Perhaps thinking of improving your home with a view to either selling it or just giving it a new look and feel, and maybe you’re having second thoughts because you’re feeling a pinch when it comes to money matters. Home improvement does not have to be expensive, not if you’re willing to plan a lot, work a little harder and be a little more creative.

• Plan ahead: Take a good look around the rooms in your house and decide on which you’re going to select for a complete makeover and which are good enough to just need some fancy make up work. Make a list of all the things that need to be done, and sort them in order of importance and practicality. Estimate the cost associated with undertaking these tasks and work out your budget accordingly. Allow enough leeway for unexpected expenses and unforeseen circumstances.
• DIY or not? Are you up to taking on all the tasks yourself or do you need professional help? Make sure you’re absolutely certain about completing the job without any mishaps or you’re going to overshoot your budget by miles. The best bet would be to tackle the easier jobs on your own while calling in the pros to take care of those that are complicated and demanding. If you’re going on your own, talk to people who are good at home improvement and pick their brains for smart ideas and the best ways to complete tasks. Visit furniture and hardware stores to check out the options available. If you’re the artsy kind, you could decorate your walls with your own paintings and murals.
• Shop for supplies: Decide on the color scheme for your new and improved home. Next, figure out the supplies, equipment and appliances your project is going to need and shop around for good quality items that are available at the lowest rates. Before you buy paints or wallpaper, bring home samples so that you can test how they look on your walls.  
• Clean up: Any home that’s been used long enough tends to accumulate rime and clutter over the years. The first thing you could do to give your home that much needed face lift is to scrub and clean those rooms that you’re not going to renovate completely. Once you’re done, a fresh coat of paint or new sheets of wallpaper in the new color scheme you’ve chosen for your home should be enough to give these rooms a completely new look and feel. Eliminate clutter by putting everything in its place and throwing out stuff that you don’t want or don’t use.
• Half measures help: Some rooms only need a few tweaks here and there to regain that new look; for example, you could replace just the faucets in your kitchen and bathroom, paint the cabinets in your kitchen or replace the handles on the doors, put in a new floor, get different color panels for your appliances instead of replacing them altogether, replace your vanity and/or sink in your bathroom, install exhaust fans to improve ventilation, put in new tiles in the shower or regrout the old ones, or just move around or refurbish your old furniture to get a whole new different look.
• Improve aesthetic appeal: A well-lit and well ventilated home is a big draw in any market, hot or cold. Find ways to improve the lighting (natural or otherwise) and air circulation in your home without depending too much on electricity. Clean the exterior of your home and get your lawn and driveway free of clutter. Paint your mailbox and give your door knobs and knockers an extra shine.

By-line:

This article is contributed by Sarah Scrafford, who regularly writes on the topic of international real estate. She invites your questions, comments and freelancing job inquiries at her email address: sarah.scrafford25@gmail.com.

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