Everyone knows that first impressions are important when meeting someone new, and the same holds true when it comes to your home. The fact of the matter is that people make assumptions about the rest of your property based on your home’s exterior. And regardless of if you’re looking to sell your house or just improve its ascetics, adding curb appeal can make it look nicer and boost its value. Here are 16 quick and inexpensive projects that will improve your curb appeal instantly.
1. Make Your Lawn Look Great
Oftentimes your lawn is the first thing that someone will see when they look at your home. For that reason, it’s important to take care of your lawn by mowing it, raking leaves off of it, pulling weeds, and watering it regularly. That being said, lawns can be expensive and time consuming to maintain especially if you live in a dry area. In that case, consider getting your lawn painted. It will make your lawn look like it’s being maintained without all of the time and money that it actually takes to maintain it.
2. Make Your Door Stand Out
Your front door makes up a big part of your curb appeal and improving it is easy. You can either paint your front door, or just replace it with a more stylish front door. That being said, the color of door that you choose to use for this project is important. It’s okay to go for something bold if you want, but before getting started you want to be sure that the color you choose for your door with will not clash with the rest of the colors on your house. To do that you can use this app to virtually simulate how various colors will look on your door.
3. Pressure Washing
It’s truly incredible how much power washing can improve your home’s look. It can literally make your siding, porch, and walkway look brand new in a matter of seconds. Not to mention that it is super affordable and satisfying to watch. If you don’t own a pressure washer, don’t worry because you can easily rent one or find a pressure washing pro in your area for about the same price.
4. Install Outdoor Lighting
Not only can landscape lighting instantly make your property feel more welcoming and ascetically pleasing, but it’s also great for security purposes. One of the best places to place them is around a walkway to brighten it up. And if you prefer not to deal with any wiring, no problem. Solar powered outdoor lights are affordable, sustainable, and easy to install because they require no wiring.
5. Create Symmetry
Symmetrical patterns are known to be highly pleasing to the human eye and they are very easy to create. It can be as simple as just putting matching wall lanterns or plants on either side of your front door.
6. Improve Your Mailbox
Most houses have a boring mailbox that may even be rusted after sitting there for so long, so upgrading your mailbox can be a great way to add curb appeal to your home. Not to mention that a stylish mailbox will cost you less than $100 in many cases, so it’s very budget-friendly. If you need some inspiration, check out some stylish mailboxes on Amazon.
That being said, if your current mailbox is relatively new and looks decent, you don’t even need to buy a new one. You can also surround it with a beautiful flowering garden or paint it to enhance its look.
7. Add a Garden
Plants are some of natures greatest beauty and they are also great for adding curb appeal. Some of the most popular plants to add to your front yard are edible plants or flower beds. You can also use plants to enhance and frame key visual points, like windows and entryways.
8. Adding or Upgrading Your Fence
Fences are a quick and easy way to improve the look of a house and add some security. In particular adding garden gates and short sections of decorative fencing will do wonders for any front yard. For an added bonus, you can paint or stain these fixtures with colors that match your house. If you are not sure what design to go with, or if you would rather have someone handle this for you, it’s a good idea to contact a fence pro in your area. They can recommend a design for you and you can decide if you want to build it yourself or hire them to do it for you.
9. Utilize Outdoor Furniture Wisely
Just like the furniture you have inside your house can greatly impact how your house looks, your outdoor furniture has a big impact on your house’s curb appeal. Make sure your outdoor furniture is in good condition and organized in an ascetically pleasing way.
10. Clean or Replace Your Gutters and Downspouts
If you have old gutters and downspouts it may be time to replace them with more modern ones. Peeling paint, rust spots, droopy gutters, are not what people want to see. Not only will a new gutter system improve the look of your gutters, but it will also function better.
11. Design a Clear Walkway
A clear pathway makes your home look more welcoming. You can make your walkway more defined by laying down some stone or brick, or by just using visual cues like lighting and plants to guide your visitors to your front door. If you are looking for inspiration on the design or would rather have someone do it for you, it’s a good idea to contact a landscaping company in your area.
12. Add Outdoor Art
Artwork isn’t just for inside the house, it can greatly improve your curb appeal also. Birdbaths, fountains, metal cutouts, sculptures, and wind chimes are all good options to consider for your front yard. Just make sure to choose artwork that complements your home’s design and colors instead of clashes with it. If you are looking for some inspiration, check out some of the outdoor art pieces that they have on Amazon.
13. Clear Out Any Junk or Unnecessary Items
Get rid of anything that’s not adding value to your landscape and causing clutter. It can be difficult to get rid of things if you have an emotional attachment to them, but just remember that less is more in many cases when it comes to design. Normally you should be able to handle this task yourself, but if you have a lot of junk in front of your house it may be a good idea to find a junk removal pro in your area to help you out.
14. Replace Your House Numbers
Replacing your house numbers is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to modernize your house. The font and colors that you choose for your numbers should match with the design of your home, but also stand out to a degree.
15. Clear Out Shrubs and Trim Trees
Oftentimes tress and shrubs can take over your yard and block your house. And while this may add some privacy to your property, it can also take away from its curb appeal. A nice tree and shrub trimming can make your property look fresh and clean kind of like a new hair cut. If you do not have the equipment or time to properly trim your plants and trees yourself, you can also find a pro near you that can do it for you.
16. Stain Your Garage Door
While it’s probably best to just replace your garage door if it’s old, that can also be expensive. The good news is that you can still get the look of a new garage door just by staining it. This job is relatively easy to do yourself, but may require some knowhow and equipment to do properly. If you would rather hire a pro, you can find one here.