Quick Curb Appeal Fixes

by Rachel Lyon, Editorial Director for Direct from the Designers™

There are plenty of things you can do if you want to improve the face your home shows to the world. Most of the time, you hear about the big overhauls that can increase the value of your property, but there are plenty of smaller projects that can also do wonders. Here are three quick fixes that only take an afternoon to complete, and you’ll see your curb appeal instantly upgraded!

Do a Deep Cleaning

This sounds very involved, but it’s not at all like the tedious detailing that goes into deep cleaning a kitchen or bathroom. For the outside of your house, all you need is a pressure washer to blast away dirt, algae, and mold that have taken up residence on your driveway, siding, deck, etc. Just hook it up to your regular garden hose and a pump will increase the water pressure to do the hard work for you. And with special detergents and surface cleaners that really scrub away all sorts of grime, it couldn’t be easier to make your home look like new!

Pressure washers come in a huge range of models to fit every budget. They can be powered by gas or electricity, are easy to move around the house, and come with different nozzles to effectively clean all the surfaces of your exterior. If you don’t want to buy your own, you can probably rent one at your local home improvement store for less than $50 per day. Just remember that this is a high-powered piece of equipment; read the instructions and use protective gear like goggles and ear muffs to ensure you keep your home and yourself safe.

Refresh the Address

A tired mailbox or house numbers can age your home, but even new numbers of the wrong font can look awkward. A style that is comparable to your architecture clearly connects it to its background. So, take the time to consider what’s available in the store instead of simply grabbing the first thing you see, and if you really want to make an impact, explore the possibilities further. You can order a custom plaque online or find somebody who can do it locally, and it will really make your home look special!

Even if your numbers are already perfect, clean them up to make them stand out. Polish any metal digits, or sand and seal old-fashioned wooden ones. Think about color coordination to improve readability from the street; you want to place the numbers on a contrasting background so your home can be identified quickly. It’s just a matter of placing a plaque behind them if they match the house’s siding too much, and the effect will be greater than the effort put into it.

Enhance with Plants

Even a stunning home can be overlooked if its surrounding landscaping is unkempt, so keep the lawn cut and the hedges trimmed. Weed out undergrowth and your shrubs and flowers will stand out just like you want them to. And even if you have a plain old yard, it gives you a lot to work with! It would be difficult to plant a garden in a day, but you can make it easy on yourself by choosing to use planters. This way, you can draw attention to individual points of interest—windows, along the walkway, entrance, etc.—simply by moving pots rather than digging into the ground.

Trees are also an amazing investment if you have the space for them. Buy a young shade or fruit tree and place it far enough from the house that its roots won’t threaten the foundation. You’ll get to watch it grow over the years, and it will increase the value of your home as it does! Landscaping that includes mature trees is a hot commodity that gets noticed and fetches a higher price at resale. Not only is it beautiful, but it also helps provide privacy and establish a house as more than another standard example of newer residential construction. It changes the ambiance of your entire property, and all you have to do is get it started! Spend a day digging a hole and your curb appeal will increase as the tree grows!