Home improvement strategies can be grouped into two different categories, major/expensive ones and easy/budget friendly ones. There are cases where these categories intertwine, but they are rare exceptions that often demand specific conditions and careful planning. The fact that this is your first home means that you will probably require both major and quick fixes. Let’s concentrate on the latter ones, since they are usually those that fall within the DIY category (and can be done at any time or phase of home improvement in general).
1. Clean a stained tub
Chemicals are always at hand when it comes to stains, however, there will be a lot of cleaning these days since you are moving into a new home. Using less invasive alternatives will keep your house clean and healthier. In case of stains in tubs, a mixture of baking soda, lemon juice or vinegar, and water does wonders.
Keep the compound thick, and rub it in by using a cloth to all the stains you wish to remove. Allow about half an hour for the compound to serve its purpose, and simply rinse well with water. You will be pleasantly surprised with the results.
Source: instructables.com
2. Unstick a sliding window
If you are moving into a house with sliding windows that have not been used for a long time, the chances are that most of them will be hard to open. This is easily solved by using spray silicone lubricant, which can be easily found in any hardware store. Apply it directly to the skids, or use a piece of cloth if the skids are hard to reach.
Source: myhomeideas.com
3. Unclog the plumbing
Do not allow the clogs to build up in your plumbing. Even if the drainage seems perfectly normal, use the remains of the baking soda and lemon juice/vinegar mixture to preventively clean all existing kitchen and bathroom plumbing. However, this mixture needs to be more liquid than the stain cleaner in order to be easily poured into the drainage and able to reach all of its areas. Not only will you have a perfect flow through the plumbing, but it will smell great as well.
4. Refresh the entrance
The front door of every house is one of the things that will leave both a first and lasting impression. Make yours shine by repainting them, changing the glass (if there are any), and thoroughly cleaning the knob. Furthermore, give them a new light by adding LED fixtures on the top or above your house number. Whichever refreshing solution you choose will noticeably improve the overall appearance of the house.
5. Fire up the atmosphere
Naturally, you will use candles to create a relaxing ambience after a long day. This will give you peacefulness to ponder new, quick, and cheap improvements for the days to come. However, sometimes the atmosphere simply needs to be fired up to get you moving. Going with fire glass beads by Blazing Glass will transform your old fireplace into a modern looking, wonderfully warm, and colorful place that is easy and affordable.
Source: pinterest.com
6. Lacquer the furniture
Giving your old furniture a new look is always welcomed. Not only will it look fresher, but the entire house will look cleaner. However, there is no limited time frame here. For example, the kitchen is a good start for this renovation. Lacquer the kitchen elements. Afterwards, you can move onto wooden furniture in your living room.
Source: thesweetestoccasion.com
7. Repaint the walls
The same principle used for furniture refreshment applies to the walls as well. Take your time and go room by room, but only after you carefully studied how different wall color choices will affect your mood. Using these data will help you create a foundation for the atmosphere you wish to achieve in each of the rooms.
Source: apartmenttherapy.com
8. Declutter
Getting rid of all the items you do not use, or have rarely used in a long time, can make a dramatic (and often a largely unexpected) improvement; especially if you consider how easily organized decluttering is. The extra space you gain will make your house look bigger, more comfortable and cozier.
No matter what you decide to do first, keep in mind that you have time. Do not overburden yourself. These are just some starting ideas. Most surely, you will get inspired while doing them and eventually add your owns.
This post was written by guest blogger Derek Lotts. Derek writes about general home improvement and in his free time likes spending time in nature with his wife.
