Most of the country is digging out from snow and ice brought on by the tail end of winter, but no matter what climate you live in, your thoughts are likely turning to spring! The first tastes of warmer weather also bring thoughts of spring cleaning and freshening up your home.
If you don’t have the time or money to do a lot of significant upgrades, but you want to give your home a fast and inexpensive face-lift, here are 10 things you can do in one day or one weekend for under $200!
Save it, sell it, chuck it!
This is my first step to give a home a fast face-lift. Decluttering is free and will cost you only time. Taking a close, hard look at what really needs to be in a room and what can go will change the entire look of a space. Less “stuff” will open up your existing space and give a “lift” faster than you can say “yard sale!” Yes, you might even MAKE money if any items you discard have resale value!
Tackle the closets
Fling open the doors to those stuffed clothes closets — and get organized. Start by getting rid of your mismatched hangers. Stop by a housewares store such as Bed Bath & Beyond or HomeGoods and buy 100 matching hangers for cheap. They’ll look nicer and save you space, and you’ll be able to toss old, unwanted fashions as your rehang each item. An inexpensive way to breathe new life into your closet and wardrobe.
Paint it over
An accent-color wall or an interior room repaint will liven up a home. With a little money and just a day or a weekend, your house can have a new look and a new life. Be adventurous — it is the easiest renovation to do over if you don’t like it!
Deep-clean those carpets
If you have wall-to-wall carpeting or large area rugs spread throughout your home, rent a carpet cleaner and give those carpets a deep clean. You can rent cleaners at most local grocery or hardware stores. I invested the money upfront and bought a good carpet shampooer for about $200, and I use it once a month — it is shocking how much extra dirt that machine pulls up each time. And if you have pets, this is one spring face-lift you can’t live without!
Throw in some color
Throw pillows are no-brainers when it comes to creating a fresh new look on the cheap. Bring your living room with you into the new season by throwing in some bright colors and store the old pillows for later. Swap them out whenever there is a change of season.
A hotel right in your own home
I’ll let you in on a luxury-hotel secret: They dress their beds with white sheets, white pillowcases, and crisp white duvet covers. It’s a standard for a reason — it’s fresh and light and looks very high-end. You might cringe at the thought of how dirty all-white can get, but it’s actually much easier to clean — throw it all in the wash with your other whites and some bleach and you are ready for a mini “five-star” vacation in your own home.
Turn down the heat
During this past season of wild temperature swings, your thermostat has been one of the most utilized devices in your home. It is time to give it a lift and an upgrade at the same time. The new breed of “smart” thermostats is fantastic. Venstar and Nest are two I love. They are easily programmable both from the control panel and directly from your mobile device. Bonus: They look stylish and they save you money!
A brand-new faucet
Something new, shiny, and functional will reinvigorate a tired kitchen counter! And it will add in some functionality as well. Those great gooseneck spouts or sprayers look fantastic and will cost you under $200.
Front entrance makeover
A new bright color for the front door in a high-gloss paint, a shiny kickplate, new house numbers, new doormat — they will all make a big impression on the outside!
Outdoor pop
What spring face-lift would be complete without some new spring flowers? Freshen up your curb appeal by planting pops of color and seasonally appropriate flowers that will look great for months to come.
