Curb Appeal Tips

Curb appeal is most often discussed when you are putting your home up for sale. However, even if you do not plan to put your home up for sale the outdoor living space is often the first impression of what people think of your home. Although we may not care or want to think about what others think of our home, we all know first impressions are hard to forget. Everyone wants a home that is inviting and it doesn't start when you enter the door, it starts with your outdoor living space. To ensure that your home is conveying the message that you would like to convey, here are some tips to enhance your home's curb appeal.

Replace Old Hardware:

Replacing your house numbers, the entry door lockset, mailbox, and light fixtures can instantly give your home a facelift. If these items are old, rusty, or out of date a person's first impression may make them think the same thing is going on the inside of your home. Updating the house numbers can also be a life-saving fix. Emergency personnel will easily be able to identify your home if you are in need of emergency services.

Declutter:

Clean up the clutter that is in your yard. This is a free and instant way to increase your home's visual appeal. It also offers a blank canvas for any other curb appeal projects that you decide to tackle. When decluttering your yard remember to put away any children's toys, gardening tools, and any unnecessary clutter on your porch or walkway. You will also want to go ahead and dispose of any old flowerpots that are no longer appealing.

Install a Window Box

Installing a window box is a way to provide charm to any home. You can use a copper or iron box for a traditional look or a wooden colored box for a more cottage/ country-chic look. You can mix and match the type of flowers that are planted in the window box to give your home a unique look.

Landscaping

There is no need to hire a landscaping artist or a landscaper. You can instantly change your landscaping by pulling weeds, making sure your lawn is mowed, shaping your shrubs, and pruning your trees. You can instantly change the look of your landscaping by adding fresh mulch or woodchips to your flowerbeds.

Dress Up Your Front Door

Making a statement by dressing up your front door is a cost-effective way to give your home more curb appeal. Fresh paint is may be needed; however, if you just clean up the dirt your home will be much more inviting. You can also add a wreath, flag, or other welcoming mats to your front door area that reflects your style.

Hide Your Trash Cans

If you are storing your trash cans, recycling bins, or yard waste bags in the front or side of your home where it is visible from the streets this is affecting your curb appeal. Move these items to your garage, the back of the home, build an enclosure to keep them, or place them somewhere where they cannot be seen from the street.

Install Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting is a huge plus for your curb appeal. Low-voltage or solar-powered landscaping lighting makes a huge impact on your home's curb appeal. This will help provide a guiding light walking path to your home. Once again, if you are not planning on selling your home this is a great safety update for your family's home.

Power wash Your House and Drive-Way

You can either hire someone to power wash your house and driveway or you may be able to rent a power washing machine from your local hardware store to accomplish this task. Powerwashing your home and driveway instantly provides a cleaner slate to work with and makes your home stand out amongst your neighbors' homes. This is a task that is recommended at least annually.

These are just a few simple and often free tips and tricks to enhance your home's curb appeal. If you have any questions or need additional tips, please feel free to reach out to me. I have a list of vendors that will be able to assist if you are just wanting to hire someone to help with these tasks and additional tips to help enhance your home's curb appeal.