DIY home improvement projects may seem challenging and time-consuming, but that’s far from the case.
There are numerous budget-friendly ideas you can tackle by yourself or with friends and family.
We’ve compiled creative and cheap home improvement ideas to give your home a smart upgrade, whether you’re a homeowner or a renter.
Take a look!
1. Paint Light Switches
Shabby old light switches and covers aren’t pleasant to look at all. However, buying new materials can rack up the cost northwards to $600. But there’s a cheap alternative: paint them!
Not only will they look much better, the project will cost you about $30 for the materials.
2. Add Weather Stripping
Weather-stripping my poorly insulated doors and windows helped me save money, not to mention it made my drafty house much more comfortable.
3. Repaint Kitchen Cabinets
You can repaint your kitchen cabinets for as little as $100, and the process itself is relatively simple.
All you need to do is clean the cabinets, scuff them with sandpaper, prime them, and apply two coats of paint.
4. Replace Lightbulbs with LEDs
I’ve had much satisfaction from LED lights I bought from Etsy, Wayfair, and Amazon. One thing I can advise you is to check the bulb’s Kelvin value, which shows the color temperature.
Generally, 2700K is regarded as ‘warm white,’ and going beyond that will make your room feel cold and unpleasant.
5. Update the Ceiling Fan
You can upgrade your ceiling fans for a small amount of money (under $20), and they’ll completely transform the feel of your rooms.
You need to dismantle them from the ceiling first, then paint the blades with an oil-rubbed spray paint of your choice. Finish the touch-up with a gel stain.
6. Cater to Your Pets
Litter boxes can get messy and don’t infuse the most pleasant smell in our spaces.
A good hack is to move them to the basement; even our pets need some privacy, right?
7. Add a Bidet
I’ve had a bidet in my bathroom for quite a while now, and I must say, using a bathroom elsewhere almost feels like I’m in the stone age!
8. Control Bathroom Humidity
The bathroom is one of the most (or arguably the most) humid places in our homes. A bathroom fan is usually the first apparatus most people buy to fix this problem. As much as it’s effective, you can take it to the next level with a humidity sensor switch.
The switch automatically turns the fan on when the bathroom reaches a particular humidity level, and you can easily install it where the old wall switch was. You can get a humidity sensor switch for as low as $25.
9. Replace Flush Mount Ceiling Lights
I previously owned a ‘90s house that had so many flush-mount ceiling lights, but I was more than amazed by the transformation the house underwent once I replaced these lights—it felt so modern!
10. Replace Door Knobs
Even door knobs can get worn out and disrupt every other good décor choice around.
Luckily, upgrading them isn’t expensive and they can dramatically change the look around your house.
11. Opt for Soft-Close Hinges
Most people have outfitted their kitchens with soft-close drawers, but I’ll do you one better (and cheaper): soft-close hinges.
You only need to retrofit your existing drawers and cabinets and, voilà, you have soft-close cabinets!
12. Install a Slide-Out Trash Can
I’ve always been skeptical of installing a slide-out trash can, but after much debate with my partner, we finally installed one. Honestly, it’s one of the best and cheap home improvement ideas I’ve indulged in.
Not only are the recycling bin and trash can hidden, but clearing garbage on the kitchen counter is effortless; you simply pull it out and sweep the litter directly into it!
13. Add Keyless Locks
Smart home features are here to stay with us and make life so effortless. With a keyless lock, you don’t have to worry if you locked your doors since you can do it wherever you are! Plus, they’re fairly cheap, with one going for around $100.
Get this: the door can even unlock itself when you arrive home, and if it doesn’t have that feature, they come with keypads that are very easy to use—if you’re a sucker for horror movies, you’ve probably seen the numerous “fumbling of keys” scenes (or maybe experienced it yourself), so I don’t have to convince you on this smart investment!
14. Install Dimmer Switches
Is it just me, or do overhead lights blind you when you take a bathroom break in the middle of the night?
Since I installed dimmer switches, my bathroom experiences have never been the same!
15. Cover the Gaps of Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floors can sometimes have massive gaps, especially in transitioning from one room to another.
Fortunately, this can be solved with a small strip of wooden threshold, which will only cost you about $7.
16. Add some Little Touches
I’ve witnessed this in most homes I’ve worked on, where trivial upgrades like replacing wall outlets and light switches make all the difference, especially when the house has builder-grade features.
