I enjoy home decorating and making our house feel more like a home, and with that, making every dollar count! There are many things you can do to update your home on the cheap, while making it look like you spent a lot of money. Here are just a few ideas to get you started on your cheap and easy home improvement projects:

• Change your cabinet hardware. Either purchase new hardware and replace your current hardware, or spray paint your current hardware a silver or bronze color. If you change the color of your hardware, remember also to change the color of the hinges.
• Paint your cabinets. Many folks don’t prefer to do this, especially if they have fairly new cabinets, but then again, if you have fairly new cabinets, you won’t need to update them. So for those of you that have old and dingy cabinets, but don’t want to spend the money on buying a whole new set of cabinets, by all means paint them! Remove the doors, take them outside, and paint them a fresh color (like white, cream, or dark brown). Then paint the outsides of the cabinets themselves. No need to paint the insides, unless it would bother you to open your cabinets to the “old” color.
• Get a new rug. If you have floors that are dingy or slightly stained, and don’t have the money to put in a whole new floor, get a nice rug that matches your decor and put that in the room. Rugs add color and texture, and provide that cozy feeling of home. Remember to get a rug that works with the size of your room. If you have a large room, get a large rug, and if you have a small room, you can get a smaller rug.
• Install new light fixtures. Light fixtures provide a serious home update without spending a lot of cash. Purchase light fixtures that match the decor of your home, and also match the color of your other fixtures. If you find a cheap light fixture with great shape at a yard sale or thrift store, but it is the wrong color, spray paint it the color you want!
• Add or replace your window treatments. It is fairly cheap to buy (or make!) new curtains and install them with expensive-looking rods. Just choose a fresh color and pattern, and a style that lets in plenty of natural light.
• Scrub that grime away. It is amazing what a little time and cleaner can do for you. Take a weekend and really get down and dirty with your mop, broom, and bleach. Try to clean every surface in your home, including windows, cabinets, appliances, and floors. You will be amazed at how much brighter everything can become, which is great. Who wants to live in a dark and dingy home? While your at the cleaning, try your hand at organizing your closets. You may even create more space!

This list will get you started. Once you begin your cheap and easy home improvements, you’ll likely be inspired to do more!