It’s that weird in-between time of year where it’s too late to start New Year’s resolutions and too early to spring clean, but that shouldn’t stop you from doing things around your home to improve it. Whether you’re stuck inside and noticing problems with your space or you’re just looking for a change, these five projects will help you update your home with little prep and a manageable budget. They’re not only going to give your living space a face-lift, they can also add value to your home if you’re looking to sell this year.

1. Faucets and fixtures

It’s amazing how much a simple fixture change can improve your bathroom or kitchen. Updating faucets to have better temperature control, water pressure, and modern designs will not only make your user experience better, they can also add to your home value. You don’t have to get fancy and install a high tech, customizable rain head to your shower to make a difference either. You can easily swap your fixtures for different finishes or styles without spending a fortune.

2. Paint (everything)

Paint is an easy way to update surfaces without spending thousands on full renovations. You don’t have to paint an entire room to make a big impact on your living space, either. Feature walls are a great way to open a space without spending a lot of money. If you have basic white walls, adding a warm or deep color to one wall can elevate your space and make it feel much more customized. Paint isn’t confined to your walls either. You can easily use paint to improve other surfaces, such as your cabinets or tile floors; just make sure you check your paint to ensure it works on these finishes before you get to work.

3. Peel & stick

There are tons of peel and stick options for basically any surface of your home. You can peel and stick a kitchen back splash to give it an updated look, or you can put down peel and stick tile in a bathroom or kitchen to cover up old or worn out flooring. There are even stick-on counter top veneers so you can make your kitchen or bathroom counters look brand new without breaking the bank or hauling in big sheets of marble. Be aware that these fixes are made to be temporary, so they’re a great stand in for a bigger remodel. If you’re looking to sell your home soon, you might want to avoid these projects because they can affect the value of your home if they’re not done properly.

4. Light it up

Lighting makes a huge impact on the feeling your home has on residents and guests. Stark bright LEDs might be good for a bathroom or kitchen where you need to be able to see detail, but living rooms and bedrooms really benefit from soft warm lighting. Swapping out your LED bulbs for warmer lights can make the space feel more inviting and comforting. You can also change out lighting fixtures to fit spaces better or install temporary lighting to bring more light and décor to a room. LED strips are a great way to add strategic hidden lighting under cabinets, behind TVs, or on ceilings so you can have soft, customizable lighting without the headache of installing big fixtures. You can even get smart bulbs to control color temperature and brightness throughout your home.

5. Make it green

A great way to add value to your home and invest for the future is to add green elements to your home. This can be as small as installing energy efficient light bulbs or as big as switching out appliances for more power saving options. Not only will this save you money in the long run if you’re planning to stay in your home, but if you’re going to sell in the near future it can also add value to the home. Energy efficiency is the future, so doing little things now that make your home more green will only save you money and time in the long run.

We’re all feeling the effects of a long winter and being cooped up inside, so it’s important to change up our environment and keep busy. These small home improvement projects will update your space, and they can also add value to your home. If you’re prepping your house to put it on the market, make sure you contact an experienced lender at Flat Branch Home Loans to help you buy your next home!

5 Home Improvement Projects You Can Do Right Now