Far too many homeowners don’t bother improving their homes because of the expenses. They live in a house that doesn’t appeal to them anymore. They allow themselves to live shabbily because they think they need tens of thousands of dollars to give their home a makeover. But with a bit of creativity and resourcefulness, you might just find a way to get the home you always dreamed of.
Sure, you can check out some home improvement loans but if that’s not possible right now, you can do minor things around the house to make it look better. It’s not always how much you spend on the house, but it’s more about how creative you can be with the small budget you have. With a lot of do-it-yourself projects, bargain-hunting, and warehouse sales, you can get your dream house in no time.
Reupholster the Furniture
The springs on your sofa bed are protruding that it hurts to sit on it, much less lie down. You want a new sofa, but you can’t afford it right now. That doesn’t mean you should back away from your plan. There’s another thing you can do. You can learn how to reupholster it. Asking professionals to do it will cost you hundreds of dollars, too. A tutorial video on YouTube can help you make an old sofa look new.
Bathroom Makeover
Do you know you can spruce up your bathroom for under $500? That does not involve a new bathtub, of course. At the very least, you’ll get a granite countertop, a new faucet, and a vanity mirror. If you can really squeeze your budget, you can also have a new shower stall for less than $100. It’s like a plug-and-play device. Shower stalls are easy to install that you don’t need a professional to do it.
Repaint the Walls
All you need are cans of paints, roller brushes, and sprayers. You can make your walls look new by priming it with white paint and painting over it with your favorite color. If you want a refreshing look, go with pastel colors such as light yellow, mint, sky blue, and baby pink. You can also choose earth-toned colors such as beige, tan, and forest green. Remember, though, that the darker paint you have, the harder it is to maintain.
Create an Accent Wall
Choose one wall in the room to be different from the others. You can paint that with a different color (slightly darker from the rest of the light-colored walls). Or, you can put wallpaper on it. There are a lot of options now available for wallpapers. There are different designs and fabrics. Since you’re only covering one wall, this is a lot cheaper. You don’t need to call a professional for this. Even non-stick-and-peel wallpapers are easy to install.
Improve the Lights
Do you know how much new lights can spruce up a home? You don’t have to change them all at once. You can buy new light bulbs whenever there’s a sale. Make sure these are stored safely if you’re not going to install them all at once. For this, you need a licensed electrician. While you need to pay him by the hour, this is one of the cheapest things you can do to upgrade the overall look of your home. A hanging light in the living room is an amazing addition. You can also get a large lamp that you can place in the corner of one room.
Add Plants
Indoor plants are not only decorative pieces. They improve indoor air quality, which we breathe 90% of the time. They give the home a much relaxing feel. Plus, you don’t need thousands of dollars for indoor plants. You can get succulent plants for as low as $10. You can also move some plants from your garden indoor.
How about a wall plant? Moss wall art gives any room a unique vibe. Although these are expensive to buy, you can make your own by following a few steps in a tutorial video. Just make sure you have the right dimensions, plants, chemicals, and tools.
Organize Items
Sometimes, home improvement is all about organization. Declutter your homes. Make sure everything is placed in their proper places. Invest in containers, pull-out closets, dividers, and many other things. These will all make organizing the home quicker and easier. Also, make sure everyone in the house buys into the idea of organizing. Make a rule: return everything in their proper places.
See? You don’t need a lot of money to improve your home. You do need time, though. A lot of it actually. You might have to spend a few weekends on your home improvement projects. But this is a small price to pay if you’re going to get the house of your dreams for a fraction of the price.