Simple (and Cheap) Home Upgrades That Make a Big Difference
This happens with everything we acquire in life: the initial excitement wears off. Your home is a great example; after a while you just get used to living there, and all the little things that made you fall in love with this place fade into the background. Then one day you wake up and your beloved home looks somehow old and tired.
One solution is a massive remodeling project , but even thinking about the time, expense, and effort can make you feel old and tired (also: broken). However, you don’t have to take everything out of your home to make it look fresh and new again—there are plenty of small changes that cost little money, require little effort, and have a big impact.
Kitchen cabinet fittings
When people think about how to update or modernize their kitchen, they often resort to major renovations, such as painting or replacing cabinets. But replacing hinges and handles can make a big difference in the appearance of your kitchen furniture and its functionality. Depending on the size of your kitchen, replacement equipment can cost as little as $150 .
You may also want to consider painting existing rods—for example, going from a metallic finish to matte black can make a big difference in the cost of primer and a can of paint.
For a real upgrade, replace the main hinges on your cabinets with soft close hinges . They can make even cheap cabinets look luxurious and are a real life-changer if you’re often intimidated by your spouse, roommate, or child slamming your kitchen cabinet with unnecessary violence.
Doors
The doors in your home have a subtle but powerful impact on how you experience space. Cheap hollow body doors can make a home look cheap, while a shabby, plain front door can create a feeling of boring neutrality and anonymity in your home. Replacing all of those doors can be expensive, but you don’t have to—just like with kitchen cabinets, replacing the major hardware (hinges, handles, and latches) with updated versions is affordable, easy, and completely changes the look.
Painting your front door a bright, bold color can change the perception of your home, increasing its curb appeal and even increasing its value . For a cheaper effect, add some magnetic door stops to keep doors open while you bring groceries or move things from room to room.
Toilet seats
Chances are you don’t often think about toilet seats in your home. But an old, discolored, plain toilet seat will make your entire bathroom look old and plain. Upgrading to new is a fresh start that will upgrade your toilet for about $50 (and give you the chance to give it a thorough cleaning). The soft close nature of the new seat will also add an element of quiet luxury to your everyday life. And heck, for a few more dollars you can get a heated seat with a night light , which could very well change your life.
Lamps
For some reason, we often think of fixtures as permanent and unchangeable. But if you have basic boob lights in your home from a big box store, simply swapping them out for something more stylish can improve the look of the entire place for little money. For added impact, replace light switches with dimmers so you can set the mood in every room, instantly adding luxury to your space.
It is also worth adding light where there is not enough of it. Some adhesive under-cabinet lights in your kitchen not only improve its usability, but can also add ambience and give your kitchen an updated look for under $20. And adding motion sensor lights to any closet or pantry will make the space feel cozier and make it easier to use.
Bathroom finishing
We spend a lot of time in our bathrooms, so our environment has a lot to do with how we feel about our home as a whole. If you feel comfortable in the bathroom, you will maintain this feeling throughout the day. You don’t need a complete bath remodel or new tiles to make your bathroom feel more luxurious. All you have to do in many cases is replace the existing trim with fresh, new, modern versions. Replacing towel bars, toilet paper holders and other trim pieces will make a big difference in the appearance of your bathroom for very little money.
While you’re at it, if you have a shower curtain, consider adding a curved curtain rod . Curved rods instantly make a cramped shower feel more spacious and reduce those terrifying moments when a slippery wet curtain envelops you like some kind of sea monster.
New cranes
If you feel like your kitchen and bathroom are a little tired and outdated but can’t figure out why, take a look at your faucets. Are these the same building models you’ve had for years? Or were they part of a dramatic reconstruction that took place 15 years ago? Faucets are one of the easiest things to replace in your home, and one of the easiest ways to bring a new, eye-catching design element to your kitchen or bath without taking it apart. If you want to create a completely new feel, choose something completely different—for example, replacing a single-handle faucet with a bridge faucet or giving any room a complete overhaul of the trim. If you’ve been living in a world of satin nickel for a while, switching to stainless steel or gold can awaken your senses and make your home feel new again.
USB charging sockets
Many people in their homes turn a blind eye to the mass of extension cords, charging cables and extension cords they use. They solve the pressing problem of providing power where it’s needed, but a house filled with them looks sloppy and makes you (and everyone else) feel like your home is old because it can’t provide the charging that modern life requires.
Replacing your outlets with new ones with USB charging ports will help modernize your home and remove at least some of the cables plaguing your life without breaking the bank. Cheap and relatively easy to install, having them everywhere means you can plug in your phone and other devices whenever you want without having to run an extra cord or extension cord from the wall to the sofa.