Home Improvement Hacks

You’ve finally finished scrubbing and purging your home from top to bottom in honor of spring. And now, with every surface, closet, and room sparkling clean, you’re starting to see all the areas that could use a facelift. Maybe you’re hankering after a complete kitchen makeover. You might be dreaming of a fresh coat of paint for your bedrooms. Or maybe your window treatments are in desperate need of an overhaul.

The only thing standing between you and your dream home is finding piles of cash for funding it, right? Maybe not. Lucky for you, you don’t need to spend a fortune this spring to give your house a new look. Read on for our list of home improvement hacks and learn how to upgrade your home on a budget.

1. Cabinet makeover
You can give a tired kitchen a fresh look by just replacing the cabinet fronts. You’ll pay a fraction of the price and no one will know it’s your old, creaky cabinets hiding behind those beautiful new fronts.

2. Cover your countertops with contact paper
Granite countertops may be gorgeous, but they’re also pricey. Instead of taking out a second mortgage for beautiful counters, try covering them with patterned contact paper. You’ll find loads of granite lookalikes at home improvement stores and you can learn how to apply it neatly from DIY tutorials on YouTube.

3. Use PVC pipes for curtain rods
Pretty curtains and drapes add a splash of color to any room. Lower the price tag on your new window treatments with this hack: Use PVC pipes instead of curtain rods. You can paint them to match the décor of the room and hang them with inexpensive hooks that fit well. Curtains, done!

4. Create a mirrored backsplash
All you need for this fantastic hack is a pack of self-adhesive mirror tiles, which retail at about $15 per 20-tile pack. Use your snazzy tiles to create a mirrored backsplash in your kitchen. The mirrors will give the illusion of greater space and you won’t have to deal with grout and caulking. It’s a super-cheap way to make your kitchen sparkle!

5. Slipcover your sofa
You can find a leather-look slipcover to match the shape of your sofa for $100 or less. They’re not just for protection; the right slipcover will give you an (almost) brand new couch!

6. Let the light in
Light fixtures can make or break a room. Walk through your home and take note of the fixtures that are relics from a past life, paying close attention to highly visible areas. Then take a trip to a home improvement store or check out sites like Wayfair and Hayneedle for trendy, striking light fixtures you can use to replace those in your home. For less than $100, you can give your home an entire new look!

7. DIY paint
If the walls in your home are desperate for a fresh coat of paint, look no further than your local home improvement store. House painting is fairly simple and you’ll find loads of tutorials on YouTube. You’ll only have to spring for the actual paint and a few supplies. Best of all, when you’re in charge, you can get creative. Using painter’s tape and your imagination, paint funky designs on your wall or even go for a full-blown mural!

These hacks will make your home beautiful this spring for just a bit of money. If you need more major home improvements that require serious cash, though, we can help. Call, visit cfcu.org/HELOC or stop by your local branch today to ask us about opening a home equity line of credit or taking out a home equity loan. We can make that happen, too!

Your Turn: Are you making home improvements on a budget? Share your best tips and tricks with us in the comments!