If you enjoy home improvement projects, winter can be an optimal time to take them on. After all, you will probably be spending more time indoors since it will be colder and the days will be shorter, so why not spend some of that time making your house look more beautiful?
Home improvement doesn’t have to be costly to produce beautiful, gratifying results. Here are 6 budget-friendly projects to help keep you busy and happy this winter season.
1). Kitchen
Is your kitchen in need of a little upgrade? You might be surprised by the breadth and variety of options for kitchen remodeling, and by how budget-friendly many of them are.
A kitchen remodel may include new or resurfaced countertops, repainted cabinets, new shelves, new appliances, new flooring, and many other things. Indeed, kitchen remodeling is a broad and flexible category: you can opt for a few things or for many.
If you’re thinking of remodeling your kitchen, it’s a good idea to hire a contractor who can help you.
As Hestia Home Services explains: “People searching for the best Houston remodeling contractor are often surprised when we show them how much of a difference a few design changes can make.”
Try upgrading your kitchen and see how much of a difference it makes. Winter is probably the best time to do it, particularly since most people are inside more. It’s also baking season in many households, meaning more opportunities to enjoy your new kitchen.
2). Laundry Room
When was the last time you did anything with your laundry room? It is easy to let this room in particular suffer from neglect: in most homes that have laundry rooms, they are designed to be peripheral, not focuses for much activity.
With that said, there are many things you can to do give your laundry room a brand-new look. Try cleaning it, reorganizing it, and putting up some wallpaper. You might even add some decorative grass or potted plants, perhaps some nice baskets to organize supplies.
3). Crown Molding
Crown molding is one of those things that seems so small until you see the difference. And yet, what a difference a little crown molding makes.
When you add crown molding to the tops of door frames, to corners, and to the tops of walls alongside the ceiling, the visual effect is subtle but noticeable. The aesthetic of the room changes – not overwhelmingly so, but still enough to be noticed.
This can also be a good way to cover up nicks and dings in some of these areas. So, give it a try and see what you think.
4). Cabinets
You can upgrade your cabinets simply by cleaning them and then replacing the hardware. A surprising amount of the aesthetic of cabinets comes from the pulls and handles, so replacing them can make it look almost like you have new cabinets.
If you want to get a bit more ambitious, try a new paint job first and then install the new hardware. This is guaranteed to make your cabinets look brand new.
5). Energy Efficiency
Another thing you can do to improve your home during the winter is look at your energy efficiency. We’ve covered energy usage in winter before, but there are a number of different options here we didn’t address last time.
A good way to start optimizing your home’s energy efficiency is by finding and fixing openings and air leaks. Ideally this should be done before the winter cold sets in, but if you’re having trouble with it at any point during the winter, it’s a good idea to tackle it then.
Start with caulking or sealing the seams around your windows and doors. Once you’ve done this, your home will be better at keeping the warm air inside.
Next, look at your attic. Is it sufficiently insulated? This is another excellent measure you can take to help conserve energy. Insulate your home now, and you will reap the rewards in lower energy bills for many, many years to come.
Finally, get a programable thermostat. This will help to save energy by only warming the house when you are actually in it.
6). Repainting
You’re inside anyway, so why not repaint? This is a popular DIY project for a reason: it is not terribly expensive, it requires only a rather modest investment of time, and the return on it is something you can enjoy for many years to come.
A good coat of paint can leave your home looking and feeling entirely fresh. You might also paint for the winter months: try a slightly warmer color that will still be relaxing to be around.
Conclusion
The winter months mean more time indoors, and that can make them an ideal time to do some home improvement projects. The projects profiled here provide an important combination of practicality, beauty, and return on investment. Good luck and happy remodeling.
Author Bio
Judy Lees is a super-connector with photographersinislamabad.com who helps businesses find their audience online through outreach, partnerships, branding and social networking. He frequently writes about the latest advancements in digital photography.