easy home improvement projects all that more desirable. Spend a weekend and a few hundred bucks, rather than weeks or months and thousands of dollars, and you can incrementally transform your home.
