Spruce it Up – 25 DIY Tips to Improve your Home’s Exterior
Whether you’re selling your home or just maintaining its stately appearance, sprucing up an exterior is a continuous process and not just a one time change made only when showing your home to a prospective buyer. And unlike those shows on HGTV which just make superficial changes, remember that it’s your home we’re talking about, so when we discuss curb appeal, it should be substantial and not just cosmetic. A well-maintained outside is a clue of what people can expect to find inside, so get down to brass tacks and start working on the exterior of your home without delay. And to help you along, we’ve provided a few pointers on how to kick start the process:
- Trim the plants in your home so they don’t block natural light from coming into your home.
- Keep the grass on your lawn trimmed and mowed.
- Rake leaves so that they do not give the impression of untidiness.
- Make sure your kids’ bikes or your garden tools and implements are not strewn carelessly on the driveway blocking the path into and out of your home.
- Polish or replace the knobs and numbers on your door depending on how old they are.
- Trade in your battered doormat for a new one.
- Keep your gutters, spouts and eaves clean of debris from falling leaves. Also give them a fresh coat of paint.
- If you have a deck and a patio, make sure the furniture is in good condition and arranged tastefully.
- Repave your driveway if your budget permits or at least repair the cracks that have crept in.
- Keep your shrubs and plants free of dead limbs and leaves.
- Weed your garden regularly.
- Plant more colorful, flowering plants to improve the overall appeal of your exterior.
- Make sure your doorbell works.
- Give your mailbox and lampposts a makeover.
- Repair and replace loose and broken shingles on your roof.
- Wash your windows thoroughly and replace broken and cracked panes.
- Make sure the latches and hinges on your windows are in good condition.
- Give the outside walls and windows a coat of paint if they sport a weathered look. If that’s an expensive proposition, paint just the shutters, trims and windows.
- Replace the bulbs outside if they do not work and include new ones to give the exterior of your home a bright look.
- Remove clutter from your garage and keep it neat.
- If you have pets, make sure they do not answer nature’s call on your lawns or your driveway.
- Replace screen doors that are torn.
- Repair broken fences and gates that are creaky and give them a fresh coat of paint.
- Put up pretty curtains on your windows.
- If your walls show cracks, get them repaired and paint over them to spruce up the exterior.