Your house should be a place you’re always glad to have as yours. Everyone has different tastes when it comes to design, but your home should be customized to what’s practical and appealing for you–it is your home, after all! Whether you are wanting to increase your home’s value or simply want to spruce things up a bit, home renovations are an efficient way to make your living space last longer and look better.

But before you head over to the hardware store to empty your wallet on costly renovations, read this first. There are a ton of quick and easy home improvement ideas that won’t break the bank. We even made a list to prove it!

Give Old Light Fixtures a Makeover

If you’re getting sick of old, ugly light fixtures, they can easily be swapped out for something more stylish and updated without having to shell out a ton of money. Getting new interior or exterior lights is a budget-friendly way to instantly transform the area with new lighting. If you want to go the DIY route, you can also use spray paint on a light fixture for a new finish that will really pop.

Paint Your Front Door

When you think about it, a home’s door is pretty important! It’s the first thing visitors notice as they knock, and that can be a good or a bad thing. Leave a good impression by applying a new coat of paint. A well-painted door makes for instant curb appeal. A fresh coat of paint can go a long way in making your home look newer. All you have to do is sand as needed, then apply whatever finish or paint color you’d like. You can go with a bold statement color like teal or deep red, or go with colors such as grey, brown, or off-white for a timeless appeal.

Tip: If you’re up for a challenge, you don’t have to stop at your front door. Throw a fresh coat of paint on cabinets, countertops, ceilings, window trim, and more on the interior of your home!

Install Window Boxes

This is a charming and classic way to add instant aesthetic appeal to your home’s exterior. Window boxes are easy to build and if you’d prefer to buy your own, they’re cheap, easy to install, and available in a wide variety of styles. Planter boxes are another alternative if you rather not deal with the installation. To help them last longer, use silicone sealant to fix any cracks in window boxes to protect the side of your home’s exterior from possible water damage.

Refresh Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood floors need maintenance now and again to keep them looking new. If you can’t remember the last time you gave them some TLC, you may want to focus your home improvement efforts on refreshing your floors. Vacuum or steam clean your floors before topping off the finish. Use lacquered finish for a high shine or an oil finish if you prefer a natural look.

Another way you can restore your hardwood floors is to polish them — a wooden floor should ideally be polished once a year and every 4 months in areas of the house that are high traffic. Try using a polish product specifically made for wood surfaces.

Install Crown Molding

Crown molding is a type of horizontal trim that’s installed where the floor meets the ceiling. It’s easily doable with a couple of basic tools and basic carpentry skills. A flat crown is usually easier to install than a traditional crown, which is more at an angle. Step-by-step instructions on crown molding can be found here.

Build an Open Shelving Unit

Open shelving is an excellent way to both decorate your walls and organize your space. One of the easiest ways to transform your home’s look on a budget is to take out the kitchen cabinets and replace them with open shelving. Not only is it a more convenient way to access your everyday items, but it also allows you to display your favorite decor in an artful way.

After you remove your upper cabinets, first make sure you patch and paint the wall before buying your wood. If you want thicker shelves, 2x12 boards should do the trick. You’ll also need wall brackets. If you don’t have all the supplies, this easy project only costs around $30 for some wooden boards and brackets. Easy-peasy!

Re-arrange Furniture

Switching up your furniture layout is probably one of the least expensive ways you can refresh your home’s look! Here are some tips to guide you through re-arranging your living room or dining room:

• Don’t push furniture right up against the wall. Give it a couple of inches of breathing room— this can actually make the room look bigger and more well-balanced. Plus, it makes cleaning behind nooks and crannies easier
• Choose a focal point for the room, such as a large table or TV stand, and arrange furniture around it as much as possible.
• Place your TV out of high-traffic areas and away from sunlight.

Reseal Bathroom Sinks and Tubs

Out of all the different areas of the home, the bathroom definitely gets the most exposure to water and moisture. This makes it prone to mold, mildew, and water damage. Luckily, there’s a simple and cheap way to protect your bathtub and sink from these issues. If you’re noticing the silicone caulk around your tub or sink is starting to look worse for wear, it’s time to reseal them. For best results, use an adhesive like Silicone Depot’s Kitchen and Bath Mildew Resistant RTV Silicone Sealant.

Fix Squeaky Floors

Creaky floors under the carpet are annoying and can be embarrassing to have to explain when you have company over. Squeaky floors are caused by gaps between the subfloor (the foundation beneath the floor covering) and floor joists.

Correct the issue by just re-attaching the sub-floor to the joists with a drill, drill bits, screws, and a 6” piece of wire coat hanger. The coat hanger will help you locate the joists without damaging the carpet.

Once you hit a joist, mark it off with tape. When you find a joist, use a screw to turn a small hole in the carpet. Hold the subfloor down with your knees as you do this to make sure it’s as tight as possible. Keep going until the screw head touches the top of the carpet, then twist the screw with pliers until it pops off.

Improve Home Insulation

During the cold months, you want to stay warm and toasty in the comfort of your home. However, air leaks can get in the way of keeping your house properly insulated. Luckily, you can stay warm (and start saving money on your energy bill) by keeping problem areas insulated. Make sure your insulation is in tip-top shape by keeping an eye on cold drafts and inspecting the most common sources of air leaks: doors, windows, attics, and basements.

When you do find an air leak, you’ll want to use a product that is cost-efficient, flexible, durable, and resistant to the elements. Your best option is expanding polyurethane foam, which works as a foam board to block out gaps, cracks, and holes.

Swap Out Light Switches and Outlets

Let’s face it — most outlets and light switches aren’t exactly the biggest draw in a room. The right ones can either blend in seamlessly with a room or stick out like a sore thumb. Update ugly old outlet and light switch plates by swapping them out with new ones! You aren’t limited to fixtures that simply blend in, either— there are a wide variety of styles and colors to choose from, and most won’t run you more than $40.

Reseal Windows and Doors with Silicone Sealant

For your next home improvement project, enhance the seals on your windows and doors. Poor sealing in this area not only makes it difficult to maintain a comfortable temperature indoors but also exposes your home to possible water damage during wet seasons and increased utility costs.

Proper window treatments will protect you from the elements, and the same thing can be done with doors around your home, even garage doors. A weatherproof and heat-resistant silicone sealant will do the job nicely. Silicone sealant produces a waterproof, airtight seal that will last years to come.

Improve Your Home with Silicone Depot!

There are countless ways you can spruce up your home with repairs and renovations; these are just 12 quick ones you can try. These easy DIY home improvement projects will leave your home looking more beautiful, practical, and sturdier.

Home improvement is crucial to maintaining and increasing the value of your home, but you don’t have to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to transform your home. Even something as simple as a deep, thorough house cleaning can refresh the look of your home and turn it into a space you can take pride in.

At Silicone Depot, we’re no strangers to home improvement, and our silicone and caulking products are the best combination of great quality and affordable pricing. The next time you have a DIY project using any kind of sealant, you can rely on us for the perfect products at great prices. Our wide catalog includes everything from RTV silicone sealant to expanding foam, to sealant accessories, all available at bulk discounts.

Shop Silicone Depot today for your home renovation needs!