Ways to Spruce Up Your Home’s Exterior
Our home is our haven, now more than ever! Investing in your humble abode is fun, but should be approached with wisdom. My husband and I like to be smart about the way we go about renovations and additions to our home. In this post, I am going to share some of our tips.
First, we create an on-going list of all the projects and improvements we would like to tackle. Next, we designate funds each month and set those aside into a separate renovations savings account. Thirdly, we ask ourselves these three important questions:
What do we do first that will add value to our home?
What part of the home should we focus our time, money, and resources on?
Should we contract this out or do it ourselves?
Last, but definitely not least, we plan out a budget for the project before even beginning the purchasing process. This is usually done on a spreadsheet for my engineer husband ;)
Sticking to a budget can be challenging for a home project because many unexpected things can arise. Thinking through those questions above and thoroughly thinking through the project first will help avoid some unexpected costs. Of course, it won’t cover all the mishaps, but it will help!
I could probably go on and on about how we’ve planned, budgeted, decided on, and executed our renovations, but I want to specifically share a few ideas on how to spruce up the exterior of your home for those with all budgets!
Landscaping
This is one way that you can really create change on the exterior of your home. Whether it’s just tidying up what’s already there or overhauling the entire yard, it’s bound to add some value! We recently just re-did our entire front landscaping and it was a huge project. You’ve been warned, ha!
If you are going to do this yourself like we did, make sure you have friends who are knowledgeable & semi-experts to help you out. For example, if you don’t know much about plants (this is me!) then ask a friend or family member who has experience with gardening or selecting appropriate plants for certain spaces. This was incredibly helpful, even though we did al the work ourselves.
Window Boxes
I’ve seen some amazing window boxes which can add dimension and contrast to your home! There are a ton of websites that teach you how to DIY, but I thought this one for cedar boxes was great!
Or you could also purchase the boxes and go from there. When it comes to choosing what to plant, I am so not an expert! I do have some recent experience re-landscaping our entire front yard though, so I will share a few tips.
Do some plant research: consider full shade, partial shade/sun, and full sun plants based on the box locations.
Think maintenance: do you want to do a lot of work or not?
Contrast: choose flowers that will compliment your exterior and add some contrast.
Shutters
When I go on walks through neighborhoods full of beautiful homes, I immediately notice homes that look bare. Sometimes, by adding shutters, it can make a world of difference. Not all homes need shutters, but some can benefit greatly from them! When choosing a color or stain, I recommend finding homes that have a similar color scheme and using those as visual inspiration. Matching the front door or trim could work really well, but let yourself think outside the box too! Check out these before & afters from Timberlane.
Power Washing
This “update” is virtually free! If you don’t have a power washer, try asking a neighbor or handy father-in-law if you are willing to borrow theirs. I wish I would have taken a before and after when we did ours right before moving in. It looked like we had added a fresh coat of paint! This would also be a great thing to do if you’re preparing to put your house on the market in the near future. Of course, be mindful of the pressure depending on your type of siding.
Deep Clean your Windows
Another virtually free, yet time intensive task! We again did this before moving in. Our home has its original 1964 windows and they needed some serious love and attention. Taking them in and out and remembering what went where was half the battle, but once the process was complete...wow!
Paint your Front Door
Adding a pop of color to your exterior by way of your door is a great option for a low budget spruce up! I personally love when a house has high contrast and the door is a good place to achieve this. You could go bold with it or stay neutral to add focal points elsewhere. Here are a few articles to help you envision your new front door:
Change Exterior Lighting
When we moved into our home, our exterior lights were dated, worn, and just not our style. Once we switched them out to ones that were more to our liking it made a huge difference on the exterior. You don’t have to spend tons of money on lighting, but make sure they are durable and can sustain the various weather conditions. Also, look into getting LED. It does make a difference!
Add Decor by your Door
The space where you enter your home also needs some design attention! There are so many ways you can update this entry area. Here are a few pieces to consider adding:
A fun Doormat
New mailbox
Planters
Chairs or a Bench
Wreaths, Baskets, & Signs
Updated House Numbers
I hope these tips inspire you to make updates to the exterior of your home. Like I mentioned before, it doesn’t have to be a complete overhaul or cost tons of money.
How are you making updates to your home?
Xoxo,
Paulina
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Hi, I’m Paulina!
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