smart upgrades for your home

A sweet reader named Shelby wrote in recently with this question:

I loved that post a few weeks ago where you wrote about when to splurge for your home as far as items and waiting for what you want. We purchased our first home two years ago, and I felt like it was supposed to be Pottery Barn ready three months afterwards. I am still staring at a few boxes, and now we have cosmetic changes we would love to make in the name of an update. We purchased this house over the idea that we would change a lot of it out. It’s builder’s grade circa 1995 and it is time to make some changes. I’m feeling a little overwhelmed with my to do list and my husband and I are debating over the best places to start. I was wondering where do you guys feel is the smartest place to begin when it comes to updates?…

Because this question is so multifaceted based on everyone’s situation, I feel like there is no ‘wrong’ or ‘right’ way to do things. It can be a tricky thing to choose what to do in your home. We decided it was time to call in the experts with a panel to break it down.

Just kidding. Today is based solely on our opinion and no one else’s because we don’t really know any experts apart from our awesome friends. And today I thought I would share our own thoughts on it… Just a little on our perspective (that you can take with a gigantic grain of salt).

After 8 years in our home, we went for the hardwoods. It took a leak ruining our carpet for us to do it. We had resolved that we would just move out eventually, and leave the new owners with some kind of flooring allowance. But then we changed it. Like all projects, the improvement is {often} so striking, that we’re left wondering what took us so long. It’s transformations like this that have made us fall in love with our 8+ year old home, all over again.

I’d like to argue first and foremost that money just doesn’t grow on trees… {Dangit} so for starters, that would be one of the big reasons we waited. My point with rambling all this off? The situation is different for everyone. And everyone is different. There are pros and cons with everything, and you have to weigh them with each project.

That being said, here’s a few things to ask yourself before you make any kind of change:

1. What do you hope to gain? Is it your end goal to make a better home for your family? To put more value into your property? What do you hope can be achieved? I think that sometimes we get caught up in the idea of keeping up with others. Or the neighborhood. Or what our sister in law thinks we should do. Do it for you and your family because it will make a better home for you. Pure and true and simple. Here’s a little game I play that’s easy to get caught up in: While it’s wise to always consider the resale value and visual appeal of things, don’t ever make changes in hopes of pleasing future buyers in your own home.

We may never  move out of this home. In a few years, we could sell it. If we do sell it, some joker will probably buy it and immediately install shag carpet whilst painting all the rooms red and hunter green. Gag me with a spoon. Yes, I still say that. So who knows? Regardless, we love it now, and that’s what matters. So in the end, make smart decisions, but don’t worry about doing it for some potential, non-existent buyer. Don’t play that game… no one wins.

2. Is it what you truly want? Only time will tell. It’s easy to get excited and lose our heads over the prospect of a new change. Don’t rush in. Make sure it’s the smartest move. We waited 8 years for hardwoods. I can honestly say at the end of the day, that I still wanted those hardwoods. {Thank you, insurance, for helping out our fund a little.} There’s nothing wrong with taking your time.

Sometimes we fall into the trap of spending more money as a temporary solution. When maybe it was okay to just wait it out. See: bereaved planking in the form of time and money invested into a sofa that ended up being a total catastrophe. There’s nothing wrong with a slipcovered sofa if it’s what you truly want. But maybe we should forego even the simple things until we know exactly what we want. It’s different for everyone, but those rash changes can cause some headaches down the road. This was a hard lesson learned in waiting for that chesterfield… and not spending unnecessary, wasted money in the meantime. I thought it was the cheaper route, but in the end we spent more. So think it through. Plan for it. You won’t regret it.

3. Do  you have the funds? Obviously this is most important. I mentioned in our last post that cash is king. Stick to that forever and ever amen… and you’ll loathe yourself a little less in the end. Because when it comes to major overhauls, you will loathe yourself at some point. We can guarantee it. It’s part of the process. When you’re living with an overhaul, no one wakes up one day and says… I love this mess! It’s amazing! Tile dust is so pretty! And then you roll around in it and stuff because you’ve lost your everlovingmindandofficiallyquestionyourownsanity. Knowing you paid for it with funds you had, not funds you hope to have… This just means a little less self-loathing. We all can use a little less loathing in general, no?

That being said, we’ve broken them down into categories to consider… places you could invest in, that can bring a vast overall visual change to your home. The categories alone could be broken down into more categories {depending on price range} so again… different for everyone. Just something to think about.

Bottom line: Make sure that in the end, it’s a smart move for your family. No one else matters. We’re not saying these add actual value to your home, though some do, and they can certainly up the visual appeal. Gone are the days when we’re guaranteed anything in this real estate market, so don’t bank on it. Literally. Hold true to the philosophy of enjoying your home while you can, where you can with what you can. We think value is all in the eye of the beholder. These are smart changes for your family, because you will enjoy them.

The rest is all gravy.

The small

These are small, immediate cosmetic changes you can make from the beginning or with a little saving. If done wisely, they will buy you some time. With the time investment factor of a weekend and a smaller budget, it can mean a big difference. If you’re waiting to do something bigger like the floors or a bathroom, it helps patience for that in-the-meantime phase, so you can deal with huge decisions later.

