8 Smart House Upgrades that are Totally Worth the Money

Published on: 29 September 2018 Last Updated on: 12 September 2024

Looking to add a little resale value to your house? Choose wisely! Some house upgrades are worth it, but not all of them are a great investment. Smart house upgrade is essential for your lovely home.

Upgrade your home the right way. Increase the value of your home with smart upgrades that return your money and then some! Different ways Smart House Upgrades can make things easier for you.

8 Smart House Upgrades that Pay Off

Here are some of the best ways to upgrade your home and increase the resale value. These 8 ideas are totally worth the money!

1. Clean, Fresh Paint:

When a buyer walks in, they want to see bright, clean rooms. Your paint has a lot to do with how the sunlight affects a room. A fresh paint job can brighten any room in the house.

You don’t necessarily need to go neutral, but your choice in paint colors can affect your potential buyer’s feelings about your house. If you’re not selling just yet, the right colors can also help lighten your own mood.

Choose a palette that you like. But, don’t stop there. Make sure it compliments your home’s age, style, and architecture. Check out these ideas for a modern look!

2. Modernize the Kitchen:

Look at the age of your appliances and countertops. Are they in poor repair or stained? If so, you should consider replacing them.

Here’s a list of kitchen upgrades that you can benefit from.

Newer, energy efficient appliances
Countertops that suit the space
Refinish cabinets
Tile backsplash
Sink upgrades
Accent paint

Save some cash! Check out dent and scratch or discontinued appliances. Discontinued tile can be used to make an attractive backsplash, too. You can get huge savings from buying these options.

Look for ways to accent and offset countertops and cabinets in your kitchen for a more modern look. Check out paint pallets that give your kitchen a pop of color and make your cabinets stand out.

3. Programmable Thermostat:

This is such a simple upgrade, but it gives your house a modern feel. Programmable thermostats are affordable and easy to install. Many are also easy to manage from your phone!

An added bonus for installing a programmable thermostat is instant energy savings on your electric bill!

4. Upgrade Bathrooms:

Ugly bathrooms can send a potential buyer out the door. Check out your bathrooms for any of these problems and fix them!

Stained toilet bowls and seats
Leaky faucets
Outdated fixtures
Old tile and paint
Evidence of flooding
Damaged cabinetry

You can easily and affordably upgrade a bathroom by switching out any old fixtures and lighting. But, making sure the bathroom is clean and in good working order is a priority.

5. Landscaping:

Ever heard of curb appeal? This house upgrade is a must. The first look a buyer has as they walk to your front door can influence their opinion about the whole house!

Walk outside and check your landscaping, in the front and the back of your home. Consider these upgrades for landscaping your home.

In the front:

Clean, groomed lawn
Flowers and shrubs that are trimmed
Trees that cut back and look nice
A walkway that invites people to come in

In the back:

A patio or deck for entertaining
Trees and flowers for privacy and color
Fences in good repair
Clean, groomed lawn
A small gardening area

Your landscaping matters in the value of your property. It should be well maintained and easy to upkeep. Good landscaping invites you to come out and enjoy the outdoors!

6. Install Solar Panels:

Nothing is more attractive to a potential buyer than the idea of their new home saving them money. If you’ve already installed solar panels, then you’ve given them a step up in that direction.

Solar power is a responsible energy choice and it will save you money in the long run. That’s good for you while you live in your home. It’s great for potential buyers, too.

Your new buyer will instantly save on energy costs. You’ve already made the investment for them! This increases the value of your home and makes the buyer more willing to pay the price you are asking.

7. New Flooring:

You’ve got fresh paint and clean rooms, but your flooring is filthy and worn. That won’t work when you sell your home.

Take a look at high traffic areas, carpets, and tiles. Is anything stained, worn or broken? If so, you need to replace it.

Look for neutral carpet colors. You want any type of furniture or paint to work well with your choice. Avoid white or extremely pale colors because they are so hard to maintain.

If you are replacing only one room of carpet, try to make it closely match what is already in the house. Nothing looks worse than mismatched carpet.

Tile can be a really affordable upgrade. It should be easy to maintain, durable and neutral. Make sure stone tile doesn’t have a lot of nooks and crannies for dirt to hide.

You can even get a tile that looks like wood! Take a look at options in your hardware store.

Save yourself some cash! If you are replacing a whole house of carpet or tile, try to find discontinued items at your local hardware store. They may be cheaper but are still good quality and new.

Another way to save is to learn to install flooring yourself. There are plenty of books at your local library and YouTube videos to teach you how.

8. Basement Improvements:

Paying outright to have the basement turned into a high-class lounge might not pay off. However, putting in the time and effort to fix up and finish off your existing basement can have an amazing return on investment.

