Whether it is a brand new home and you need to start from scratch or one that is well-worn into that needs a bit of sprucing up, home improvement can be quite the task, not to mention a bit of an expense. It can be difficult to keep up with the rapidly changing trends, stay stylish, and still make your home feel personalized and homey all at the same time. So here are a few home improvement tips we think will help you stay trendy on a budget:

Begin with a plan

This may seem fairly obvious, and still many don’t fully understand the importance of having a fully fleshed out gameplan. Before actually beginning your home improvement, you need to have a fully thought out budget, along with the amount of time you plan on spending on each section of the house. Look into current trends to get a better idea of the design and aesthetic that you’re going for. Have a list of materials and tools that you might need. Figure out your priorities – what needs to be done first and what can be put on hold for a while. Planning out your upgrades can help you save on money and time because you’ll know exactly how much you want to spend where. With your checklist in place, your work is half done and it is time to get into the physical labor of it all.

To DIY or Not to DIY

Always know your limits and based on what exactly your requirements are, choose carefully whether you’d like to do it yourself or not. While DIYs tend to be less expensive, one of the most expensive mistakes that people tend to make is building unnecessary additions or making changes that they don’t really like once finished. So, at least in the initial stages, getting professional design help may give you more clarity in terms of how to best use the space you have. Also, be careful while picking a contractor- make sure that they are trustworthy and reliable to prevent your improvements from being shoddy. If you do choose to DIY, make sure to equip yourself with the right tools and information. Things like moving materials, digging pits, painting walls are relatively easy to do and can be pretty fun as well. However, always seek help wherever you think you might need it, to get the job done and done well.

Design Do’s and Don’ts

When improving your house, always avoid changing the foundation of your home and try not to meddle with the plumbing. Both will require pretty intensive excavations, wall-breaking, and other heavy-duty work that will not be easy on your wallet. So really, think about that the next time you plan on shifting a sink or two around. 

One of the nicest, most inexpensive ways of adding some pizzaz to your house is through a home garden. With some DIY landscaping, add a pop of color to your home with some flowers and shrubs – au naturel. Adding windows and skylights are another great way of making your home bright and cheery by bringing in natural light. However, these additions are expensive and beware of overdoing it as they may push your heating and cooling bills higher in the time to come.

When shopping for material and home decor, try doing it yourself. Go online for variety or go vintage with a neat new lamp or table from a thrift store to add some personality to your home. This way you can ensure that you get exactly what you want and maybe even bargain to stay within budget.

So here you have it – a few tips for your next big home improvement project.