17. Upgrade Your Wood-Burning Fireplace
Wood-burning fireplaces typically have a dated, old-world look, but this doesn’t have to be the case. Accent your fireplace with shelves to make it more classy and less dreary.
Use stained and sanded 2 x 10 boards for the shelves, hang them with standard brackets, and light wash the bricks of your fireplace to make them more neutral.
18. Put Up Blinds
During my interior design endeavors, I’ve found that it’s a common misconception among most people that blinds are too expensive, which is, honestly, to say the least, ridiculous.
Whether custom-made or not, blinds are worth a buck for your money and will make a significant difference to your home décor.
19. Install Motion-Sensor Lights
No one likes fumbling for the light switch in the dark, but motion-sensing light switches will solve this predicament in no time! Install them in your garage, closets, and anywhere else you feel like.
20. Replace Showerheads
A shower head is one of the cheapest replacements I’ve had to do in my home improvement escapades.
You can buy one for as low as $20 and it’s very simple to install by yourself.
21. Go for Smart Plugs
Depending on the phone and devices you possess, smart plugs are compatible with Google, Siri, or Alexa. You won’t get much satisfaction in your home than being able to turn on the lights using your voice, more so with a timer!
Smart plugs are also way less expensive than smart lightbulbs, not to mention less glitchy!
22. Upgrade Hardware
You’d be surprised by how much cabinet hardware can make a difference in your cheap home improvement idea.
I replaced my kitchen cabinet knobs with more decorative bar pulls, and I’m always impressed by their allure every time I walk into the kitchen. The cabinet pulls cost me about $100 (for the whole kitchen!), and there are numerous options to choose from.
23. Add a Curved Shower Rod
If you have limited space in your bathroom, consider this cheap addition.
A curved shower rod makes a significant difference to improving mobility around a small bathroom, and best of all, you won’t have the shower curtain poking you every time you’re taking a shower.
24. Install Soft-Close Toilet Lids
What do you mean you don’t have soft-close toilet lids? Ever since I installed them in my house, the bathroom experience has become seamless!
The only problem is I’ve become quite used to them, and if I visit a house that doesn’t have one, let’s just say some inevitable slamming always seems to occur.
25. Use Amber Glass Bottles
Most might regard this idea as negligible in their cheap home improvement ideas, but substituting disposable soap and shampoo plastic bottles for amber glass bottles with pumps will make your space instantly look fancier, whether in the bathroom or the kitchen.
26. Buy a Power Washer
Cleaning the driveway, walkways, walls, and siding became much easier when I bought a power washer.
There are budget-friendly options in the market, and it’ll help you make significant strides in your efforts to improve curb appeal.
27. Invest in a Stationary Vacuum
From a person with pets and kids, I can tell you for sure that a stationary vacuum is a life-saver! Who needs a dustpan when you can simply sweep dust or dirt into a stationary vacuum? (well, I don’t).
You only have to worry about emptying it once a month, a small price to pay.
28. Go for a Smart Thermostat
Almost all of us have a thermostat, but upgrading to a smart thermostat will greatly help your cost-saving journey.
Not having to leave the couch to adjust the thermostat is definitely a benefit, but a bigger advantage of having a smart thermostat is controlling the temperature when you’re away from home, ultimately saving energy. If you have rebates in your utility, a smart thermostat can cost well under $100.
29. Utilize Space Under the Stairs
The space under the stairs has so much potential. For a cheap home improvement idea, add staggered shelves for a functional and stylish library.
Also, install some LED strip lights and a built-in bench for a cozy touch.
30. Create a Smart Herb Garden
Your herb garden doesn’t have to be located outside; you can create an indoor herb garden for your kitchen with a compact hydroponic kit for under $60. Add some LED grow lights and connect a smart plug to remotely control watering. The whole project will be under $100!
31. Install Under-Cabinet Lighting
One of the most beneficial task lighting in the kitchen, under-cabinet lights, has been a game-changer and made working in the kitchen more pleasant. I’ve installed LED strip lights in my kitchen that plug into an outlet (meaning no hard wiring) and have a motion sensor.
32. Paint the Front Door
Give your house an instant facelift by repainting the front door a bold color. This will only take a few hours off your life, and your house will never look the same again.