If your basement is unfinished, check it out for these problems.

Cracks in walls or floors
Wood damage to the supporting structure
Leaks and flooding damage
Excessive clutter

For already finished basements, here are some things to think about.

Patch damaged walls and repaint
Paint the ceiling bright white
Replace all light bulbs
Install more lighting to brighten the room
Remove excess, unused furniture
Go with a traditional theme

Fix any problems you find and clear out the clutter.

A man cave or game room may be exciting for you, but tame down your theme if it’s over the top. Your potential buyer wants to see open, clean space. Let them imagine how they might use it.

Upgrade Your Home, Today:

If you really want to increase the resale value of your home, pick one or more house upgrades on this list. The money you invest will be worth it.

Check out these interesting articles about home and garden topics!

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3 Home Upgrades to Make Your Property Unique

Your home is one of the most valuable things you’ll ever buy. Whether you plan to stay long-term or sell soon, making your property unique is worth considering by Home Upgrades. While upgrading the kitchen or bathroom adds value, it won't always attract attention. These basic changes may not transform your lifestyle. That’s why we’re exploring clever ways to make your home the talk of the town. Invest in Fun and Relaxation: Having the most modern kitchen or bathroom on the block is great, but it doesn’t make your home much different from any other on your street. On the other hand, investing in the things you enjoy the most could be a great way to make your home stand out, and improve your lifestyle at the same time. For instance, if you’re the kind of person who loves movies, why not turn a spare room or basement into an entertainment center for you and your friends. If you love taking trips to the spa with your loved ones, why not invest in having your own luxury spa experience at home, by installing your own sauna or hot tub. It might seem indulgent at first, but this is one of the best ways to ensure that you get the house of your dreams, and it could mean that you could sell your property for more too. Spend on Long-Term Convenience: Have you ever considered installing awe-inspiring residential elevators into your home? Many people assume that they should only begin thinking about a home elevator when they’re getting older or having trouble with their mobility. However, these investments can also make it much easier to get around the house and move things between floors too. You can carry huge amounts of shopping and laundry up and down stairs without having to worry about hurting your back or dropping things along the way. What’s more, as you do get a little older, you’ll find that having your own home elevator protects you from a range of accidents. All that, and you’ve got a fantastic way to make your home stand out. Experiment with Tech: These days, we're all adding more technology to our homes. Smart speakers and AI-enhanced devices are becoming more common. If you want to join the tech revolution, consider upgrads your home’s tech solutions. One option could be a security system with facial recognition or biometric scanning. Forget about keys that are easy to lose. Another option is smart lighting and entertainment systems controlled by your smartphone or voice. The number of smart home upgrades is increasing every day. Home Office Enhancements: Elevate Your Remote Work Experience With remote work becoming the norm, transforming your home office into a functional and appealing workspace is essential. While many focus on basic furniture, upgrading your home office can significantly boost productivity and comfort. Here’s how to make your home office more effective and enjoyable. Ergonomic Furniture: Comfort Meets Functionality The foundation of a great home office is ergonomic furniture. Start with a high-quality, adjustable office chair. Look for one with lumbar support to reduce back strain during long workdays. An ergonomic chair promotes good posture and helps avoid discomfort. Next, invest in a desk that suits your needs. Whether you prefer a standing desk or a traditional setup, ensure it’s the right height and provides ample space for your work essentials. Adjustable desks offer flexibility, allowing you to switch between sitting and standing throughout the day, which can improve your overall health and comfort. Soundproofing: Create a Quiet Work Environment Noise can be a significant distraction, especially if you live in a bustling household. Soundproofing your home office can enhance concentration and productivity. Start by adding acoustic panels to the walls. These panels absorb sound and reduce echoes, creating a quieter space. Consider using a white noise machine or noise-canceling headphones to further block out background noise. Heavy curtains or blinds can also help minimize outside disturbances. If possible, choose a room away from high-traffic areas to create a more serene work environment. Tech Integrations: Upgrade Your Workspace Modern technology can greatly enhance your home office experience. Begin with a high-quality monitor or dual monitors to expand your workspace and reduce eye strain. Ergonomic monitor stands or adjustable arms can help you position your screens at the right height and angle. This is also known to increase the overall productivity of your day. Upgrade your keyboard and mouse to ergonomic models designed to reduce strain. Consider investing in a docking station to keep your workspace tidy and streamline connections between your laptop and peripherals. Smart home technology can also be a game-changer. Use voice-controlled assistants to manage your schedule, set reminders, or control smart lighting. Adjustable lighting is crucial; choose a desk lamp with customizable brightness to reduce eye strain and enhance focus. Personal Touches: Make It Your Own Finally, personalize your home office to make it a space you enjoy spending time in. Add some artwork, plants, or personal items that inspire you. A well-decorated workspace not only boosts your mood but also makes working from home more enjoyable. In conclusion, upgrading your home office involves more than just buying new furniture. By investing in ergonomic pieces, soundproofing, and advanced tech, you can create a workspace that enhances both productivity and comfort. Read Also: Home Remodeling Tips 3 Trendy Lighting Ideas for Your Kitchen Island Small Kitchen Storage Ideas Top 5 Trending Home Renovation Ideas For Australian Families

