40 DIY Home Upgrades That Are Faster and Easier Than One Might Think

Trista - June 4, 2019

Photo: https://www.thisoldhouse.com

It’s the little things in life that can make all the difference in the world. Many people believe the only way to upgrade their house is with extensive renovations that take up a lot of time and cost a fortune.
However, with just a few minor changes to your home, it can feel new again. If you are stuck on cheap ways to upgrade your home, let us help you by providing you with a long list of affordable upgrades you can make to every room in your home. Most of these DIY home improvements you can complete over the weekend!

1. A Fresh Coat of Paint

One of the quickest and easiest ways to upgrade a room on a budget is to add a fresh coat of paint to the walls. Maybe the color has faded over time, or there are stains from unfortunate accidents. You can make any room look new again by reapplying the same color or going with a wildly different shade to change the aesthetic of the room.

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2. Faux Crown Molding

Upgrade any room by making it look fancy. Crown molding adds character to your home. Luckily, there are quick and affordable options rather than going through the traditional route of polystyrene foam covered in plaster. This simple version of crown molding is light and easy to attach, and you don’t have to keep fiddling with the corners to get it right.

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3. Affordable Stair Runner

Stairs can get slippery at times; prevent accidents by adding a stair runner for some additional grip. Choice of fabric and material can also make your home look elegant, and it’s an easy project you can do yourself instead of paying a professional hundreds of dollars to do it for you.

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4. Painted Floors

Changing the decor of a room may be a bit difficult if what you choose doesn’t go along with your flooring. You don’t want to rip all of it up either because that’s an expensive job. Instead, you can actually paint your floors to give them a new look and make the rest of your decor pop.

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5. Interior Shutters

It can be nice to have sunlight streaming through your windows, but is it worth it if your neighbors can peer into your home and see everything you’re doing? Add some privacy by installing interior shutters so that you can still get your sunlight without the whole outside spying on you.

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6. Painted Cupboards

Plain wood can get boring after a while, and buying new cabinets is an expensive and cumbersome job. Buy a bucket of a popping color to cover your cabinets with, and you can have an entirely new kitchen without much hassle. This new color may even inspire you to change a few of your other decor pieces in your kitchen.

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7. Updated Handles

So while you’re slapping some new paint on your cupboards, why not change the handles too? Cupboard handles can get broken or dingy over time, so invest in some upgrades that will improve your kitchen even more. There are so many different kinds out there that you may have a hard time choosing just one.

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8. Split Perennials

When it comes to doing a little upgrading outside, don’t spend more money on buying flowers to add to your garden. Just split up the perennials you already have and move them to other parts of your garden. Be careful when doing this so that you don’t damage any root systems, but otherwise, they should thrive just fine in their new locations.

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9. Peel-and-Stick Backsplash

Protect the walls of your kitchen by adding a backsplash. The peel-and-stick variety makes it easy for you to cut and adjust the sheets to fit around switches and sockets instead of having to hire an expensive professional to do the job for you. Also, the designs come in so many colors that you won’t have a hard time finding one to match your decor.

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10. Concrete Bathroom Counter

It doesn’t take a lot to make your simple countertop look like concrete. This DIY project is easy to pull off and doesn’t cost a bunch of money. You will have to exercise patience during the process, but otherwise, it’s a lot of waiting around for it to dry. It’s honestly pretty hard to get this project wrong, and the results will simply astound you.

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11. Dresser-Turned-Kitchen Island

Do you have an old dresser lying around that you’re ready to throw out? Consider adding some wheels to it and a fresh coat of paint to turn it into a mobile island for your kitchen. The drawers are already there for all your storage needs, and the large top surface is great for food preparation. This DIY home decor idea is perfect for those who are big chefs in small kitchens.

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12. DIY Pallet Wall

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There are a lot of DIY projects that involve recycling pallets, but this one definitely takes the cake. You can have an entire wooden accent wall to provide that rustic look to any room in your home. If you have a bunch of pallets lying around, this is a home upgrade you should try.

