Our homes are familiar and comfortable, but sometimes they get too familiar and too comfortable. A little change and refresh is good every once in a while! We're all so busy and have so much going on in our lives, that updating our homes might seem too expensive or too daunting to tackle. But what a lot of people don't realize is home improvements don't have to be costly and difficult in order to give your home a fresh new look. In fact, many small-scale renovations can be done on a tight budget.The Solar Art team improves homes every day and we’ve collected a list of budget-friendly tips to give you some ideas and get you started. Let’s get started!
To start this off, let’s talk about simple renovations that improve your whole home, not just one room. A home improvement project doesn’t need to be one big event, it can be small things that truly change the feel of your home as a whole.
The process of de-cluttering is super simple and is a great first step toward being able to use more of the space you already have. We get used to our homes and how we use the space, but we also accumulate a bunch of stuff that just slips into the background and takes of space. Guilty as charged here 🙋♀️. Sometimes I get attached to things I shouldn't and before I know it my house is filled with random stuff. It's not just me though, Americans have a ton of stuff. Whether your home is filled with sentimental items you don’t use, stuff you meant to return but never did, or collections and hobby material, you’re probably not getting the most out of your space by letting it sit there and take up space. Reclaim your home by slowly starting to de-clutter. The process is free and can involve the whole family. Besides, how will you know how much work your home needs when it’s filled with stuff?
Smart home features are the latest way to affordably update your home with a big payoff in convenient features. Features like Amazon Ring, Alexa, and Google Assistant are the better known examples, but even smart thermostats and smart lights go a long ways towards improving your home.
Light fixtures can make or break our home’s comfort and appearance. Actually take a look your lamps and lights and see if there is anything that needs repair or updating. Newer models use less energy than older lamps, typically by using energy efficient light bulbs like LED. Replacing your lamps, or at least incandescent bulbs can save you money on electricity bills and instantly changes your room.
Floors are often overlooked, partly because cleaning and replacing carpet and flooring can be expensive and quite honestly, very boring. While it might not be the most glamorous task, tidying up your floors helps your home look better immediately. Start by getting your carpets cleaned, look for room bundle deals from carpet cleaning services to get the most for your money. While we are on this topic, it's important to note that really old carpets that are worn out and dated should be replaced all together. Don't spend the money cleaning them if it isn't even going to help.
If your bathroom floors look old and outdated but your not looking to rip them out, inexpensive laminate tiles can be installed in an afternoon and won’t break the bank. Rugs are also great design options. In a weekend your whole home will look and feel fresher!
Paint can easily turn your rooms from boring to bold in as little as one day with minimal work. From repairing unsightly damage you’ve been concealing or re-doing a whole room, a nice paint job pulls a lot of weight for your home. Consider your decor, overall colors, and how you feel. Love bold hues? Maybe just paint an accent wall. If your walls are begging for a trendy neutral tone, your whole house will benefit from a consistent color scheme throughout. Save time and money by paying your friends in pizza. With a few hands, painting goes by quickly.
You could always use more storage, right? Cabinets, drawers, and shelves are always needed. Like we mentioned earlier, you can reclaim some of your space by de-cluttering to try and gain more storage, but sometimes there just isn't enough space. Thankfully, different kinds of storage options are trendy right now. I don't know about you, but I can get lost on Pinterest for hours searching for cute and different storage ideas to incorporate in my house. An example is open shelving, which is not only modern and trendy, but also makes the most out of a smaller space. You might need to hang a ceiling hook here and there, but a few hours of handy work puts that “dead space” around your home to good use!
Fireplaces and doors are such common parts of your home, you probably don't even think much about them, but they need some love, too! From holiday decorations to family photos, if you have a fireplace in your home, you and your family most likely gather around it at some point during the year. Clean up the fireplace from any soot or dust that’s collected, and assess any needed repairs. A quick coat of paint turns that brick into an eye-catching focus of the room. Doors are also prone to holes and dirt, nothing a little soap and water can't fix! Fill any holes in with wood filler and paint over it. Fixing wobbly knobs and squeaky hinges are also quick tasks that are easily knocked off your to-do list.
Window film is the solution to uncomfortably warm rooms, permanent sun fading to valuable belongings, and privacy issues. If your home’s windows need updating, window film is an affordable alternative to replacing the glass itself. With tons of options on the market, the perfect window film is waiting for you! Do you want to block heat but also keep your home’s views and light? Solar film is a great option. Do you want privacy? Talk to us about reflective window film, or decorative window film. Reduce glare on your monitors and screens with glare reducing window film. We can fit window to any room in your house, from big living room windows to tiny bathroom panes. Bonus: all our window films will protect your belongings from dangerous UVA and UVB rays!
Now that we’ve covered easy and affordable renovations for the whole house, let’s turn our attention unique parts of our home that we spend a ridiculously large amount of time in.
Shower heads range from basic to luxurious. Replacing your shower head can give you a mini spa for under a hundred bucks, with various water patterns and speeds. New water efficient shower head models also save you a lot of money by making your water work harder, so you use less. It's a win-win situation, people!
Just like shower heads, there are newer faucet models out there that really blow the old ones out of the water (no pun intended 😏). In addition to water efficient faucets, motion-sensitive or touch sensitive smart faucets save you a lot of mess and effort when your hands are full (or dirty) for only a few hundred dollars.
TIP: When replacing shower heads and faucets, look for utility rebates from your local water provider! EPA.org lists all current rebates available to you: new fixtures aren’t just more convenient, they save you money (and the environment, too). Another win-win situation!!
Finally, cutting edge water filter systems installed to your faucets or the main water line into your home take the minerals and chemicals out of your water. Instead of hard, bitter water, enjoy fresh water throughout your whole house.
The heading says it all. Shower curtains, towels, accessories, artwork, and back splashes are all quick and easy ways to quickly and affordably transform your kitchen and bathroom. Sometimes, all you need is a color change! Better yet, most of those can be found at discount stores like Marshall’s or HomeGoods if you’re on a tight budget! Temporary back splashes can easily be changed out when you need a decor switch up, but permanent looks great, too! Check out current trends on Pinterest (I told you it's dangerous) or in magazines to see what’s up and coming in bath and kitchen looks.
It's so easy to add life to your kitchen and bathrooms, for little space and money. From cactus to flowering plants to jungle-like plants to succulents, plants are all the rage. You don't have to have a green thumb or a love of planting to do this; you can opt for super easy plants that require minimal maintenance and care.
Last but certainly not least...the exterior of your home. It might be easy to forget, but is SO important. I mean it's the first thing people see when they drive by your home. Your yards, your doors, and your porch all work together to make your home look amazing. A good first step is to clean your house’s exterior. Get out the broom and the hose and clean the doors, walls and driveway. Get rid of the old cobwebs on your windows and free your garage door of the grease from your car.
When it comes to your yard, consider exchanging a lawn for native plants to save water. Lite-up paths are easy to make with solar lights or low power LED string lights. If you’re changing the landscaping, choose plants and features that compliment your home’s windows and doors.
The front door and porch welcome guests, but often are neglected! Clear out the clutter and dirt and put your porch furniture front and center. Spruce up your door with a fresh coat of paint or any cool details that will give you extra curb appeal and make your home stand apart from your neighbors.
I know this was a long one, but this topic is so important and so relevant to many people who are all at different stages in their lives. Home improvements don’t have to be expensive, time-consuming, or these huge and scary events. Little fixes here and there do a lot of good over time to help us take control of where we live and make it our own. Solar Art is ready and waiting to help you make your home more comfortable and beautiful in any way we can!
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