Keeping your home fresh and maintained doesn’t have to break the bank—there are plenty of easy, low-cost home improvements you can make to stay within your budget.
Everyone loves that new home feeling, but even the simplest of home improvements can add up and put a strain on your wallet. Luckily, there are plenty of low-cost things you can do to refresh your home and make it feel brand-new again!
Here are seven easy home improvements for any budget:
1. Wooden Blinds
Still have those old, vinyl blinds? You know, the thin and flimsy, plasticky ones. Why not replace them with faux wooden blinds for a cleaner, more sophisticated look? You’d be surprised just how much new blinds can spice up a room! Plus, wooden blinds distribute natural light better than vinyl and don't actually require dusting as often. Decent quality, faux wooden blinds range from $20-50 a set, making them a quite affordable home decor.
2. Light Bulbs
Those dingy lights aren’t doing you any favors! If you still have any harsh, yellowed light bulbs, try replacing them with new ones. Aiming for a cozy home vibe? Give soft lights a try! Looking for a more vintage design in your home? Swap your pendant and/or chandelier bulbs with some Edison light bulbs–you’ll be obsessed with how classic they can make your space feel! Replacement light bulbs in general don’t typically break the bank, and a six-pack of standard Edison bulbs go for about $12, making this tip super budget-friendly!
3. Repaint Walls & Trim
Are your walls and doors covered with scuffs? Is all the white-on-white starting to feel a little depressing? Give your home a much-needed refresh with some new wall paint! It only takes one weekend, great music, and maybe a friend or spouse who is willing to help out. You can even give one of the trending colors a try—the great thing about paint is that if you hate it, you can always paint over it! While you’re at it, don’t forget to paint the trims. Otherwise, it’s like wearing muddy sneakers with a suit… not classy. If your walls are in good condition, you can save several hundred dollars by painting them yourself!
4. Plate Covers
You’ll be shocked at what a crisp new wall plate cover will do to a room. Depending on the age of your home, you may have noticed your switch covers starting to yellow or even stain from years of use. If that’s the case, it’s time to freshen them up! Standard light switch plates range from $2-$4, making this a very budget-friendly home improvement. For a slight increase in price, you can even find customized plates on Etsy. If you want to save even more money on your home improvement, consider painting your existing plates!
5. Crown Molding
Have you ever seen a room and thought “Man, it looks like a million bucks in here!” Chances are there was crown molding in that room. This small detail is usually overlooked by most people, but it can make any room look that much more elegant and refined. Adding crown molding to your walls can be a little pricier, depending on how much area you want to cover, and if you hire a professional or not. However, this is still a relatively easy home improvement project if you choose to DIY it and save money.
6. Plumbing Hardware
If you’re looking for a quick and super easy way to freshen up your bathrooms or kitchen, changing the plumbing fixtures is the best place to start. Faucet spouts and handles on sinks add a lot more character to the room than you would think, especially if you’re going from the standard shiny silver and “crystal” knobs to something dark and/or matte-finished. But while dark, matte hardware is all the rage these days… They do show water stains a lot more easily. If you don’t want to feel like your sink is always dirty, you can opt for some brushed nickel hardware and still achieve a nice modern look. Considering you can get entire high-quality modern hardware sets for around $50, this is a relatively low-cost home improvement in our books!
7. Lamp Shades
This one may seem far-fetched as a “home improvement”, but think about it… If you keep the lamp and simply swap out the shades, you’re getting something that looks brand new and is completely unique to you! If you’re not sure what style or design of lamp shade to replace your old ones with, Just Lamp Shades has a great resource to help find your perfect shade. One of our favorite budget-hacks is to start at Just Lamp Shades, and then look for the same style of shade on Amazon for half the price. Plus, you can also take this same approach to home light fixtures, like sconces!
Hopefully, this list of low-cost budget-friendly home improvements inspires you to find other creative ways to freshen up your home. But sometimes, this just won’t be enough… So, if you’re wanting to do some serious home improvements, we’d love to connect you to someone who can help. And if that still isn’t enough, we can always help you switch things up with a brand new home!
Ronda's extensive business experience contributes a well-rounded dimension as the broker for Texas Living Company. Her passion for architectural design motivated her advancement from a career in marketing, business development and supply chain management in the oil and gas industry to residential real estate.