Doing maintenance and making occasional upgrades is a massive part of home ownership, and one that brings a variety of benefits. Most importantly, spiffing up your space helps boost your quality of life so you can enjoy your environment and your surroundings. And, as we all were forced to learn in 2020, enjoying being at home is a crucial part of our happiness as humans.
Putting a bit of money and effort into your home can contribute to your long-term goals because making improvements can be a good financial decision that could help bolster your home’s value. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), certain remodeling projects can bring a return on investment (ROI) of over 100 percent, and many of the highest value projects are DIY-friendly.
Whether it’s fresh new tiling in the bathroom or a brand-new front door, making upgrades yourself can majorly contribute to your return because you’re saving big bucks on labor costs. But not all projects are ideal for beginners and amateurs, so you need to be choosy about which ones you attempt. Here’s our list of the best easy DIY projects for homeowners to make to boost quality of life and home value.
Paint the Living Spaces
Paint is the ultimate DIY-friendly home upgrade because virtually anyone can do it and it has the ability to seriously transform a space for the better. If you’re looking to prep your home to put on the market, stick with neutral colors and earthy tones in the living spaces. In the kitchen, go with a light blue or gray since research shows this can fetch almost $2,000 more than kitchens with white walls!
Paint the Front Door
Speaking of painting, consider giving the front door a fresh coat of paint to help revitalize the exterior of your home. Most of the outside finishes on your home—siding, windows, roof, etc.—should be left to the professionals, but painting or replacing the front door is one easy way to instantly refresh the exterior yourself. Consider going with a popular, crowd-pleasing color, such as black, red, or navy blue. This may help sell your home, too. According to Zillow, homes with black or charcoal front doors sell for more than $6,000 more than expected. They look amazing, too!
Add a Backsplash to the Kitchen
As far as approachable DIY projects go, few are as easy and impactful as the kitchen backsplash. By mastering the use of a tile cutter and watching a few simple DIY tutorials online, you can transform a drab or basic kitchen backdrop into one that’s bright and inviting. Go with something clean and fresh, such as white subway tile, or add a pop of color with a mosaic that contributes to the overall décor style of your kitchen.
Refinish Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floor refinishing is certainly on the advanced end of DIY projects, meaning it’s probably not ideal for people who haven’t experimented much with home upgrades. With that being said, it’s certainly not a job that must be relegated to the professionals. And, like painting and retiling, refinishing hardwood floors has the power to drastically enhance the aesthetic of the home and earn you much more when you go to sell. The tradeoff is that it’s a long process that involves moving out of your home, or living in another portion of the house, so it can be a bit disruptive.
Install Molding
Crown and floor molding are staples of old, luxury, and otherwise interesting homes, but many modern builders skip them to save costs. With that said, they can really finish a room and make it appear cozier and more attractive. If you’re comfortable with the idea of basic wood-working concepts and aren’t afraid to wield a power miter saw, adding molding is a perfectly approachable DIY job that can make an impact.
Install New Tile Flooring
If you’re looking for a long-lasting flooring option you can install yourself, skip the low-quality click-together vinyl and consider the original DIY-friendly flooring option—tile. Although it certainly takes some practice and a little bit of know-how, many homeowners are perfectly capable of retiling the floors in the bathroom or kitchen themselves. We recommend sticking with porcelain or ceramic tile since it doesn’t require any complex machinery to cut and there are plenty of tutorials online.
Do a Little Landscaping
Curb appeal is a big deal and helps make your home more marketable and enjoyable to look at. Even if you’re not a green thumb by nature and don’t know much about landscaping, you can certainly refresh your greenspace with simple DIY-friendly projects, such as adding a stone walkway, planting decorative bushes, and creating a mulched flower bed. If you’re really uncomfortable with landscaping, consider a large potted plant. They’re easy to take care of and can add a lush look to the porch or patio.
Touch Up the Exterior
Got peeling paint on the exterior of your home? Whether it’s siding, timbering, or old window frames, old paint can really take away from that perfectly polished aesthetic you so desire. But doing some quick exterior touch-ups can go a long way, and it’s surprisingly easier than you might imagine. Plus, properly applied exterior paint should last for over 15 years, so you can consider this a great long-term investment for the value and beauty of your home.
There’s no reason not to attempt a few of these easy and attainable DIY projects for yourself, especially if you’re looking for simple ways to increase the value of your home and make it even more enjoyable for you and your family. When all is said and done, you’ll be happy you ventured into DIY territory!