How You Can Choose the Ideal Ceiling Light for Your Living Area

Your house can certainly benefit from the right lighting – lighting is, after all, essential for any living space. With the proper lighting, you can have warmth and homeliness in your abode, but you can also have an entirely functional element that can help you perform certain tasks and see everything clearly. But lighting can have an impact on other elements as well, and it can affect your space's wall color to the color of your flooring or carpet. It is therefore essential to have an ideal plan for your lighting, especially when it comes to your living area. The correct light can go a long way in giving your home the ambiance and serenity it needs, and it can lend a great atmosphere to your living space as well. The ceiling light you choose, in particular, can make a huge impact. Here, then, is how you can select the ideal ceiling light for your living area. How You Can Choose the Ideal Ceiling Light for Your Living Area: The height of the ceiling and the available space: Firstly, you should try to figure out how you use the room and the time of day you often spend there. It is also important to note the available space – how big or small it is – as well as the height of the ceiling. If, for instance, the ceiling in your living area is low, a large fixture such as a chandelier may not be such an ideal choice, as it may make your living room appear cluttered and smaller. On the other hand, if you have a high ceiling, a small ceiling fixture may look awkward and may even 'disappear' in a room with a high ceiling. If your living area has a low ceiling, you could go for semi-flush mount or flush mount lighting fixtures, as these kinds of fixtures have a small drop and don't extend too far from the ceiling, which adds to the illusion of a higher ceiling or space. For high ceilings, big, bold chandeliers or lighting fixtures are an excellent option. The type of lighting: You should know that different ceiling lights will have a variety of functions, which leads us to the different types of lighting. You should ask yourself this important question as well: what is the purpose of your ceiling light, especially when taking into consideration the kind of ambiance you would like your living area to have? Essentially speaking, there are three major types of lighting: task lighting, accent lighting, and ambient lighting. In general, a ceiling light in the living area provides ambient lighting because it gives a wide illumination, and you can also control it with the use of a dimmer. You can complement ambient lighting with the use of layers in the lighting scheme and design of your living area. You can add layers with lighting fixtures such as lamps (both floor and table lamps), sconces, drop lights, downlights, and recessed lighting. Lamps serve well as both accent and task lighting too. The bulb: The bulb you choose also makes a difference, as any expert will tell you – and many of us make the error of overlooking the bulb, even though it can impact the overall elegance of our lighting design. Modern lighting often involves the use of LED bulbs, as they are bright and energy-efficient, and they can last for a long time. Living areas can definitely benefit from the use of LED bulbs, because living room lighting is used almost every day, most especially at night, and LED bulbs are ideal for this type of use. There are decorative LED bulbs which you can also make use of, and they are often great for any living space – this is especially true for filament bulbs, which are trendy yet have a unique vintage appeal. Read Also: 3 Trendy Lighting Ideas For Your Kitchen Island The Benefits Of Solar Lighting In A Nutshell Las Vegas Electricians Share Fun Lighting Ideas For Your Home

