Simple Updates That Can Upgrade Your Home

Spring is the best time to renovate because great weather often keeps project timelines on track. However, if you aren’t putting away a ton of savings for a major overhaul, you’ll want to use your finances wisely to make the most out of your budget.

For some simple update ideas that can upgrade your home, see below for some tips on how to give your rooms a little more style on a little less money.

Update the bathroom on the cheap. Reglazing your tub will only set you back a few hundred dollars, while replacing it altogether may be much more. A reglaze will make the tub look like new again. A fresh coat of paint in one of spring's hot new colors will breathe life into old walls, and replacing small fixtures such as sconces with a more elegant touch will add resale value for very little. The last thing to do is add a large antique oval frame around a new mirror to add the illusion of space.

Switch out those old frames for a new, eye-catching gallery wall. Choose all gold oval frames, or mix your metals and shapes for a stunning gallery wall of your favorite family photos in place of that large one frame wall you may have had for the past few years. If you want to make something truly unique, don’t hang your frames on the wall. Suspend them freely from a light-catching space where they can reflect the natural sunlight and make the room look brighter and more substantial.

Sand and paint those old kitchen cabinets instead of replacing them. A fresh coat of paint on kitchen cabinets in a contrasting color from the fixtures will make them look elegant and modern. You can update your cabinets by adding new hardware on them as well. Find an array of mix and match pieces at a thrift store, or keep it all together with matching parts you can find at any hardware store.

Add a fresh layer of insulation to lower utility bills. To keep your house cool in the warmer months without the constant running of an air conditioner, or warm in those chilly months without the use of a heater or fireplace, simply update the insulation layer in the drafty parts of your home like the attic or basement. You may want to make sure these areas are waterproofed as well to keep the foundation from cracking under the pressure of water evaporation.

Replace older windows to save as well. If you want a simple but efficient way to keep your bills low, try replacing your windows with heat-reflecting ones that will draw the heat away from the home on those hot summer days. If you live in a bigger city, these updates can pay off big time when it comes to selling, as you’ll likely recoup in resale value any small amount you had to pay for the upgrades.