We live in the do-it-yourself generation. People have a sense of accomplishment when they can do simple household updates and save their family money. As you look forward to 2019, you may see some things around your home that need to be repaired. Just because you lack the funds of a full-scale home improvement project doesn’t mean that you can’t update the area a bit. Here are ten ways that you can enhance your house on a budget so that you can be ready for the new year.

  1. Change Out Light Fixtures

Light fixtures are an item that quickly becomes dated. Remember the gold tones of the 1980s? Today’s hardware is shades of silver, bronze, and nickel. Most people can change out their lights without any issues as it’s just a matter of connecting a few wires. Adding a new light to your space can enhance the area and make the room brighter. While changing out a fixture is easy, anything on a larger scale requires an electrician. For more info on electrical components and safety, it’s best to talk to the professionals.

  1. Paint A Drab Space

While a good paint job can last forever, you may want to update your décor. A few years ago, everything was done in tan and beige hues. Fast forward to today, and everyone is decorating in gray and softer tones. If you jumped on the dark colors craze, then you may want to enhance the space by adding some light colors. White is making a comeback, and it’s the easiest color to paint. Thankfully, you can get a gallon of paint for under $30, and the materials needed are just as cheap. For a fraction of the cost, you can have an updated room.

  1. Add Some Shiplap

Shiplap is all the rage. If you don’t have the money for the farm wood that has weathered many storms, then you can use peel-n-stick, strip flooring. You peel it, cut, and install. Since it comes in many colors, you can alter the colors back and forth to get the same type of look as the expensive stuff. It will take just a few hours, and the look will be amazing.

  1. Rehab Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets are another item in the home that tends to date quickly. If you want to keep up with the trends, then why not paint your cabinets? Remember, a gallon of paint is cheap. All you need is some good sandpaper to make the surface ready and some paint brushes. It’s always better to prime and spray cabinets, but you can do the job with a brush too. The key is sanding off all the old layers so that you have exposed the wood.

  1. Add Window Trim

When you start talking about a miter saw and cutting trim, some people get lost. You don’t have to be a professional to put trim up to the windows and doors. You don’t even need all those fancy cuts. Go around and look at trim in the various homes and businesses you visit. You will be surprised how many people don’t even use those fancy 90-degree angles. Any hardware store sells preprinted pieces of wood that can easily be cut off to the right lengths. It will take little time and very little money to add a whole other decorative element to your home.

  1. Create A Wallpaper Backsplash

A backsplash is a way to give the kitchen some character. If you want to update your area without doing an overhaul, then why not add a backsplash? Now there are tons of things you can use to accomplish this task, but the easiest method is to use wallpaper. There are 1000’s of prints that can match just about any décor in the world. The best thing is that the wallpaper is cheap. You can get a roll for under $50, and it should do most average sized backsplashes. Add a dramatic feature to this much-loved space with a pattern that goes with your cabinets and design.

  1. Rip Out Dingy Carpets

Do you know what lurks under your dirty carpeting? If your home is built before the 1970s, then you probably have hardwoods. Carpeting seems to be reserved for bedrooms right now. People want hardwoods in their main living spaces because it’s easy to keep clean. Anything is better than stepping on that nasty carpet another minute. Tear it up and throw it out. If you have hardwoods, a simple sanding and staining will make a world of difference. If you have plywood, a coat of paint can make it look better, and it will be cleaner too. There are numerous floor treatments that you can do for pennies on the dollar if the painting is not your choice.

  1. Install New Bathroom/Kitchen Fixtures

The kitchen sink, bathroom sink, and bathtub spigot can show their age quickly. It’s cheap to replace these unless you buy the ones that last for life. If you paint the cabinets and change out the lights, then you must change out the fixtures too. Make sure to get something that will be in style for years to come, like nickel. It can make a world of difference when updating a space.

  1. Add New Mini-Blinds and Curtains

Ask any contractor, and they will tell you that one area that is often avoided by homeowners is the windows. People let their kids and animals hang on the mini-blinds, and they rip the slats. Curtains are often dusty, faded from the sun, and covering up the windows. Mini-blinds are so inexpensive. Change them out and freshen up your curb appeal and the inside appeal too. Do you need those curtains? Sometimes they make a room look too heavy, and they compete with the décor. Sometimes miniblinds are enough for the window coverings. Working on your windows for a cheap update that is sure to please.

  1. Paint the Shutters and Front Door

Want to make your home look amazing from the outside? Add a pop of color to your front door and shutters? Even if you already have a beautiful color, it can quickly become faded from the sun. It’s a simple update that pays off royally.

If you want to start 2019 fresh and new, then doing some of these updates is the way to go. No, you don’t have to spend absorbent amounts of money to get the look you desire. The name of the game these days is to be thrifty. Recycle and reuse what you can to come up with a dramatic new look that will make your friends and family jealous they didn’t think of it first.

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