Easy Home Improvement Projects
Looking for a few ways to spruce up your home, improve your quality of living and increase your home’s value? Here are a few ideas shared on Reddit:
- Gather the owner’s manuals for all your appliances (oven, refrigerator, dishwasher, furnace, water heater, washing machine, and dryer). Do all the recommended maintenance items plus clean under and behind the appliances. When finished find a safe, easy-to-find home for those manuals.
- Label your panel/breaker box.
- Remove any old, crumbling caulk and replace it with a new line of caulk.
- Replace or update fixtures, doorknobs, air registers, air returns, switch covers, and outlet covers.
- Tighten all door screws and knobs.
-
Got a power washer? Clean your house, sidewalk, driveway, fence, etc.
-
Clean your windows and screens.
-
Clean and seal your garage floor with an epoxy coating.
-
Check and, if necessary, replace the valves on all your plumbing (sinks, shower, etc). Don’t forget your outdoor spigots.
-
Check and, if necessary, replace the air filter(s) in your HVAC system.
-
Check your smoke/CO alarms; replace batteries and/or entire detectors if applicable (they last about 10 years before needing replacement).
-
Replace your older light bulbs (including CFLs) with LED bulbs.
-
Make sure your house number is clearly visible; install new numbers on the house and mailbox and curb. Consider lighted numbers for nighttime visibility.
-
Install motion sensing lights outside your house around entrances — garage, front and rear doors, etc.
- Wipe down walls and ceilings.
- Sand and repaint doors and shutters.
- Restain or paint wooden doors, frames, trims, and cabinets.
- Clean up your landscaping and yard. Rake leaves. Trim bushes. Prune trees. Weed beds.
- Repaint your deck or front porch.
- Clean light fixtures, take them apart and wash them plus dust the light bulb.
-
Switch out a keyed deadbolt for a keypad deadbolt.
-
Switch out toilet seats for soft/slow-close models.
