Embarking on any home improvement project can often feel like a challenge. While you’re undeniably looking forward to the finished result, actually reaching that point tends to involve a huge amount of mess and disruption to your everyday life – a prospect that few of us actively welcome.
There are, however, a few ways that you can improve your home without the need to dedicate weeks of your time to managing a complex project and living amidst a mild sense of chaos. If you’re looking for a quick spruce up that offers big benefits to your home this summer, here are a few ideas you might want to consider…
#1 – Update your kitchen cabinets
One of the greatest benefits of this particular home improvement can be done gradually, as and when you have the time to complete the work. There’s no need to completely empty your kitchen; you can simply remove each cabinet door in succession, complete the work, rehang, and then move on to the next.
There are two different methods to consider when seeking to refresh your kitchen cabinets, one of which is a little more hassle-free than the other. If you’re looking for a quick, simple transformation, then consider using DC Fix; similar to window film, DC Fix is an adhesive product that can simply be applied to existing doors and cut to size, changing the appearance of the cabinet in (usually) less than 15 minutes. Alternatively, you could choose paint. As you’d expect, this process is a little more complex; you’ll need to sand the cabinets, apply primer, and then paint – but even so, you should still be able to finish each door within around six hours, including drying time. Both options work incredibly well and can give your kitchen a refreshing facelift that will make the room feel as good as new.
#2 – Replace your windows
Installing brand new windows allows you to enjoy two significant advantages; the first being enhanced aesthetic appeal – as new windows are free from weather damage and wear and tear, the look and feel of your home will be instantly transformed when the installation is complete. Secondly, replacing your windows can also help to make your home more energy efficient, which could help to cut your overall household heating costs significantly.
If you decide to go ahead with a window replacement, the good news is that the work can be completed in a relatively short amount of time. On average, a professional company should only need between 30 and 45 minutes to remove a window and install a replacement. It’s therefore feasible that you could replace every window in your home within a single day, making window replacement an ideal choice for a quick home improvement that will provide long-lasting benefits.
#3 – Install crown molding
Crown molding is a great way to add a little extra “oomph” and elegance to any room and provide that perfect finish every homeowner strives for – and it’s nowhere near as difficult to install as the intricacies of the finished design suggest it would be. In a similar vein to kitchen cabinets, installing crown molding can be done room-by-room rather than needing to be done all at once, so you can contain the project when it’s in progress and ensure it does not disrupt the rest of your home.
If you have decent DIY skills, and have access to the requisite equipment, you could try installing crown molding yourself. While the exact time it will take will depend on your experience and your walls, it’s reasonable to expect each room to only take around a day. Alternatively, you could hire a professional to complete the work on your behalf if you’re looking to see results as quickly as possible.
#4 – Change your light switches
Light switches can often be a bane for homeowners; they are functional items that are necessary to any room, but they’re also not the most attractive of features. However, you can change the existing light switch plate for something that is a better match for your decor and household style.
While it is possible to change switches yourself, it’s usually best to ask an electrician to complete the work – anything involving your mains supply of electricity is usually best left to the pros. However, a professional electrician should be able to replace each switch within around 20 minutes, which should mean that updating every switch in your home takes less than a day. When the work is complete, you’ll be surprised by how big a difference the new switches make to the overall aesthetic and finish of each room.
#5 – Paint your bathroom tiles
Bathroom tiles are the kind of household fixture that most homeowners shy away from replacing, assuming that the only way to update the look of their tiles is to fully replace them. Given that replacing tiles is a hugely time-consuming undertaking even when outsourced to the pros, it often seems simpler to live with the tiles you have until a point where you’re ready to renovate the entire bathroom.
However, it is possible to paint your bathroom tiles if you’re looking for a quick, simple revamp. You’ll need to first prime the tiles, and then find a suitable color paint; both latex paint and epoxy paint can be used to paint over existing tiles; the packaging of the paint you are considering should indicate if a product is suitable to be used on tiles. With the right paint in hand, the project should, depending on the size of your bathroom, only take a day even with drying time factored in. You’ll then need to try and avoid getting the tiles wet for around 24 hours in order to ensure the best possible finished result, but all in all, it should take no more than a weekend to completely refresh the overall look of your bathroom.
In conclusion
For a quick home spruce up that can genuinely transform the look of your property, but without the usual stress, consider one of the projects above.