Instantly add value to your home by sprucing up your home’s curb appeal! Whether or not you are looking to sell, a well put together home exterior can increase your home’s value, boost your pride, and can make homeownership just feel more enjoyable.
This time, we are taken a budgeted approach to finding ways to improve curb appeal. The ideas shared in this post can be done for a few hundred dollars or less. To maximize your budget and home value, use this list as a mix n’ match. All of these curb appeal enhancing ideas are relatively straightforward and can be done without a major renovation.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, but at no extra cost to you.
Freshen Up Your Front Door
Paint the Door
If replacing your front door isn’t an option, consider painting it or staining it. A new color or just refreshing faded paint will go a long way! Everyone who comes to your home will see your front door and will use it, so this upgrade won’t go unnoticed.
Add a Wreath or Seasonal Decor
Adding a wreath is an easy way to add personality to the exterior of your home. There are many style to choose from and they can be reused year after year. If you have multiple wreaths throughout the year, I strongly recommend getting a wreath container to so that they don’t lose their shape in storage.
Upgrade the Door Hardware
I didn’t believe this one until I tried it for myself! Having a quality door knob not only looks more luxurious, but truly feels like a more luxurious experience. Using a knob or handle that has a quality heft to it, feels so much different.
Enhance Outdoor Lighting
Install New Light Fixtures
Changing out your light fixtures is easy and can be quite inexpensive. At box-hardware stores, you’ll be able to find a lot of good looking light fixtures under $100.
Solar Fence Lights
If you have a fence, add solar lighting around the perimeter. This is a very inexpensive way to instantly make your backyard feel more like a little backyard oasis.
Uplighting Lighting
If you have the ability to hardwire uplighting or downlighting, go for it! But if you don’t have the time, money, or skills to accomplish that… well lucky for you, Amazon sells solar uplighting that truly enhances the exterior of your home at night! I have these exact solar up-lights and I am OBSESSED.
Refresh Landscaping with Minimal Upkeep
Add Potted Plants
One of my favorite gardening hacks is to shop the clearance section. There are so many good plants that are in the clearance section because they just don’t look as good as the other plants that are peaking. Trust me, you can find a lot of great plants that just need deadheading and some water. I rarely buy anything full price, especially plants.
Mulch and Edging
My other favorite gardening hack is using inexpensive mulch and the bulk of your mulch. Only put colored mulch on the top couple inches of your mulch. You can get large bags of plain wood chip mulch for about $3 per bag, versus colored mulch which often runs $8 for a small bag. TIP- you always need more mulch than you think. To avoid weeds, you can’t really over mulch, just keep enough breathing room around the base of your plants.
Low-Maintenance Greenery
Plants like hostas, ornamental grasses, or arborvitaes require minimal care but add visual interest. Perannuals make gardening a lot more fun because you only need to purchase and plant 1 time, then it is just maintenance after that. TBH, hydrangeas are great low maintenance plants that also flower, but just make sure you keep them watered.
Upgrade House Numbers and Mailbox
Update House Numbers
There are so many different styles of house numbers now, you can truly find anything to fit your style. They have some great custom options that really make your house look elegant.
Mailbox Makeover
If your mailbox is in front of your house like mine, I truly recommend updating your mailbox and mailbox post. I spent around $120 for the full upgrade and it really made a difference! There are some very expensive mailboxes out there. Especially if you live in the midwest where snowplow can be ruthless, I highly recommend going for the less expensive option here. Find a style you like and get the cheapest option. Your mailbox is nearly on the road itself, so no sense in paying top dollar for something that might literally get plowed over by accident. Yes, this did happen to me in case you couldn’t tell.
Mailbox Landscaping
Doing some light landscaping around your mailbox is a great way to fancy up your curb appeal. Plant some flowers or small shrubs around your mailbox to add a pop of color to your drive up curb appeal.
Incorporate Small Architectural Details
Shutters or Window Boxes
Installing shutters and window boxes adds a put together, charming look. The great thing about window boxes is that they are incredibly easy to maintain. If you have trouble getting down onto the ground to plant or maintain pots, window boxes are up at a comfortable standing height. All they really need is the initial planting, watering, and and some light pruning. No weeding needed!
Upgrade Your Gutters
Take a look at your gutters to see how weathered they are. If they are dented up from years of ladders or faded from the sun, consider replacing your gutters. You can either have gutters that blend in or your gutters can be an architectural detail. Copper gutters are coming back on the scene and they can look very classy!
Outdoor Structures
There are many different ways to utilize trellises and pergolas to help create visual interest. If you are handy, these are relatively simple projects that can make a huge impact to your curb appeal. Add some vining plants or some curtains to the pergola to create a lush feel.
Keep It Tidy
Regular Lawn Care
As long as you don’t have a massive yard with multiple items to trim around, I highly recommend ditching the gas powered string trimmer and opt for a high powered electric one. This was truly a game changer for up keeping our lawn maintenance. Also, unless you are a lawn and garden enthusiast, try to make decisions based on mowing and string trimming. For example, we changed the layout of our backyard landscaping so that the lawn mower would comfortably fit between the edge of the mulch and the fence. Doing this made it so we no longer needed to push mow next to the fence.
This also include making sure your landscaping is regularly cared for. Keep weeds under control, scrubs well shaped and trimmed, and flowered regularly dead headed.
Clean Gutters and Windows
Wash your windows down on a quarterly basis, inside and out. Also, keep those gutters clean and clear to ensure you don’t have drainage issues or accumulate debris on top of your house.
Declutter Yard
Find ways to keep your yard decluttered. If you live in a fixer-upper like I do, this can be very difficult at times. Whether it is patio furniture, kids toys, sports equipment, or construction debris, find ways to manage the stuff. Having a dedicated spot is almost always the answer. Consider outdoor storage totes, a compost pile for organic waste, or having a dedicate spot where construction debris goes before it can be hauled away.
Conclusion
You don’t need to do a full renovation to make a big impact to your home’s exterior. A couple small changes can really set the tone and add visual interest. Start with one or two ideas and just see where they take you! Set a budget and wait for items to go on sale before you buy them. I try to stick to this even more when it comes to outdoor items… the weather and snowplows are too unpredictable to risk it.
Keeping the look cohesive will make the biggest impact. I’ve always said that any style done thoroughly and well will ALWAYS look good, even if it is the complete opposite of my own personal taste. This comes down to cohesion. When you’re making your updates, make sure that the style of the mailbox matches the house, which matches the house house numbers, which matches the flower pots, etc. They shouldn’t be identical, but they should all live within the same style. You get the drift.
This post has been all about how to add curb appeal without a major renovation. Exterior updates on a budget or to fit your budget needs! Consider trying some of these ideas to boost your home value and home equity.
What did I miss? Comment your favorite exterior update that you completed without breaking the bank!
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