11 Inexpensive Ways to Update Your Home
Get inspired to revamp your space with these inexpensive ways to update your home!
It can be overwhelming to decide what home projects are worth tackling. You want to choose something that will make a huge difference, but also doesn’t cost a ton of money.
We moved into our home almost 1 year ago, and have done our fair share of home projects in the past year. We found some creative ways to update our space, without costing a fortune. I’ve curated some of our favourite projects and home improvement ideas in this blog post!
This post is all about inexpensive ways to update your home!
Inexpensive Ways to Update Your Home
1. Update Light Fixtures
Light fixtures can make a huge difference to the overall look of a room.
When we did the walk-through of our home, dated light fixtures was one of the first things that caught my eye. I was so excited to swap them out! I found this chandelier on Amazon for less than $100, and it became the perfect focal point for our dining room.
Check out the before & after!
2. Refresh with Paint
A quick paint refresh is one of most effective, yet simple ways to update your home. When it comes to a paint project, even small paint refreshes make a huge difference. You don’t have to tackle all the walls in your house – smaller projects like painting a bathroom vanity (see photos below), a mirror, or a shelf are easier options.
But, if you’re looking to take on a bigger project, check out this blog post I wrote on How to Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets Like a Pro – it completely transformed the look of my whole kitchen!
Plus, once you buy the paint supplies for one project, you can totally re-use it elsewhere in the home! We used the same paint, paint gun, and supplies from the kitchen cabinet refresh to re-paint the bathroom vanity too. We don’t have the budget to do a complete transformation of the countertops, tiles, etc but re-painting the vanity was cheap and easy to do!
3. Decorate with Wallpaper
Another space in our home that needed a refresh was our utility closet. You can’t tell super well from the “before” photo, but the existing wire racks were literally falling off the wall and there were tons of holes from screws. We were initially going to paint, but then I saw the cutest floral wallpaper on Amazon (below) and I knew I wanted it for our closet!
You could totally use the same wallpaper for a blank wall, or other areas where you want to bring some colour/pattern into the space. We wanted to “experiment” with the wallpaper on a small closet before potentially bringing it into one of our main rooms.
4. Add Drapes
A room without any window treatments can look really unfinished. Plus, you don’t have to spend a ton of money on curtains to get really nice ones! I love these linen blend curtains, they create a super cozy feel. Make sure to hang the curtain rods closer to the ceiling for an elongated effect.
5. Update Outlets and Wall Plates
If you would’ve asked me 5 years ago whether I’d care about the look of my outlets, I’d say no way. BUT, this project is the perfect example of small cost for high impact. Our old outlets were a total eye sore and in need of an upgrade.
We could’ve done the “landlord special” (paint overtop of the old outlet with white paint) but we decided to replace them completely and I’m so glad we did. They look 100x better with a new wall outlet and screwless wall plate!
6. Update Hardware
Another easy and inexpensive upgrade is new cabinet pulls. You can find good cabinet pulls for $1-2 per piece, which is a great price compared to other kitchen renovations like getting new cabinets! Cabinets are something that you see (and use) every day, so it’s definitely a worthwhile investment.
7. Update Thermostat
This upgrade is incredible because it looks better and saves you money long-term. We upgraded our outlets to the Mysa Smart Thermostat and love it! It allows us to schedule and control our home’s heating from an app, which saves us tons of money throughout the winter.
Plus, as you can probably tell, the thermostats were original with the house (over 40 years old), so we were very happy to replace the faded thermostats with new, sleek ones! This project definitely falls in the category of home upgrades that are worth it.
8. Use Furniture Covers
If you don’t want to buy new furniture but aren’t in love with your current furniture’s colour or state (maybe it’s super worn out), furniture covers are amazing! I’ve had my IKEA tub chair for 10 years, so it started to fade and stain over time. Instead of buying a brand new one, I bought a tub chair cover and now it totally has a new life!
9. Add A Backsplash
Another item on my list of simple home improvement ideas is adding a backsplash! Full kitchen renovations can be insanely expensive. If you want to do a kitchen refresh but don’t want to spend thousands of dollars, try a new kitchen backsplash! The backsplash below is even peel-and-stick, so you don’t have to commit to the labour of installing a backsplash.
10. Incorporate Artwork
Another super inexpensive way to elevate your home is with new artwork. As my style changes over time, or I crave a room refresh, artwork is always my first go-to because it can be very cost effective. My favourite way to do this is with digital prints from Etsy. It’s super affordable!
I did a whole blog post on affordable neutral art prints, so make sure to check that out if you’re looking for inspiration!
11. Add more lighting
Good lighting is not only practical, but also can help make a room look more elevated. But, hiring an electrician to install new electrical wiring is going to cost a pretty penny. A great affordable alternative is puck lights! These lights are stick on and easy to install. Plus, they’re easily rechargeable and come with a handy remote.
This post was all about inexpensive ways to update your home!
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4 Comments
Cheryle
We’ve been slowly updating our home, and finally got hardwood flooring put into our kitchen and living room, but it made me realize how badly we need to update all the other little things like lighting and the plugs, crazy how big of a difference little details make! Thanks for sharing!!!
Shelby
I totally understand how the little details like outlets can make a big difference in a space! It’s interesting how our perspectives change over time. Five years ago, outlets might have seemed like a minor detail, but now, they’ve become an integral part of your home’s aesthetic. Your decision to replace the outlets rather than just painting over them sounds like it was the right choice. The “landlord special” might be a quick fix, but it’s often not the most visually appealing or durable solution. Investing in new wall outlets and screwless wall plates not only enhances the look but also adds to the overall feel and functionality of your home.
It’s great to hear that you’re pleased with the impact of this small upgrade. It’s a good reminder that sometimes, even the smallest changes can have a huge impact on our living spaces. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Tabatha W.
These are great tips! While we have recently taken some big measures in our home, like cabinet painting in centerville ut, I knew that we still needed to do more. So grateful I found this.
Daphne
One of the best and most affordable updates we did was getting a carpet cleaning. It made a huge difference! I also love the idea of using furniture covers, which is a great alternative since I’ve been saving up for a new couch that I’ve grown tired of. Heading to Amazon now to check out some options—thanks for the inspiration!