For many, the term “home improvement” conjures up images of big, laborious projects that consume loads of time and put a sizable dent in your savings account. It needn’t, though, because home improvement can be simple and cheap, too.
True, remodelling your kitchen or bathroom requires a massive investment of time, money, and physical energy. But there are numerous little things you can do to enhance the look and feel of your home. That’s what we’re focusing on today: home improvement projects that are quick, easy, affordable, and not least of all effective.
You may be surprised at how big a difference these simple projects can make to your dwelling space.
Make use of that empty corner
A lot of homeowners struggle to fill empty space. That’s not always a problem: pockets of unoccupied space can make your house appear more spacious and prevent a cluttered, claustrophobic atmosphere. But some empty corners are just begging to be filled, and there are many things you can do to oblige them.
House plants are never a bad idea. You could also put in a bookshelf, either standing or mounted on the wall. How about a tower for you cat? Or, if you like to entertain at home, consider sliding a table into the corner that serves as a bar complete with liquor, wine, mixers, martini shakers, cocktail napkins, and more. Purchase a cocktail set online and hire a Sydney courier to deliver it.
Paint your cupboards
Painting your cupboards and/or cabinets is a marvellous way to give your kitchen a facelift. It’s also not something most people never think to do. Considering their prominence in the kitchen, changing the color of your cabinets can lend the room a whole new feel. Don’t be afraid to get creative: make your cooking space pop by choosing an offbeat color that stands out from the walls and countertops.
Give your garden a boost
Gardens have numerous benefits. Along with their aesthetic qualities, they can attract pollinators, provide fresh, wholesome food for you and your family, and induce feelings of tranquility and personal accomplishment. If you have a garden already, try enhancing it by doing one or more of the following things:
- uproot old, tired plants and replace them with new ones
- put in a small pond for frogs and toads
- build a bat house (bats eat their weight in bugs every night)
- make your own compost
- plant flowers that attract bees and other pollinating insects
- install a firepit and tiki torches
Update your light fittings
As with cabinets and cupboards, it’s easy to just accept your light fittings as they are and let them alone. But in so doing you neglect an opportunity to update the appearance and atmosphere of your home. Old light fittings look, well, old. What may have been in vogue twenty years ago probably doesn’t look so fashionable today.
The solution? Take down those old fittings and put up some new ones. You’ll find a vast selection of modish light fittings online which you can then have delivered to your door via courier Goulburn. Don’t forget that you can alter a room’s ambience by installing different types of light bulbs.
Introduce some new (and different) art
Paintings and other works of art are essential to any well-rounded home. No doubt you’ve already got a few pieces of artwork hung up round your house. Reproductions of van Gogh, Monet, Dali, Picasso, and other European masters are common. But the world of art is enormously vast and diverse. Try mixing things up by adding some Asian, African, or indigenous flavors to your art collection. Attend your town’s art festival and browse the work of local artists. You’re sure to find something that strikes your fancy.
Get aromatic
Adding pleasant scents to your home can have a positive influence on your mood and mindset. The essential oils contained in plants like lavender, tea tree, and eucalyptus have proven health benefits, from reducing inflammation to promoting relaxation. You can avail yourself of these beneficial properties via an essential oil diffuser. Add five or six drops of your favorite essential oil and let the aromas envelop you.
Polish your hardwood floor
There’s nothing like a clean, lustrous hardwood floor to give your home an air of charm and refinement. Now let me ask you: when was the last time you gave your wooden floor a thorough polishing? If it’s been over a year, your floor is due (assuming it has a surface finish). After ridding the floor of dust and dirt, get to work with some wood floor polish and a dampened microfiber mop. Go over the floor slowly and carefully, and watch as the wood regains its original sheen.
Declutter
Things have a tendency to pile up, don’t they? Unconsciously we designate particular areas of our home as dumping grounds for stuff we may or may not need at some point in the future. Receipts, pads of paper, loose change, pens and pencils, greeting cards, rubber bands, business cards, vouchers, lip balm … the list goes on. Maybe you have an entire room in which you shove things that you don’t know what to do with. In any case, the result is unsightly clutter. If you want to improve the look of your home, it has to go.
Set aside an afternoon to clear out all the junk crowding your tables, desks, and countertops. Most of it, you’ll find, can go straight into the dustbin. Collect what remains and, after neatly organising it, place it into a box or onto a shelf where it no longer has the effect of cluttering your home.