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13. Water Filter

Water is the basis of all life, and health nuts are always talking about drinking at least eight glasses of water a day. Ditch those bottles of water and attach a water filter to your kitchen sink to stay hydrated. It’s an easy home upgrade, and you can have clean and fresh drinking water all day, every day.

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14. Cork Flooring

Getting up in the morning to walk across the cold floor isn’t anyone’s idea of pleasant. Instead, if you replace your floors with cork, you won’t have that problem anymore. Cork is an excellent insulator, is very resilient, and is a natural product that doesn’t require much prep. Moreover, it’s easy to recycle too if you ever want to change your flooring again in the future.

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15. Chalkboard Paint

Do you need somewhere to make a list for the day? Are you always forgetting something at the grocery store? With just a small bucket of chalkboard paint, you can transform any cupboard door into a chalkboard you can use for memos or notes for the day.

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16. Door Hardware

Just as you upgraded the handles on your cupboards, it doesn’t hurt to change your doorknobs as well. A new fancy knob is an easy way to improve your home, whether it’s your front door or any doorknob in your home that’s just looking a little worn.

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17. Bathroom Caulk

Over time, the caulk around your bathroom and sink will wear out, and that can cause leaking. Get a caulking gun and redo it every few years or so to ensure a perfect seal around your bathroom furnishing. The last thing you want is mold sprouting behind your walls.

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18. New Porch Lighting

It pays to make a first impression so upgrade the lighting by your front door. Change boring lights into wall sconces or pendant lights, anything that has a more dramatic flair that you want. You can even go for an option that comes with solar panels so that it turns on at night once it gets dark and won’t put a burden on your energy bill.

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19. Old Door Becomes New Storage

Old doors are easy to come by — just drive down your street during the summer, and you may find a few just lying by the curb. Adding some antique finished and some hooks can turn this old door into a nook where you can hang your coats. Create a bench with just a few pallets, and you have a beautiful seating arrangement when you’re putting on or taking off your shoes.

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20. Wall Stencil

Painting your wall is a great way to spice up a room, but using geometric stencils can really get things going. As long as you have tape and are a perfectionist with lining things up correctly, you can transform an entire room with unique curves, lines, and shapes.

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21. Upgrade the Old Deck

Being exposed to the elements for a long time can make any deck look drabby. However, with a good power wash and some new stain, your deck can look as brand new again. You’ll need a lot of elbow grease, depending on the extent of wear and tear on the wood, but the overall project isn’t that expensive to accomplish.

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22. Stair Brackets

Make your staircase look even fancier with some ornate stair brackets. You can go with plain or highly-decorated to show off those lovely stairs and banisters. They go on with only some adhesive and nails, so it’s definitely a project you can accomplish in an afternoon.

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23. Durable Flooring for Mudrooms

Mudrooms are the intermediary for preventing dirt from getting into the rest of your home. You and your family unload all of that outer clothing before going into your home — that means a lot of dirt, mud, and water. This DIY home upgrade is where you can save on money by getting cheap flooring that’s also durable to handle off the potential damage it’s going to see, especially after a rainy day.

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24. Bathroom Vent Fan

The bathroom is one of the most humid places in your entire home, making it an attractive place for mold to grow. By installing a vent fan, you can get rid of all that humidity by venting it outside, making your bathroom drier.

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25. Ceiling Fan

If you’re looking for the best way to save on your energy bills, then ceiling fans are the answer to your problem. During the summer months, they can circulate fresh air, which means your AC unit won’t have to work as hard. Turn the fan on in the other direction during winter, and it will send the warm air around the room; no more over-clocking your radiator to keep your home warm.

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26. Programmable Thermostats

Save yourself the trouble of having to get up and change the temperature when you’re home or when you’re leaving for work during the day. Thermostats can now be programmed to adjust the temperature at certain times of the day, allowing you to save on time and energy by controlling how hot or cold it gets.

