Living space renovations can get very expensive very quickly, especially if you’re remodeling an entire kitchen or bathroom. However, there are plenty of inexpensive home improvement projects you can tackle on your own that make a huge difference.
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Replace your outlets and switches
If you live in an old house, your outlets and switches are probably beige or almond in color, which looks terrible. Also, the plastic they use tends to fade and discolor over time, making them look even worse.
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By replacing your sockets and switches with new versions in white, you can spruce up your entire home. Better yet, it’s not that expensive.
You can get basic emergency exits for as little as $0.50 each and switch for around $0.70 each. Of course, you’ll also have to pay for the patch panels for each outlet and switch, but they shouldn’t cost more than $0.50 each either. Some of your outlets will be GFCIs, which cost more, but are few and far between.
You can also purchase outlets with built-in USB charging ports if you want to further protect your home in the future, but are willing to pay a little more for this feature.
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Slap on a fresh coat of paint
Your new outlets and switches look great, but they go even better with the vibrant new paint. Again, if your house is a little older, your walls might look a little dirty. But giving them some color, or even just applying a few layers of ultra-white, can brighten up a dull room.
Of course, paint is quite expensive — you can expect to pay around $30 a gallon, and it will take at least a few gallons to paint an entire room. However, new paint is probably the single best home improvement that won’t break the bank, especially considering your walls make up the majority of your home’s floor space.
Plus, anyone can paint their own home, so you also save money by not having to hire professionals to do it for you.
Install a programmable thermostat
Replacing an old thermostat with a new one that can be programmed doesn’t necessarily improve the look of your home, but it does add value in the sense that it can save you a lot of money on your utility bills. It’s worth it because your utility bill is probably your highest monthly housing cost, aside from your mortgage or rent.
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Plus, a new programmable thermostat doesn’t have to be expensive at all. In fact, a basic programmable thermostat can be purchased for as little as $25. Or you can go all out and buy a smart thermostat for around $250. Either option will save you money on heating and air conditioning.
Replace your fixtures
An old boring light fixture is a great way to make any room feel…well…old and boring. And if your home still has original fixtures from the time it was built, they could use an upgrade.
The great thing about fixtures is that they come in different price ranges, so you can spend as much as you want. Even this $10 ceiling light will work in many rooms. Or, if you want something a little more elegant and modern, this $50 light fixture can definitely brighten things up.
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Pair them with LED bulbs and you finally have a home that’s one step closer to the future.
Boost your attraction with a yard
It’s great that you pay a lot of attention to the interior of your home, but the exterior is just as important. landscape design maybe get expensive, especially when you start adding curb bricks, landscape rocks, and larger plants. However, just doing the basics can make a huge difference.
Things like using fertilizer on the lawn, replacing mulch, and adding just a few colors around the perimeter can turn your creepy house parents into something their kids should stay away from at home that passers-by will enjoy watching.
Set decorative shelves and photo frames
It’s one thing to repaint a room to give it a little more color and vibrancy, but plain bare walls are boring, so spending a little money on some decorative shelves and picture frames can go a long way in making the room feel cozier.
You can get a set of gorgeous floating shelves for about $15, as well as some basic 8×10 picture frames for $36 (and smaller sizes for even less). Then spend a few dollars on photo prints from almost anywhere and you’ll end up with a living space that feels really cozy.
Treat yourself to a new shower head
When we moved into our first house a couple of years ago, one of the cheapest home improvements I really looked forward to was a shower head replacement. The original ones were pretty awful and reminded me of most locker room showers that can never be fixed.
We ended up getting a pair of these $25 Delta showerheads and they made a world of difference by turning a crappy shower into one you never want to jump out of.
