15 DIY Projects to Add Value to Your Home

If you're a fan of HGTV, you may think the only way to add value to your home is through big home improvement projects. However, there are plenty of things you can do as a homeowner to add value, even if you aren't the handiest person around.

Just a few DIY projects can make a big difference in your home's appearance. Keep reading to see 15 things you can do yourself to add value to your home.

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If you're thinking about selling your house, improving your curb appeal is an easy place to start working on it. Prospective homebuyers will be judging your house by the photos they find on sites like Zillow and the impression they get when they arrive.

An easy way to add curb appeal is to improve your landscaping. Add fresh mulch to plant beds, pull weeds out, and consider planting some flowers.

ALSO READ: 8 Common Landscaping Mistakes To Avoid

Repainting your house may seem a daunting task, but you don't have the paint the whole place. Consider adding an accent wall to make a space pop -- for instance, behind a bed or sofa or in a hallway -- or freshening up a room or two if the colors look dated.

You could also paint the trim in some rooms to make it stand out and look fresh. A little bit of paint can go a long way.

When it comes to curb appeal, an attractive front door can greatly influence whether your house looks modern and welcoming. Changing the door may be a more advanced project for some homeowners, but with some basic carpentry skills, it's doable in a weekend.

Painting the door is also key to getting a good return on your investment. According to sold.com, the best colors to paint your front door are navy blue, dark gray and charcoal.

If your house is on the older side, it's easy for lighting to look dated. Swapping out ceiling fixtures and wall sconces for more modern lighting can help brighten up your home and avoid a potential turn-off for a buyer.

Some popular trends include statement lighting, such as chandeliers; matte-black finishes; and nature-inspired elements, like leaves or flowers.

ALSO READ: 5 Home Improvement Projects With the Highest Return on Investment

Trees can present some maintenance challenges to homeowners, but they are also a surefire way to add character and value to your home. If your front lawn is bare, adding a tree or two will make your home look more inviting. It will also provide shade in the summer, help keep your home cool, and protect your grass.

Some popular options are dogwoods, sugar maples, and weeping cherries.

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A patio can help create a more inviting outdoor space, and the typical homeowner should be able to install a smaller patio in a weekend. Though, it may be more difficult than some projects.

Typically, you'd put a patio in your backyard. However, it can also be a cheaper alternative to a front porch if you want to add a seating area in front or on the side of your home. Improving outdoor spaces is always a good way to add value to your home.

Planting trees is another way to add value to your property, but once you have them, you'll want to make sure to keep them trimmed and maintained. That means removing deadwood along the way and keeping them a reasonable distance from your home.

While a professional tree service can take care of this for you, you should be able to cut lower branches with a pruning saw, and the average homeowner can manage smaller trees with tools like pruning shears.

ALSO READ: An Eco-Friendly Way To Boost Your Home Value

You can also improve your home's curb appeal by power washing it, which will give the home a fresh, clean look.

You can buy a simple attachment for a garden house and use household cleaning agents like bleach and detergent. While you're at it, you should consider power washing any walkways or paved areas and cleaning up the whole property.

Adding smart devices to your home -- like a smart thermostat, doorbell camera, and motion-detecting exterior lights -- can save you money and command a higher price when it comes time to sell.

A monitoring system can also increase home value and alert you to things like a leaky roof or a flooded basement.

The kitchen is always a focal point of the home, and that's especially true during a sale. While a full kitchen remodel is a big project you'll likely want a professional to handle, there are subtler things you can do to improve the kitchen, such as adding a backsplash.

Working with tile might sound difficult, but beginners can start with easy-to-install square tiles, which will help make your kitchen look fresh and stand out.

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This an easy one. House numbers are often an afterthought in home decor. After all, you know your address and probably rarely notice the number.

But the style of the numbers also says something about the house and your taste. If your house isn't new, there's a good chance the numbers look dated. Switch them out to give the house a more updated look.

ALSO READ: 4 Ways To Spend Your Renovation Dollars in 2022

Clean, updated appliances are a big draw for prospective homebuyers, especially in the kitchen. On the other hand, older appliances could be a pain point when you're ready to sell. If your appliances appear old and unlikely to last much longer, replacing or upgrading them is probably a smart move.

If you're a little bolder about working on your kitchen, replacing your countertop could be a good project for you. Depending on the material you use, this is another project that could be done over a weekend. Replacing the countertop is a relatively affordable way to modernize your kitchen and improve its look and feel, especially if it's been a while since you updated it.

Replacing cabinets or refacing the doors may seem too much to tackle. But an easier way to refresh the cabinets is to update the hardware, like the handles and hinges.

Combined with some of the other kitchen projects on this list, new hardware could help make your kitchen a selling point.

ALSO READ: How To Invest in Real Estate

Adding built-ins like shelving or even a bookcase can help round out a room and give it a cozy feel.

While a full-on built-in might be a big project for some homeowners, adding some shelves should be something most homeowners can handle. And since shelving is appreciated in any room, they provide an opportunity to refresh rooms that are harder to add value to, such as the living room.

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If you're a new homeowner or still need practice with DIY projects, start with a smaller project, like replacing your cabinet hardware or planting a tree.

There's a learning curve to being a homeowner and doing the kinds of DIY projects that can add value to your home. Unless you're planning to sell your home soon, there's no need to rush. Take your time and start with some good beginner projects.

Jeremy Bowman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Zillow Group (A shares) and Zillow Group (C shares). The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.