It can be challenging to deal with the fact that your children are now out of the home. One of the ways you can handle the sudden change is to take on some DIY projects around the house. This can be your chance to fix things that have been bothering you or make some budget-friendly renovations.
An Appliance Overhaul
If you haven’t changed your appliances in a few years, this could be a great opportunity to bring your home up to date. You can upgrade to energy-efficient refrigerators, clothes dryers, and washers, so you save money in the long run on your energy bills as well as make your house greener. What’s more, appliances with an Energy Star rating may be eligible for rebates.
Perhaps you would like to invest in some gadgetry for your kitchen, new cleaning tools to use throughout the house, or new heating and/or cooling solutions. Think about what you would look forward to using and those that also offer practical advantages. Hart & Iliff distributes, installs, and repairs some of the most trusted heating and air conditioning brands.
A Chef-Worthy Kitchen
A full-on kitchen remodel can cost as much as $65,000, so if that’s your budget, then you have nothing to worry about. But you can actually keep your costs low by keeping the original layout and painting the cabinets instead of replacing them.
Along those same lines, Family Handyman says you can reduce your expenses by being your own designer and taking advantage of sales events for your cabinets. If you can find second-hand items that are in good condition, that could save you some money, as well. Of course, the more work you do yourself, the less money you’ll have to spend. Depending on your level of expertise, that can mean keeping your renovation project small.
A Luxurious Guest Room
While it can definitely be emotional to make any changes to your child’s room, it could also be an ideal space for visitors. Since you’re on a budget, Good Housekeeping suggests getting creative with some easy makeover moves. These include repainting the walls or changing the wallpaper. Your guests may also appreciate some pieces of art, comfortable seating, and additional storage. You can even throw in some charming decorations from The Fox Decor!
If you want to go the extra mile, hire a professional furniture cleaner to give the pieces in your guest room some TLC. Seek out local furniture cleaning services, use sites like Angi to check reviews from customers, and hire someone you feel will do right by your furniture. Your guests will thank you for making their room as comfortable as possible.
If the room has an adjoining bathroom, you have the opportunity to bring your design-savvy ideas there, as well. The bathroom will look beautiful with some new paint, art, and hardware. Choosing the right accessories like towels, soap dishes and dispensers are also a great idea, and none of those items will break the bank.
A Budget-Friendly Home Gym
If you already have a guest room or don’t need one, how about setting up your own home gym? On average, you can set up a gym for less than $1,000 and that figure could go even lower if you don’t need all the equipment.
When you’re looking for the equipment to complete your home gym, you can do your research on gently used items. Online sites usually have specific discounts that you can enjoy on the equipment that you need, and some offer package deals. Don’t forget to sign up for newsletters or download apps that can help you save.
Paying for Home Improvements
When it comes to paying for these improvements, you can dip into your savings, or you can consider refinancing your home. By refinancing your home, you’ll replace your current mortgage with a new one which can give you access to cash to use for renovations. Another option is paying through a zero-interest credit card, but this can be risky and will require you to pay off your debt fairly quickly before interest kicks in.
Being an empty-nester can be hard to handle in the beginning. Focusing on something that requires your undivided attention can help you deal with it. Since you don’t want to go over your budget, make sure to look for cost-conscious design ideas and check online sites for great deals.
Photo courtesy of Pexels