The new year means it’s time to plan out new goals and to-do lists. Have you thought about ways to make your home more inviting? These fun home upgrades can transform your home’s look and utilization, thus wowing guests and reminding your family how awesome their house is, even if it’s years after you’ve moved in.
1. Install a Water Filter
Every hour, over 2 million plastic bottles are used and thrown out. Since not nearly enough of those bottles are recycled, you can imagine the impact it may have on the environment. To reduce your family’s plastic consumption, consider installing a water filter directly into your sink.
If your family is shy of drinking tap water, a filter could be just the thing to allow them to drink from the faucet without worry. You can change the filter when necessary, and it’s much more convenient than having a water filter in your refrigerator that you have to refill after only a couple of uses.
2. Replace Outdated Machinery
Your household appliances could be costing you more money than it takes to upgrade them. You should always check to see if a more efficient upgrade could save you on your electricity or water bills each month. If so, it might be time to bite the bullet and order a replacement instead of allowing yourself to front that extra cost each month. Besides, an updated appliance may have features you’d never dreamed of.
If your appliance is over 15 years old, it may be time to replace it. Ten years is pushing it, but as long as it continues to function well and keeps your costs low, try to keep it in good condition. Upgrading your appliances after a decade or so of use ensures that you’ll have the most energy-efficient option that won’t break on you.
3. Build a Pallet Wall
Many homes adhere to the rustic style nowadays, and there’s no better way to contribute to your home’s overall style than to add some wood to plain drywall. Adding pallets could serve as an excellent accent wall to any living room.
Installing a pallet wall is simple once you get into the groove. Remember that harvesting pallet wood may not be for everyone, as it’s pretty tricky to remove the planks from the pallet without the correct tools and method. Still, if you’re a determined person who feels like taking on a bit of a more challenging home upgrade this year, you may find that assembling and installing a pallet wall is the perfect opportunity to showcase your skills.
4. Convert Your Garage Into a Movie Theater
Having a perfect place to watch movies is essential to every family night. If you don’t use your garage, you could be sitting in the best home movie theater ever. Insulating your garage door will keep your garage warm and likely reduce some of the noise that could escape.
You also need to choose whether you want a projector and a screen or a television screen. The screen you choose depends on whether you’d like a more authentic theater feel or better sound and picture. Choose the right one for your family, but remember that using your garage as a home movie theater means you’ll have to sacrifice space in your garage for cars.
5. Recaulk Your Bathrooms
You can tell that the caulk in your bathroom is old by how it might be cracking. It could house bacteria and mildew, so replacing it may be worth your effort. Before you lay down the new caulk, you need to get rid of the old caulk, so the new caulk has a dry surface to adhere to.
Using a caulking gun is the easiest method to apply caulk, and you can smooth it out with your finger if necessary. New caulk will eliminate the chances of more bacteria and mildew, and it’ll level up the appearance of your bathroom, too.
6. Try Cork Flooring
Cork is a unique type of flooring that could work great in your kitchen or every room in your house. The best thing about it is that you don’t need to undertake a vast project — cork can float on top of your current flooring, and it can add warmth and an earthy feel to any cold, uninviting floor. It also could be an excellent option for older adults in the home, as it reduces the chances of slippage, thus making it a safer flooring than rugs or slick tile.
7. DIY a Concrete Countertop
Laminate countertops are common, but they’re far from the ideal many homeowners want for their kitchens and bathrooms. By creating a DIY concrete countertop, you can stick within a small budget and still gain the appearance of beautiful concrete counters.
You should start with spotless countertops. Once you scratch up your laminate counters to give the concrete something to stick to, you’re ready to begin applying concrete to your countertops. You may have to apply multiple coats of concrete to achieve the look you want, but be sure to let each layer dry before putting the next one on. The result is an interesting industrial look that could pull together the theme of your kitchen.
Find the Right Home Upgrade for You
An upgrade is an upgrade — and even if some are less exciting than others, you cannot deny the positive outcomes that result from making something better for your home and family. Whether you’re saving money on bills, helping the environment or just making your house look nicer, these home upgrades are sure to be worthwhile challenges in the new year.
