If you’re looking to make your home more elegant, but can’t afford a complete remodel, you may feel sour. You may be despondent, discouraged by a lack of finances to help you create the home you wish you had. You may awaken, suddenly, in the middle of the night, mind racing with images of hardwood countertops and stainless steel refrigerators before coming to your senses and drifting wearily back into a depressed sleep.
But don’t look so glum! There are plenty of ways you can help improve your home, even if you don’t have the money right now for a remodel. Here are just ten of many possible simple home improvement tips. Feel free to add your own suggestions, every idea is a good idea if it adds charisma and value to your place of rest.
1. Painting
This is a big one. Most people don’t realize how much of a difference a good paint job can make on a home. Run down to your local hardware store, grab a few cans and a paintbrush (if you don’t already own one) and get to work.
Painting your home is easy if you follow the right steps, and the result can have a tremendous impact on your home’s atmosphere. Paint one wall for an alternative flair, paint some stripes or other patterns, or just stick a standard four-wall redo.
2. Floor Aesthetics
Having the right ground material can nicely engage all the pieces of your room. Or, to the The Dude from the classic film The Big Lebowski, a rug can “really tie the room together.”
You don’t necessarily need to invest a large amount on carpet installation (and it’s probably not the best idea anyway because carpet gets dirty and requires exhaustive maintenance) but you should look into a nice rug that will complement what you already have in the room. Tie it together, dude.
3. Mood Lighting
Let’s get it on. And by that I mean let’s get some new shades on your lamps and use them to create softer or more varied lighting for your house. It’s amazing the difference between overhead light and lamplight, or the difference between one shade and another. Lighting is perhaps the most important part of your home’s interior that you never pay attention to. But it can make all the difference.
It’s also worth considering investing in some dimmers. It’s a bit more expensive to install, but a great way of easily making your interior more comfortable at the right moment…like when your grandmother with sensitive eyesight visits and needs the lights turned down, obviously.
4. Chalkboard Paint
This one is a personal favorite. Chalkboard paint is just about the coolest thing ever, and people are starting to realize its value for the home. You can use it to paint the side of a cabinet in your kitchen and write a daily menu, for example. Or you can create a useful “bulletin board” for your room.
5. Doorknobs
Pay some respect to your doorknobs by acknowledging their existence for a second. You never think about them, most likely, but your doorknobs are there all the time and you’d probably be surprised at how a small improvement in their look can make a big difference on your home.
If you have some old, nasty doorknobs, go ahead and replace them. But if a paint retouching is all you need, it’s an incredibly inexpensive way to make these little door accessories look brand new. Blast them with some spray paint, and all of a sudden you’ve upgraded your interior for next to nothing.
6. Plants
Plants. They really are wonderful. Injecting some living, breathing material into your home will make it look nicer and will improve the atmosphere. Some plants even filter the air and add some nice subtle scents to the room.
Don’t stifle yourself with inanimate objects—there are a number of good options for houseplants, many of which don’t require a ton of maintenance.
And if you’re looking to do some outdoor plant design, look into creating a garden bed for maximum ease and appeal.
7. New Blinds/Curtains
This is another good thing to do if you’re looking to switch up the lighting in your home. New blinds or curtains can help you control the amount of sunlight streaming in—a very useful capability on hot summer days or dark gloomy afternoons.
New blinds are not as expensive as you may think, and curtains are even cheaper. They add value both as decorative pieces and functional assets.
8. Accessorize
Investing in some simple accessories for your home can be great for decoration and really restore some of the magic to the place. Tokens from trips to foreign countries are always a win, or you could invest in something a bit more elaborate like a new centerpiece for your living room table.
Kitchen accessories can be cool, too. Ice cream makers are always a crowd pleaser. They even have ice trays shaped like polar bears. Human ingenuity at its finest.
9. Slip-Covers for Furniture
Maybe you have a piece of furniture that’s in really bad shape. Maybe said piece of furniture has sentimental value, though. Perhaps it was given to you by an old coworker you were fond of or a dying great aunt. Your spouse probably despises and resents this piece of furniture, but your heart won’t let you part with it.
Fear not! A compromise is possible. Look into inexpensive slip-covers for unsightly furniture and have dusty chaise lounge looking fit for a king in no time at all.
10. Pressure Wash
This may not be a process you’re very familiar with, but blasting your porch or outdoor walls with the help of a professional pressure washing service can be miraculous. Imagine God descending from the heavens, touching your porch with a curled finger, and having it be magically restored to perfect cleanliness. That’s sort of what it’s like. Definitely check out a pressure wash, especially if you never have, because chances are you’re long overdue.
Hopefully this list will get you started on your way to a nice, cheap retouching of your home. It’s worth the small investment to have a cleaner, livelier abode. And the next time the neighborhood block party is up for grabs, you’ll be confident and ready, polar bear ice cube trays in hand.