10 Simple and Affordable Home Improvement Projects

1. Every home has different improvement needs and not all projects will suit all homes. The best way to begin your home improvement project is to identify where improvements can be made  or where you want to make some changes. Once you have accomplished this step, use design magazines for guidance and go online to look for the solutions you need. The internet offers a vast amount of resources.  The ability to surf the world wide web for a legitimate purpose is not only feasible, but save a lot of time and money conducting research. That being said, here are some generic home improvement projects that do not cost a lot of money and which can be done in most homes.

2. The kitchen is the heart of the home and the one room that everyone uses. Because of the heavy use it is subjected to it can become tired looking and worn out very quickly. A rejuvenated kitchen will brighten up what whole house. You don’t need to spend vast amounts on new appliances and cabinets. Go to manufactures’ websites and you will often find that you can buy new doors for your cabinets and appliances at a fraction of the cost of replacing them. Alternatively, a few simple things such as changing cabinet hardware and applying a fresh coat of paint or stain to the woodwork can be very effective in giving the kitchen a new look.

3. Light fixtures can be economical and changing them is usually not difficult. New lighting can give a room a completely new look. Eco friendly lights will give you the satisfaction of reducing your carbon footprint as well as lowering your electricity bill. Use simple easy to clean designs for light that are in places where cleaning them is difficult and not easy to do often.

4. Floors bear the brunt of all the traffic in the house and they can become worn looking very quickly. Replacing flooring with new ecofriendly materials like bamboo is not only good for the environment but also not as expensive as you may think, especially if your DIY skills allow you to do the installation yourself. Carpets too have to put up with a lot of heavy use and can become dirty very quickly. If you rent a carpet shampooer and buy the cleaning agents required, you will be able to give new life to your carpets at a fraction of the cost of buying new ones.

5. Bathrooms are places where wear shows quickly. A few simple inexpensive things such as replacing chipped tiles, putting in new towel racks and changing a worn toilet seat can give the room a fresh look. If your budget extends to a new sink, that’s even better.

6. Your front door is the first thing a visitor sees of your home. A worn out door with chipped paint and broken or loose handles creates a negative impression. A fresh coat of paint and some new hardware can give the door a new look which is another way to brighten up your home. If your budget is large enough, a few new lights on the front porch can make an even bigger change to the look and vibrancy of your home.

7. An attic can be more than just a place to store things you don’t need but don’t have the heart to get rid of. Conduct an inventory of all that you have there, be ruthless in getting rid of junk and then put up shelves to hold what is left and what you think you will collect in the future. Partition off this area and you will find a large open space that you can use as you want.

8. Don’t ignore the outside of the house. New vinyl siding can do so much to completely alter the curbside appeal of your home! This is a great small investment that yields a high return!  The maintenance of vinyl siding is so minimal when compared to a wood lined home that the investment of time is already returned while you live in your home.  The cost to maintain vinyl is the cost of the power washer rental to blast it every couple of years so that it will look as new as the day you applied the vinyl siding to your home.

9. If you don’t have a big yard, why not install a few flower boxes? You can buy then at garden supply stores and they are not expensive. Most are easily fitted below windows and the scent of flowers and the bright colors can infuse warmth into a home.

10. It is hard to imagine but it almost springtime!  Plants are a small investment that make a huge impact on the improvement of a home.  Get creative, add some colorful plants that compliment the color of your home and the largest cost there will be your personal labor.  Have fun with it!

We tend to not really notice changes in things we see or come into contact with every day. Look around your home carefully and you will find areas that need improvement. Most of these fixes are simple jobs that don’t need a large wallet but will change your home of the better.