Easy Home Improvement Projects

By Jenna Sherman

Are you still spending more time at home despite loosened restrictions? If so, it’s time to take advantage of your free time to get busy around the house! You likely have an endless list of repair and maintenance tasks to tackle anyway, so consider adding a few home improvements projects to your stay-at-home agenda. Certain renovation projects, such as finishing your basement or updating your kitchen, could even increase your home value, and pay off well when you decide to list your home. Check out the following ideas to inspire your own home improvement projects.

Paying for Home Upgrades

If you have your heart set on major home upgrades, you will have to hire professional contractors, but in the meantime, you can do some other things, like move belongings away from the work area and into storage, such as into your garage or another room in the house.

When it’s time to enlist a pro, you want to have confidence in your contractor. But finding one can feel like finding a needle in a haystack. To avoid this problem, start with the search terms “handyman near me,” which can narrow the field somewhat. Next if you use a site like Angi.com, you can home in on the experts who have high ratings and glowing customer reviews. Once you find a few you like, be sure to get several quotes in writing before making your choice.

Declutter and Organize

When it comes to DIY improvements, it doesn’t get much easier than decluttering and organizing. You don’t need power tools, paint, hardware, or any specific skills. You just need a plan! Snail Pace Transformations recommends finding a method that’s right for you. For example, you could get together with your family and sort all of your belongings into four piles—keep, donate, sell, and throw away. Avoid holding onto things you don’t want just because you feel guilty about getting rid of them. Guilt is a surprisingly common barrier to minimalist living!

Update Your Decor

Changing up the look of a room is a great way to update the space. Look for artwork, furniture, lighting, rugs and even pottery or pillows for enhancements. If you’re looking for a specific aesthetic like boho, for example, sites like Bizbriz offer great accent pieces like macrame dream catchers, wall hangings and plant holders, as well as candle holders. Search around for pieces that speak to you and line up with the look you hope to achieve. And remember, this doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

Paint Your Cabinets

Another easy way to improve your home is to paint your kitchen cabinets. A pop of color can quickly turn a drab, outdated kitchen into a bright and modern living space. Before you get started, Family Handyman recommends covering your countertops, backsplash, and floor with rosin or builder’s paper for protection from paint. It’s also important to clean your cabinets before painting. Paint won’t stick to grease, so give your cabinets a good wash with dishwashing liquid.

Refresh Your Caulking

A similarly easy way to update your bathroom is to refresh your caulking. Shrinking or cracked caulking not only looks bad, but can lead to leaks, mold, and mildew. Start by scraping off the old caulk with a razor blade and cleaning the area thoroughly to remove any lingering mold or debris. When you’re ready to apply the new caulk, put down some painter’s tape to minimize mistakes and ensure you get clean lines—The Spruce recommends leaving about a quarter-inch between your tape strips for best results.

Upgrade Your Entrance

Moving outside, think about how you can improve your curb appeal. Your home’s front entrance is the first thing that greets you when you get home, so make sure it provides the warm welcome you deserve—and creates a great first impression with your guests! Start by giving your front door a fresh coat of paint. Burgundy or brick red paint will add an eye catching splash to your home exterior, while navy blue is always classy and traditional. Some other easy ways to improve your entryway include adding potted plants, replacing worn house numbers, and installing new light fixtures.

Do Some Landscaping

Landscaping is another way to add curb appeal to your home, and it can also encourage you and your family to spend more time outside! Start by making a list of your priorities. If you have kids, this might include space for a sandbox or playground equipment. If you enjoy hosting guests, create an outdoor entertainment space. You could even design a low-maintenance yard that requires minimal watering and weeding—an ideal setup for any homeowner who wants to spend their weekends relaxing instead of sweating over a mower.

Paying for It All

Depending on your updates, you may need to get creative when it comes to funding your changes. In addition to seeing what you can affordably use from savings, cash-out refinancing could be a good way to pay for your bigger home projects. Cash-out refinancing will allow you to use your home equity to make home improvements while taking advantage of lower mortgage rates. Just keep in mind that a cash-out refinance will increase the total balance of your loan, so your monthly mortgage payments are likely to increase.

Making home upgrades is a very productive way to pass the time when you can’t do much outside the house. Depending on your level of motivation and commitment, you could keep it simple with organizing and decluttering or go all out and plan for a major renovation. Whatever you decide to do, your home projects are bound to be rewarding!

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