DIY Home Projects to Do On a Budget

Here are some budget-friendly DIY home projects that can get your house looking even better.

Fixing up your home can save you time and keep you from having to find a contractor for everything. Doing your own home improvements doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, either – budget projects can make a big impact on your home’s function and appearance, without the hefty price tag. Whether you’re looking to sell your home or maybe just bought a house that needs a little work, these DIY tips will help you get your home in top shape without breaking the bank.

Mount Hooks for Kitchen Storage

Does your kitchen have enough storage? Of course it doesn’t. You can add some storage for kitchen towels, potholders, aprons, measuring cups and even mugs or utensils by installing a row of hooks above your kitchen counter.

Plant a Windbreak around Your Yard

Whether you live in the mountains or on the plains, a windbreak can protect your home from frigid winter winds and lower your heating costs, too. A row of fast-growing, large arborvitae on the north side of your house will do the trick.

Turn Your Sink into an Extra Work Surface

Wish you had an extra countertop when you’re preparing food? Fit your sink with a custom cutting board. Use a jigsaw to trim an 18-by-12-inch maple block to ½ inch larger than your kitchen basin, and then use a block plane to add a lip around the edge of the block so it sits on the top of the counter.

Antique Your Door Hardware

Take the edge off brand-new, brassy doorknobs by rubbing in some brass antiquing solution to give them a nice vintage patina.

Create Instant Kitchen Shelving

Remove the doors from an upper kitchen cupboard and paint the interior and exterior to match – voilà, instant kitchen makeover!

Add Cubbies to Built-In Bookcases

Grab a sheet of ¾-inch plywood and a few 1-by-1 trim strips for this DIY project. Cut vertical dividers to the depth of your shelving unit, minus ¾ of an inch. Attach them to your existing shelves with wood glue and finishing nails. Install trim strips flush with the front of your shelving units. Paint everything the same color.

Install a Ceiling Fan

Ceiling fans can keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter, while cutting energy costs – and most repairs are covered under your American Home Shield® Home Warranty. While a little more complicated than some of the other home improvement projects on this list, a ceiling fan install is easy enough for most homeowners to tackle, with a little help from YouTube.

Raise the Lamps

Want to add some new lighting but don’t want to mess with your home’s wiring? You don’t have to. Look for plug-in pendant lights that hang from the ceiling and plug into a nearby outlet.

Plant a Carpet of Flowers

If there’s one way to make your yard stand out, it’s to plant a carpet of spring-blooming flowers. Look for bulbs that produce both blooms and grass-like foliage, or mix it up with a blend of other early bloomers like crocus and grape hyacinth. Plant them all over your lawn – by the time you’re ready to mow for the first time, they’ll be done blooming.

Free Up Floor Space with Floating Shelves

Floating shelves are easy to install and help you make the most of your home’s vertical space. They’re a great way to add storage space in your kitchen, display photos and knickknacks in the family room, or add bookshelves wherever you like.

Paint Your Front Door

Nothing freshens up your home’s curb appeal like a quick coat of paint on the front door. For the cost of some paint and a brush, you can totally revamp the look of your home’s exterior entryway.

Add Vintage Touches

Architectural salvage yards are full of quirky vintage decorative touches that can bring some charm to your modern home. Replace your plain brass door knobs with vintage glass ones, install some Victorian-era corbels under your breakfast nook, or bring home a stained glass window for your kitchen or bath.

Hide Wiring

Technology is great, but most people could do without the snarl of tangled cords and wires that is so often present in a home office or entertainment area. Install a beadboard panel under a desk or on the wall behind a desk to hide home office wiring. Run home entertainment cables and wires through the interior of the wall, buy an exterior raceway cover kit to hide wires, or simply paint cables and wires the same color as your wall.

DIY home projects don’t have to be expensive, complicated or difficult. You’ll be amazed at the difference some of these easy, inexpensive home improvement projects can make to the look, feel and function of your home.