Simple Home Improvement Ideas to Maximize Appeal

If you want to improve or update your home, but aren't ready to take on major demolitions or rebuilding projects, this article will show you six ways you can make a big impact with minimal effort.

1. Landscaping
The average resale return on any landscaping project is 100 percent. That means every dollar you put into your lawn will come back to you at sale time. If you're not sure where to start, most garden centers either offer free consulting services or can refer you to a garden designer.

2. Paint
Inside or out, paint is the most cost-effective improvement you can make. For just a couple hours' work and a few dollars a gallon, you can dramatically change the appearance of your home. Before any paint job, remember to wash the walls, patch up any holes or dents, tape the trim and lay down a tarp to protect the floors. If you want to create the illusion of space, opt for softer and lighter colors like pastels and light, neutral tones. These will make a room seem larger and more open.

3. Organize Your Closets
If you're wrestling for space, one of the simplest solutions is basic organization. By updating your closets, you can unearth an enormous amount of unused space and make your closets functional again. Usually, prepackaged closet kits are going to be more economical than purchasing individual components. You can typically get a good closet organization system for less than a few hundred dollars.

4. Update Your Accessories
If you don't have time to redo your flooring, buy a new couch and totally overhaul your living room, try simply updating your accessories. It's amazing how quickly new rugs, light switches, pillows, ceiling fixtures and window furnishings can update a room. In the real estate business, this is called "staging" a room.

5. Bathroom Remodels
Because bathrooms are small, they're not as huge of an undertaking as redoing a whole kitchen or refinishing a basement. While plumbing and wiring can get expensive, bathroom overhauls offer a great return on your investment. For simple fixes, you can re-caulk a tub or have it re-glazed for less than $400. Meanwhile, tile fixes can be cheap if you find great tile on sale.

6. Update Your Lighting
New lighting and fixtures can cost anywhere from $100 to about $500 per room, and you can dramatically alter both the mood and the appearance of your décor along with the cost of your monthly electricity bill.