Home improvement doesn’t have to be difficult, time-consuming, or expensive. Those three words might make you sigh or cringe at the very thought of such a project.
Before you click away, just give us a chance to convince you.
We’ve put together this list to change your outlook on fixing up your home. These seven simple home projects are guaranteed to improve your apartment and get it more in line with your style.
All you need is a little time to surprise yourself.
1. Patch Holes in the Walls
It can be nearly impossible to get that picture right where you want it or hang that shelf so that it’s level. Even one mistake can leave an unsightly hole in your wall that serves no purpose other than to remind you it’s there.
You just can’t get away from it.
Even if you weren’t the one to leave the holes, they bring down the aesthetic of your apartment walls. Your apartment will look a million times better, and you’ll feel better, too.
Fixing common damage like small holes and scuff marks is easy, but it makes a big difference to the overall look of your home.
2. Break Out The Paint
Improve upon what’s already there by simply adding a fresh coat of paint.
If you want to paint your walls, it’s best to stick to neutral colors for your apartment, especially if you’re renting. Just make sure to ask your landlord before you paint. Chances are they won’t mind if it’s a nice color.
You don’t have to paint the entire room to brighten it up, though.
Use some paint to touch up floorboards that have been dirtied and scuffed up over time. You’d be amazed at what a difference such a small project can make.
Cover up a piece of furniture that you love but doesn’t really fit into your chosen color scheme. Then, you won’t have to hide your beloved piece or buy new furniture that fits your space better.
It’s a win-win!
Another simple change you can make is to the outlet and light switch covers in your rooms. They’re small, but painting them with an accent color, even if it’s subtle, can add that little something extra.
Just buy some cheap replacements to paint so you can put the originals back on when you need to.
3. Upgrade Your Hardware
Nothing kills a kitchen or bathroom design more than dull, worn, and outdated hardware. There’s just no way you can make those clunky things work!
It’s easy to give yourself the perfect hardware.
Go ahead and remove some existing drawer and cabinet pulls so you can measure for new ones. Then, it’s as simple as choosing new hardware that fits your taste and replacing everything.
Just don’t lose the old ones — you’ll probably need to put them back later.
Take it one step further by replacing the doorknobs, faucets, and showerheads. Updating all these things takes your apartment from drab to fab in less than a day!
Talk about an improvement.
4. Dress It up With Removeable Wallpaper
Wallpaper adds a touch of class and style to any room. Think luxurious accent walls and tasteful touches.
The downside to wallpaper is how difficult it is to install. Generally, you’d have to hire an entire team of people to deck out your space with your pattern of choice. And even then, it’s pretty hard to take down again.
But what if you could have the style of wallpaper without all the trouble?
Removable wallpaper is one innovation that was made to be used in apartments. This peel-and-stick decoration is incredibly simple to put up and equally as simple to take down when you want a change.
Yes, you can use it to make a popping accent wall in your living room.
But you can also cut it to size and stick it behind your bed to make a non-intrusive headboard. Use it to outline windows and door frames. Cut small pieces to size and stick them in the recesses of furniture to spruce it up.
You’re only limited by your imagination.
5. Add Extra Storage
When you’re tight on space, storage becomes prime real estate. Too often, it fills up faster than you would like.
Now’s the time to strap on your toolbelt and get to work.
Ready-to-assemble kits make it easy for you to bulk up the storage in your space. Bookshelves, cabinets, and open shelving are a snap to put together.
If you’re having trouble finding places to put your new storage, consider some of the more unique spots. Stick some under the bed or along a small wall that won’t accommodate anything else.
But maybe your apartment is really tight on space and you just can’t have more than what you need in there.
No problem!
Invest in furniture that serves more than one purpose. Lift-top benches and ottomans double as seating and storage. A chest can be a coffee table and hold quite a lot of stuff.
Once everything is in place, go ahead and add a little DIY flair to your storage solutions to make them truly your own.
6. Install Temporary Flooring
Replacing the floors is not simple, and it’s hardly cost-effective most of the time. But old, scuffed, and downright bad flooring will bring down your entire apartment. You have to see them all the time, so you should like them.
Good news! It’s actually pretty easy to cover your floors with a brand new one.
Temporary flooring is a great way to freshen up the look of your apartment without having to tear up the original. You can use materials like carpet and vinyl to cover every room in your house.
Just measure and lay your new flooring, then stand back and admire your work.
Whenever you need a change, you just have to pull it up again. Easy peasy!
7. Update Your Backsplash
You can’t turn on a home improvement show without someone mentioning backsplashes.
It’s all about the backsplash.
Unfortunately, you probably didn’t have any say in the aesthetic of your apartment kitchen. That means the backsplash you have is the one you’re stuck with, whether you like it or not.
But wait — what if that’s not necessarily true?
Turns out, there are some temporary ways you can update your backsplash on your own. You can use wood, contact paper, and paint to make this simple upgrade. And it won’t cost you a ton of time or money to do it.
Once you have your removable backsplash installed, you’re sure to look at your kitchen in a whole new light.
In Summary
That free weekend you have coming up will now be designated as a project weekend. Think of all you can do in two days’ time using these seven simple home projects.
Your apartment will feel brand new!
It’s amazing how much you can improve your apartment with a few supplies and a little elbow grease.
Author Bio:
Caitlin Sinclair is the Property Manager at Broadstone Sawyer Yards.
