Everyone wants their home to feel more comfortable and inviting – and often without breaking the bank. But, what if you had some fantastic home improvement hacks that could help you save money and add functionality to your home?
Well, here are our favorite ten clever and cost-saving home improvement hacks that can help turn your house into a home. From wall painting to kitchen storage and energy-saving, here’s how you can spruce up your home without breaking your budget.
1. Paint Your Walls – Freshen up room walls in a single afternoon and bring your walls back to life. Use fresh paints and vibrant colors to make a statement, or subtle hues for a mellow effect. Add texture and interest with templates and sponges. Wallpapers or wall stickers are also an inexpensive way to update a room’s decor.
2. Look for Reuse and Recycling Sites – Upcycle and repurpose materials in your home to save materials. Search for businesses that recycle, reuse, or exchange items and look for charity shops and eBay to find great recycled items.
3. Spruce Up Your Furniture – Upgrade your furniture with a few coats of paint or customize with decoupage. Add new knobs, pulls, and legs to get a completely different feel. You can also refinish furniture, welding old pieces together to get a unique and stylistic look.
4. Create Inexpensive Lighting – Lighting can make a huge difference to a room and cheaper lighting options are available such as fairylight curtains and wall lights. Painting light fittings can be an easy way to update your home too. Consider using LED bulbs to reduce your electricity bills.
5. Create More Storage Space – You can easily add additional storage spaces to your home without major renovations. Think about shelves, underfurniture storage, easy-to-hang vertical organizers for walls and doorways, and chic cubes that can double as bench seating.
6. Refresh Your Windows – Window treatments like curtains and shutters are both practical and stylish. Vertical blinds can be used to add both privacy and texture to a space and blackout blinds are ideal for keeping out bright summer sunlight.
7. Do-It-Yourself Projects – If you’re feeling creative, try doing it yourself. Add a touch of your own personality to a living space, whether it’s a macramé plant holder or some pieces of art you’ve crafted, adding a personal touch can be more affordable than you think.
8. Enhance Your Garden – Simple changes like planting flowers, mowing the lawn, using mulch layers for weed control, adding a path of pavers and pretty container plants can all be used to transform your garden.
9. Replace Broken Doors and Windows – Replace worn and broken windows and doors to make your home look just like new. New windows and doors may cost more than covering the existing ones but you can save extra money on energy bills with new energy-efficient ones.
10. Increase The Curb Appeal – Curb appeal is a great way to make a good first impression and also to entice potential buyers when listing. Use decorations such as outdoor seating, and natural elements like plants, hanging planters, water features, and more to give your home a ‘freshly out-of-the-box’ appeal.
Now that we have discussed simple tips for improving your home, it is time to move on to bigger projects. If you choose to upgrade your kitchen counter, opt for recycled marble or granite countertops that will give a modern look to the room without spending too much. Consider switching from traditional to modern tiles in the bathroom, or adding wall art to make a statement. Invest in energy-saving appliances such as a smart home device or a water-reducing shower head. Not only will this save you money but it will boost your home’s value too.
Expand your storage space with a self-organizing shelf or cabinets and don’t forget to make use of vertical space. Look for multi-functional furniture such as ottomans that double up as storage and seating. And if you are considering changing up the look of your bedrooms, you can easily achieve a beautiful bedroom feel with bedding, curtains, and lighting.
Giving your outdoor area a makeover can also be a great cost-saving project. Invest in a fire pit, for example, and not only will it make for a great place to hang out but you can use it to roast marshmallows or bring a romantic ambiance to date nights. Install a water feature such as a fountain for a meditation zone or a birdbath for attracting birds. And if budget is not an issue, you can create a special deck or patio with a few additional touches.
It’s also worthwhile to update smaller, yet important elements. Install a new blow dryer in the bathroom for more convenient styling. Swap out doorknobs, faucets and electrical switches to give a more finished look. And adding accents, such as area rugs, art pieces, throw pillows and drapes, can also give any room a spruced up feel.
Renovations aren’t just about improving the aesthetics of your home. They are also about making sure your home stays in tip top shape. Regularly check for fire hazards such as dusty vents and leaking pipes. Not only does this make sense from a safety perspective but it avoids expensive repairs in the future. Finally, check to ensure that your home is properly insulated to save energy and money.