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27. Painted Sink

Adding paint to a sink doesn’t sound like a great idea. You might be wondering how the paint would even stay. Thankfully, there is epoxy paint that can do the job for you and is available in a lot of different colors. This DIY home project requires a lot of drying time between layers, so be sure that you have another sink to use in the meantime while you’re waiting for it to dry.

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28. Baseboards and Molding

Who would think that something as simple as baseboards would upgrade your home so much? They don’t even have to look very fancy either to get the job done. Go with white or paint your baseboards a contrasting color to make your walls stand out more. You’ll be surprised by your room’s new look.

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29. DIY Frame a Mirror

That barren mirror has sharp edges that can easily cut you if you’re not careful. Dress your mirror up a bit by adding a beautiful frame to it, whether it’s wood, metal or plastic. The simple act of adding a structure can provide your mirror with a timeless look and will keep those edges safe for roaming fingers.

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30. Accent Ceiling

If you have a really stark white room, you can bring some contrast by actually painting your ceiling. There’s plenty of empty real estate up there that’s ripe for the taking. Vibrant, jewel-tone color adds a sense of royalty or nobility to any room; add some metallic decor to the area to improve on that aesthetic.

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31. Painted Stairs

Can’t afford runners for the stairs? You can still make them look like they have one by adding some paint. Get out that painter’s tape and outline where you want everything. Go with contrasting colors or match your stairs to the scheme of your entryway, it’s really up to you.

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32. Fancy Air Grilles

Freshen up the air return in your home with these fancy air grilles. Say goodbye to the boring slatted design and make your home feel dressed up with any design available or you can even customize your own with some manufacturers. This DIY home upgrade works just as well as adding a new coat of paint to the wall.

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33. Snazzy Front Door

We were right when we said first impressions are everything, so give your guests something to marvel over before they even get inside. A bright, popping color on your front door can make all the difference, especially in a contrasting color that’s different from your exterior.

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34. Statement Mirrors

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This quick and easy home renovation idea is one of the oldest tricks in the book when it comes to improving the look of your home. Just by adding a mirror on the wall, you can make any room look much more prominent. The mirror will also reflect any natural light coming in so your space will illuminate. Go for one large mirror or several smaller ones, depending on your personal style.

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35. Thermostat Picture

Sometimes the thermostat on your wall can be a bit unsightly, and it can be challenging to decorate your wall around it. However, instead of going around, why not go over it? Add a hinged painting to the wall to cover that sucker up so that it’s not only hidden but also dresses up your wall with a stunning piece of art.

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36. Wallpaper Accent Wall

If you want a more manageable project than painting an entire wall, use wallpaper instead. It has the same effect, if not better, on transforming the aesthetic of a room into something more sophisticated. This DIY home upgrade is a great way to dress up just one wall, or even the bathroom. Experiment with a few different patterns to see what kind of look you want to create.

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37. Track Lighting

Maximize the lighting in any room by using track lighting. Each light is fully adjustable so that you can direct light exactly where you want it instead of living with ambient light from a single bulb. Brushed metal, shiny chrome, or wire, track lighting comes in a variety of different constructions so you can play around with different looks.

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38. Closet Organizer

Having a closet organizer isn’t really showing anything off to your guests, but having the means to prevent your closet from becoming a cluttered mess will improve your mood from day to day. No more searching for outfits in a pile of clothes or risking your best dress getting wrinkly. A simple closet organizer keeps everything in its place so that it’s all easier to find.

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39. Lovely Walkway

You’ve taken care of the front door and your porch lighting; why not go to work on making your front walk look nice? It could mean replacing a few flagstones or doing a bit of weeding to dress it up again. What counts is putting in the effort to make the exterior of your home look gorgeous because it shows your guests and neighbors that you care.

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40. Modular Shelving

A modular shelving unit doesn’t cost a lot, and it provides you with much storage for those rooms where you just have too much clutter. Get the right set of shelving, and they’ll definitely be a conversation piece more than just a means of organization.

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