Whether you were thinking about putting your home on the market before this global health crisis began or spending more time at home has you feeling like a change is needed, this is the perfect time to embark on DIY home improvement projects. Taking on some of these projects could help you get your home ready when you determine it’s the right time to put your home up for sale.
While you’re stuck at home, take advantage of hardware stores that are still open, making deliveries, and have curbside pickup. Get inspired by shopping home improvement and décor websites. (Listen, we’ve all been browsing – what else is there to do?) Many simple projects can boost your home’s value, or at least up the desirable quotient.
Here are 10 easy DIY home improvement projects to do now to get your home ready to sell.
- Paint Fresh paint can make an enormous difference in the look and feel of the home. Depending on the state of your current paint job, you may want to paint the interior, the exterior, or the trim – or all three. Maybe it’s time to add an accent wall painted in a contrasting color. You might also want to paint shelving and kitchen or bathroom cabinets. If your home is painted in wild colors, because that’s what you like, this is the time to go more neutral. Don’t skimp on preparation time, and use good brushes.
- Change your kitchen and bathroom hardware
This is a super-easy project, and it can really change the look of the space. You can often find a bigger selection and better prices online, but make sure you can still get deliveries. You can go for a more modern or more traditional look, depending upon your taste and the rest of your décor.
Pro tip: Not all hardware has the holes the same distance apart. Measure the space between holes, and make sure your new hardware will fit unless you want to drill new holes and fill in old ones. If you go to the store in person, take an old handle with you to double-check. - Improve your curb appeal First impressions matter, and you don’t want someone rejecting your house without even going inside. Consider painting your front door, painting the garage door, replacing the mailbox and house numbers, and adding new porch furniture. Then, plant flowers in containers or in beds in front of the house and trim any unkempt foliage. It’s a good excuse to get outside, if you’re looking for one!
- Change the fixtures in your bathroom and kitchen You can easily switch out your mundane shower head for a fancy rain shower with just a wrench. Changing faucets and drains takes a little more skill, but most people can do it by consulting an online tutorial. Obviously, you need to pick fixtures that fit in the same spot and use the same number of holes.
- Install or create a closet organizer Here is a chance to be creative. You can buy a closet-organizing system and install it, or you can design your own using shelves you buy or build – or even pieces of furniture you set inside the closet. Homebuyers love a spacious closet, and good organization will make your closets look larger and more appealing.
- Change the light fixtures, outlet covers and switch plates Working with electricity can be dangerous, so make sure the breaker is off before you start working with a light fixture. Once you’ve done that, you can install a new, updated light fixture to replace dated or boring ones. Outlet covers and switch plates are even easier to change.
- Update window treatments and hardware
You may have put up curtains, drapes and blinds when you moved into your home. Tastes may have changed, curtains may have faded, or your décor may be very taste specific. You can easily update your window treatments, hanging new curtain roads, curtains and blinds, or just removing window treatments entirely and letting the light flood in.
Pro tip: Wash all the windows, inside and out. - Make obvious small repairs There may have been a small hole in the wall for years, or even decades, because you didn’t really care. Or a doorknob is broken, or a spot needs to be painted. Homebuyers will assume that homeowners who didn’t make small repairs didn’t make big repairs. Go through your home with a critical eye and make any small repairs that are needed.
- Add crown molding, shoe molding, or baseboards This is not a job for amateurs, but a moderately skilled homeowner with the right tools can install crown molding or replace baseboards. Crown molding can add a finishing touch to many rooms.
- Declutter
We can’t say this enough – your home will look bigger with less stuff. This is the time to donate furniture that you don’t plan on taking with you to the next place. Store furniture in a storage unit that buyers may be distracted by, either for taking up space or because it’s just plain distracting. Clean off all the surfaces and sort through boxes of old photos. If there are things you’d like to have in your new home, put those things in a storage unit until you move.
Pro tip: Deep clean, every room, every surface, under beds, in corners and in closets. Clean houses look brighter and make a better impression.
What projects have you taken on while in quarantine? Share some of your pro tips in the comments.