The Power of Paint: A wise investment. Apart from the walls, we did our kitchen about four years after moving in, as well. It changed everything, and we were happy with our new cabinets, in a different color. With the cost of some wainscoting and some paint, it was an affordable facelift for our family, and an entirely new look. We stopped waiting for our farmhouse kitchen, and went for it. It rocked our world.

Consider small things like board and batten to add character to those walls. We pulled down our door and in a weekend we had a completely new laundry room, as well.

The lights Our home lost the fluorescent lights that were dominating our lives in the kitchen and laundry room. Those little changes with the visit to a flea market or ebay can mean a lot of character with a tight budget. You can’t go wrong with the classics in something like an old chandelier. Just something to consider if you know what you love and really need those ghastly lights to come down.

The windows If you purchased a home and you’re unhappy with the window treatments, take ’em down and find another solution. Getting rid of eyesores like vertical blinds or a previous homeowner’s dated choices, can help your feelings about everything. Immediately. We gradually replaced our blinds in our home… we actually saved them because they were nice and we thought someone may want them in the future, but it made a huge difference in the way everything feels in our home. I prefer large, open, light-filled windows. Taking them down made a huge difference for us, and we gradually did this in each room as our budget allowed. Major impact for minimal spending… especially if you know how to sew…

2. The medium

Those projects in the medium category usually require a bigger chunk of change. We found that the longer we stayed in our home, the easier these were to do, because we had time to save up for them. Here’s a few things that really rocked our world with big impact in the medium category.

The outdoors

Say what? Actually, the outdoors can make a huge impact on the entire feel of your home. Seriously. Our home feels bigger. While our gigantic pecan tree causes problems with a bit of a mess and it can mean keeping it clean {biggest con}, we still love our outdoors and our little getaway in the back.

Doing the outside can add curb appeal, {not that it matters, but buyer appeal down the road} and it can actually make your home feel bigger. I feel like we usually save this one for last on our list of must-do’s but in the future, on a list, we would move it to the front. It’s a great escape from those messy redos you may have going on inside.

And duh. You can send the kids out from underfoot… and they have something to do. Confession: we’re still working on the front.

The closets

I know. We almost didn’t add this one. They’re actually a wise way to spend your money. Especially if you plan on staying for a while… {and not that it matters, but if you want to sell. That’s a major buyer appeal} In the end, it helps you manage your home. It’s a game changer in the world of organization. We include the pantry in this one, too.

Yes, it can be a taste preference but it can make a big difference for you and the way you manage your life. We stuck them in the medium category because they can run you a little more than the average cost of paint and supplies… and cause a major upheaval in the home. Like someone vomited clothes and left them there for a few days while you search for socks and then start crying in the corner while you cope with a nice helping of dark chocolate. But well worth the changes in the end.

Floors

Okay. This is more in a medium-to-major category all depending on your budget, and can definitely come out the higher end depending on what you want to spend… talk about overhaul. It’s as if someone turned our home on it’s head while we’re doing it. And shook it five times. You guys should see the other rooms.

It won’t always add value, and it’s a taste preference. But in our world, it’s completely. Worth. It. There are so many options out there for so many budgets, it is worth looking into.

The Big

It’s these changes, that will make you question your humanity, and serious questions like why it feels as though you’re bleeding {unexpected} money no matter how much you budget, while causing major upheavals in the home. No seriously. We’re there right now. It’s why our bathroom has taken so long…

Kitchens + Bathrooms

They can take months. They cause upheavals in your home + the way your live. They make huge messes. You will question your sanity. Toilets are scary.

Proceed with caution, but it’s no secret that beautiful changes in a home with major spaces can mean big returns for your family. If you’re living with gutting out a space that you use every day, it’s like a miniature move every time. But with huge things like bathrooms and kitchens, these can feel like a tiny bomb went off, and they take time.

Cue delays like an outrageous quote on glass doors for our shower, and backorders. Cue ingenuity and thinking outside the box. Not throwing a room together in a weekend takes time, and it honestly makes them better spaces. {At least that’s what we wholeheartedly believe to avoid more of that self loathing stuff} You never know when oppositions will rear their ugly head, and every redo comes with its set of problems. It’s all about rolling with them. My rewarding moment will come with that first bath in the claw foot tub. All I’ve ever wanted is a claw foot bath tub and it’s still mocking me in the corner… stay tuned. Or not. We get it… it’s taking forever.

Anything that gives your home more square footage

Is actually considered a wise investment from a home inspectors perspective. We did it on our back porch/studio and never regretted it. It’s one of the best changes we made in our home, and actually required less time and mess than the bathroom. It all depends on your situation, layout of your home, what you want to add… but sometimes the simple changes are right under your nose before you even realize it…

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We hope this little list helps give you some perspective. We’re only speaking from our own experiences, and would love to hear yours. It’s a game of weighing the pros and cons. Literally basing them all on your needs. List them out. Discuss them. Proceed with caution, wisdom and stick to your gut. Do what is best for your family overall, and you just can’t lose.

We believe the days are gone when we’re promised big returns on anything financial… so it’s wise to do it because you want it, and proceed from there. The rest is aaaaalllllll gravy.

What have some of your favorite changes in your own home been? In what category would you throw that particular redo? Would do you do it again? We want to know!