Wondering how you can improve your home without the hassle? These 7 simple DIY home improvement ideas will refresh your home in a jiffy!
Homeowners know there is ALWAYS something to be improved upon. This comes with both good and bad news. The bad news is that home improvement projects are usually known to be expensive and time consuming. The good news is that there are ways around this, and changing the smallest of details in your home can have a big impact on the way it looks.
As a homeowner on a budget, I am giving you 7 simple DIY home improvement ideas to refresh your home.
In this post, you will get ideas on how to upgrade your home without breaking the bank. From faucets to light fixtures, you will be given simple DIY home improvement ideas that can be done in less than a day’s work, and for a price that won’t scare you off.
After reading this post, you will be able to choose among small home improvement projects that will level up your home.
This post is all about simple DIY home improvement ideas.
Before You DIY, Remember…
You will never hear the word “perfect” in the same sentence as “home improvement.” Every home improvement DIYer has mistakes that only THEY can see. When learning how to do a variety of projects, nothing will ever come out perfectly. That’s part of the beauty of home improvement… knowing that there is room for error, and that little mistakes will only make your home that much more yours.
Those little mistakes here and there will most likely only be noticed by you, and you alone. An onlooker is not going to notice that your trim is a 1/4″ off, or that your faucet isn’t perfectly center. These are just things you notice because you know it is there. When taking on a DIY home improvement project, be patient with yourself, and know that those “obvious” mistakes are really not obvious at all.
It’s called home improvement and not home perfection for a reason.
7 Simple DIY Home Improvement Ideas
1. Vinyl Flooring
I know, this is not easy or cheap. But hear me out. When my husband and I bought our first home this past summer, there was carpet in only two areas: our master bedroom, and our spare bedroom. I am someone who does not like carpet. It was not in my childhood home, and I have never had it in any place I’ve lived in since then. I much prefer flooring, and like the way it looks, feels, and stays clean. Since only the bedrooms had carpet, we made the decision to rip it out and install vinyl flooring. The supplies for both rooms was under $1,000, and my husband installed it himself. 
2. Faucet
Upgrading an old or cheap faucet is seriously easy, and can be done for as cheap as $150, depending on the faucet. Installing a new faucet can level up your kitchen, and can be a great way to add more functionality to your home. When we moved into our first home, the original faucet was bulky, ugly, and not flexible at all. With all the dishes I do, I needed a better faucet! We chose a faucet at Lowe’s that was about $200, and when it was all said and done, the entire project cost us about $250. My husband installed it for us, so no plumber was needed! The new faucet is much more modern and functional, and was a small cost for a big improvement.
3. Hanging Closet Doors
Replacing rickety closet doors on a rail system can make the space look bigger, cleaner, and much neater. Replacing your most used/seen closet doors can be super affordable, and will definitely update your home. In our home, we had one closet (our laundry closet) that had 2 bi-fold doors on a bottom rail system. They were metal, cheap, broken, and ugly. I hated using them, and left them open for the most part because it was a struggle to close them! We purchased 2 bi-fold doors at Home Depot, and were able to complete this project for under $300. Each door was about $130, and we had all the tools we needed.
My husband once again installed them on his own, so no handyman was needed! It took him a couple of hours, and the difference is ASTOUNDING. Instead of having broken metal doors that run on a rail on the floor, we now have painted pine doors that are hung from a rail on the doorframe. We took the bottom rail off from the previous doors, and not only does the area feel bigger, but it looks 100x better! And not to mention that the doors are an absolute DREAM to close. Not only did this project give our home a visual update, but it provided upgraded function to an area I use daily!
4. Light Fixtures
Light fixtures are one of those things that might not cross our minds to change since they are not in our direct line of sight. However, changing outdated light fixtures can have a huge impact on a room. Choosing an updated fixture can change the whole feel, and you won’t realize how much of a difference it makes until you do it! I speak from experience; our home came with a HUGE, CLUNKY, OUTDATED ceiling fan/light combo. It hung so far down that it would impair our line of sight from our kitchen into our living room. This thing was NOT pretty. We rarely used the light, and never used the fan since we have AC units.
We decided to replace it with a light fixture without a fan. Let me tell you… the difference it made was incredible. We replaced the huge fan/light fixture with a much smaller, round glass fixture (seen in the photo). It is nothing fancy, but it fits the space so much better. It also makes the area feel much more open and modern! We were able to do this project for under $100, as we did not have to hire an electrician. My husband did it for us; he is very knowledgeable in this subject, and felt safe and confident doing so. If you do not feel confident in doing this, hiring an electrician is a better option and won’t add much more to the project.
5. Outlet Covers
We’ve all seen the yellowing outlet covers that are in nearly every older home. It seems to be something that people never think to change, because they might not think it would make a difference. However, updating your outlet covers can easily freshen up a room, and can make it feel much more updated! Plus, it’s a fairly cheap improvement that is not very time-consuming.
6. TV Mount
Home decor, or home improvement? For the purpose of this post, I am going to say it fits into the latter. I say this because as it makes your TV look better, the hardware itself cannot be seen, and requires installation. To me, this is home improvement. Mounting your TV is a home improvement idea that totally levels up your living room. Previously, I just used the TV legs to set it on my TV stand. Recently I got the idea that mounting it would look much more classy. Turns out, it looks even better than what I imagined! Not only does it look more classy, but it’s at a better height for us, and allows me to decorate my now empty TV stand! I can’t imagine my living room now without my TV being mounted. Gilmore Girls is just so much better now…
We purchased a $70 wall mount that was compatible with our TV, and my husband mounted it in about an hour. Minimal resources, abundant joy.
7. Accent Wall
This one could also be classified as either home improvement or home decor. Since it requires time, money, and tools, I say it falls into home improvement. Adding an accent wall with a material like beadboard or shiplap can really modernize a room, and is fairly cheap and easy! Read more about how accent walls can add to the cottagecore aesthetic in my blog, 15 Unbelievably Charming Cottage Decor Ideas For Your Home.
Currently, our bedroom is very boring and monotone. Our bed does not have a headboard, and I wanted to add something to make it look more complete. Something more substantial than a headboard. When I found a photo of a beadboard accent wall behind a bed, I instantly knew I needed it in my home. We are in the planning phase of it, but it looks like building it will be very straightforward and reasonably priced! Keep an eye out for a post about how it turned out!
Taking on DIY home improvement projects can be intimidating, but starting with simple ones can help you build your confidence. Each one of these ideas can be done in a day or less, and do not require thousands of dollars. Hopefully this post provided you with some easy DIY home improvement ideas to refresh your space.
This post was all about 7 Simple DIY Home Improvement Ideas To Refresh Your Home.