5 Home Hacks Every Homeowner Should Know: Outside Edition
As a homeowner, you’re probably always looking for shortcuts around the house and yard to improve your curb appeal and functionality. There are lots of home hacks for inside the house, but what about the outside? Take a look at these five home hacks every homeowner should know.
- Make planters out of old shelving. If you’ve got some old shelves you’re not using for indoors, or even a long board that you were storing out in the shed but never found a use for, why not make some homemade planters for your garden area? Grab some terra cotta pots, take some measurements, and cut holes in the shelving a few inches apart. Attach the board underneath some shed windows or display it in your garden, place the pots inside the holes and voila! Instant window box.
- Spruce up the front door area. Your entryway says a lot about your home. If you have a front door that’s peeling or painted an unattractive color, freshen it up by painting it a contrasting color that pops, polish or replace the hardware, and invest in a new set of shiny house numbers, suggests AARP. Add a flower pot next to the door and you have a much more welcoming entryway for less than $100.
- Install solar lights. No need to invest in an expensive lighting system or hire a landscape lighting contractor or electrician to brighten up your yard. Instead, pick up a bunch of stand-alone solar-powered light fixtures and line your walkway. You get plenty of lighting for the nighttime, thanks to the sun’s recharging rays during the day, plus you get added safety benefits without having to deal with wires.
- Fill in concrete cracks. Nothing’s more frustrating than investing in a decorative concrete walkway or driveway only to see cracks develop a couple of years later. When you see small cracks begin to form, fill them in with ready-to-use sealant for patching cracks in concrete. You can pick up a tube on the cheap, for between $5 and $10. Apply it with a caulking gun and save money on larger repairs down the road.
- Mulch areas of your yard to define spaces. There’s no better way to define spaces in your yard than with clearly marked lineage filled in with mulch, says Bob Vila. Plants and shrubs tend to blend in with the grass. Make them pop with brand new mulch, plant bright flowers and add a decorative bench for an easy spruce-up.
Try these five easy home hacks in your yard to boost curb appeal and improve the value of your home. It’s easier than you may think to get a whole new look!