Home Maintenance Plans And Cleaning Tips During Covid-19

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak rages on as many fall victim to the deadly virus. Everyone started with the assumption that it is something benign that will soon be over, but no one speculated that the virus could evolve into something so catastrophic. Entire countries beat down by the virus are now practicing strict precautionary measures and complying with the imposition of a house quarantine. The damage can't be reverted, but everyone is playing their part to minimize it and save as many lives as possible. As unfortunate as the condition is, it is onto us to play an active role and do the needful to ensure our safety. Local authorities and governments have published and requested people to observe a set of rules to minimize spreading the virus when out of the house. Exercising these measures have helped people take a step towards securing themself from a host of the COVID-19. However, it isn't sufficient as we can do a lot more to raise the bar and tighten the grip to avoid catching this virus. Staying indoor at all times doesn't mean that we are not susceptible to this virus as it can survive on surfaces, especially metals, from where others can get it. What we should be doing to guarantee our safety is to go to extensive lengths and adopt extraordinary hygiene practices. Not just of ourselves, but the surroundings where we are living should also be in exemplary states. If you feel that you have ever been half-hearted in cleaning up your house, now might be a good time to make up for it and show some diligence. Practicing personal hygiene includes all the necessary steps like bathing regularly, washing hands after short intervals, and maintaining distances. People can do this even if they don't have a quarantine handbook to follow, but exterminating the traces of this virus from your house can be a challenge. There are many ways that you can do this, but there are certain subtleties that you need to practice while at it to do it right. It may sound easy, but it heightens the risk of contracting the virus. That is why you need to be extra careful and make sure that you are prioritizing your health and safety while doing this. With that noted, here are some maintenance and cleaning tips that you should follow to build your defenses against this virus. Here are home maintenance plans and cleaning tips during COVID-19 1. Secure The Entrance In a normal situation, this would mean placing a security guard on your front door to keep anyone from intruding. However, under these circumstances, the objective remains the same, but you need to use inanimate objects to secure the parameter. Like many other counties, people in Australia have started covering up windows with solid window shutters to avoid anything floating in from there. You can find some high-quality window shutters in Sydney to help you do this. The next step would be to cover the basement, since it is an area likely to have an opening from outside, like a water inlet. If you find anything like that, keep it sealed unless you have no other option but to use it. Besides this, look for openings and cracks in your flooring or ceilings, and try to patch them up, even if it is temporary. Follow these to ensure that whatever is outside, stay outside. 2. Cleaning Layers Don't panic and start applying the disinfectant everywhere. It is neither the best effective nor the right way to go about the situation. If you see dirt on a surface, use some water and soap to clean it first, and then use the disinfectant. Don't forget to target the areas that are most frequently touched by everyone. These include doorknobs, staircase railings, switches, remote controls, desks, toys, electronic devices, and similar other stuff. Be thorough. One thing that the quarantine has granted us is time, so don't rush with your cleaning. 3. Cleaning The Cleaners What's dirtier than the surface that you are cleaning are the tools that you are using to do it. Wash sponges and wiping clothes after using them to clean a surface so that you don't pass on the germs of one place to another. Don't miss out on the internal surface of your vacuum cleaner. After removing the dirtbag, apply a disinfectant and wait for it to dry off before placing the dirtbag back in. Don't use your bare hands to pull out the dirtbag. Try putting on some gloves to avoid catching anything from it. And between all this, don't forget to clean your gloves when moving on to another task. Take them off, wash them, and don't forget to wash your hands at the end of it all. That should suffice. 4. Get It Off From Your Clothes If the virus can survive on surfaces, then it can survive on your clothes as well. Wash things that are used regularly, like undergarments, towels, and linens between 40 and 60 degrees Celsius. Try and use a bleach-based detergent or a bioproduct to ensure that the clothes get rid of anything that can spread. Handle the dirty laundry with care and maintain minimal contact with it. Don't touch them unless you have to. Once done, let your washing machine run empty for a while to get everything out of the system. And in case if you don't have a washing machine, then don't think of doing your laundry inside the house. You will risk spreading the virus. It's better to take it outside and bring it back in once done. Summary These were some primary maintenance and cleaning tips that you should follow to disinfect your house. Try to start early and do it daily to minimize the risks. In case you feel unwell, don't act tough, and distance yourself from all these tasks. Try to stay isolated until whatever you were experiencing subsides. If your condition doesn't improve, reach out to the relevant health care services immediately to get yourself checked. Practice strict personal hygiene and don't neglect minor symptoms if they aren't going away. The best way to survive this is by exercising caution, so don't slack off on it. Read Also: The Need for End of Tenancy Cleaning 5 Tips on effectively picking a tile floor cleaning machine Vancouver House Cleaning Services with Local Home Cleaners Near You

8 Smart House Upgrades that are Totally Worth the Money

8 Smart House Upgrades that Pay Off

1. Clean, Fresh Paint:

2. Modernize the Kitchen:

3. Programmable Thermostat:

4. Upgrade Bathrooms:

5. Landscaping:

6. Install Solar Panels:

7. New Flooring:

8. Basement Improvements:

Upgrade Your Home, Today:

Natural Latex Mattress Vs Foam Mattress

How Does Structural Fire Protection Work?

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Related

3 Home Upgrades to Make Your Property Unique

How You Can Choose the Ideal Ceiling Light for Your Living Area

Home Maintenance Plans And Cleaning Tips During Covid-19

8 Smart House Upgrades that are Totally Worth the Money

8 Smart House Upgrades that Pay Off

1. Clean, Fresh Paint:

2. Modernize the Kitchen:

3. Programmable Thermostat:

4. Upgrade Bathrooms:

5. Landscaping:

6. Install Solar Panels:

7. New Flooring:

8. Basement Improvements:

Upgrade Your Home, Today:

Share this Article

Natural Latex Mattress Vs Foam Mattress

How Does Structural Fire Protection Work?

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

Leave a Reply

Popular

Follow Us

Recent

Related