7 ways to give your home a spring spruce-up

It’s starting to warm up, the days are getting longer, flowers are blooming and magpies are swooping on weary cyclists.

Yes, spring is in the air…and that means new beginnings. And what better way to start than with your home?

There are ways to touch up your home and make it more liveable and even add some value to it without breaking the bank, which can be helpful with the current cost of living challenges.

Smart home improvement projects can deliver outsized returns for your investment, particularly if you do some of the work yourself. So here are seven smart upgrade ideas that could help increase the value of your home.

1. Get rid, get rid, get rid

Get ruthless Marie Kondo-style on your clutter with a hard rubbish drive on the nature strip to get rid of all the junk you’ve mysteriously accumulated over the past 12 months. There’s only one question you need to ask yourself. Does this item spark joy? If not, out it goes!

Make sure to consider sustainable ways to dispose of unwanted items, either by listing them on marketplace or gumtree or donating them to your local op shop. Many local councils offer free kerbside collections of bulky items and furniture, so contact them to make a booking for a pick-up. You could be left sitting in an empty living room but trust us, it’s worth it…

2. Go DIY with décor

There are plenty of ideas on social media along with step-by-step instructions on creating your own décor, flipping old furniture and even adding panelling to your walls. Remember, in the age of YouTube, everyone can be a handyman or woman.

3. Boost your kerb appeal

Presenting your home beautifully when viewed from the road goes a long way to impressing visitors or potential buyers if you’re on the market. Amongst our busy lives, it’s easy to walk past a neglected garden, peeling paint and rusty gutters. But first impressions count, and even simply adding some pot plants to your front entry can have people falling in love with your home as soon as they open the gate.

And could you do anything with the front garden? It doesn’t have to be a full-on landscaping job — a few new plants, clear paths, new house numbers or an updated letterbox can give your home a polished edge.

4. New fittings, new feel

New fittings can really help bring your home to life. Small touches like replacing cabinet doors and handles, updating light fittings and switches or reviving your rooms with new curtains or blinds, can help to give your home a more contemporary look…and potentially save you money in the case of new LEDs. 

5. A lick of paint goes a long way

It’s amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do to revitalise your home – indoors and outdoors. Try painting wardrobe doors and kitchen cupboards with a funky colour to standout.

6. Get creative

What about hanging some cool artwork or creating a photo wall? Frames can be pricey, so shop second-hand or reuse old frames from your student days – perhaps you could retire the old 90s movie posters in favour of some cool abstract tones?

7. Shop savvy

If you’re looking for new furniture to brighten the place up or want to add some new plants to your garden, check out social media marketplaces like facebook or Gumtree, op shops and second-hand sales. You can pick up some great bargains to save dollars and give you that warm feeling that comes with choosing a sustainable option.

We’re here to help

After all that, if you’ve caught the renovation bug and you have something more ambitious in mind like re-doing the kitchen or getting that dream pool in the backyard you might need to access a little more cash.

If you have an AMP home loan, you could consider whether getting a top up on your loan to fund a reno is right for you. Speak to one of our home loan specialists to figure out how much more you could borrow.

You can also consider whether accessing some funds from your redraw or offset account (if you have one) is the best option to help bring your dream to life.

Before making any decisions it’s important to chat to a financial adviser or your broker about the best option for you and your finances.