10 Easy Curb Appeal Ideas for Homeowners on a Budget

When placing your home on the market, curb appeal is key. The exterior of your home will either entice prospective buyers to check out the interior or curb their interest altogether. Even if the interiors are stunning, a house that lacks curb appeal will feel unwelcoming to guests and potential buyers alike. You don’t need to sell your house to show off a little pride of ownership — try these cheap curb appeal ideas to refresh your home’s look, adhere to HOA standards or spruce up when you’re expecting guests.

Landscaping Ideas to Boost Curb Appeal on a Budget

Here’s how to help your home make a great first impression — without emptying your bank account.

1. Tackle Front Yard Upkeep

You can achieve instant curb appeal simply by mowing the lawn, edging landscaping, raking leaves, pulling weeds and cleaning gutters. If you’re struggling with what to do first, staying on top of lawn care is the simplest way to improve your front yard. Remove any yard debris, too, like piles of wood, unused gardening pots or broken patio furniture.

2. Paint Your Front Door

A freshly painted front door is one of the best ways to make your home’s exterior stand out (in a good way). Depending on the style of your home, you can go with tried-and-true classics like black and navy or opt for a pop of color like cherry red or bright yellow.

3. Mend the Eyesores

Check around your home for any needed repairs. A lopsided fence, missing shingles or warped siding can make a great house look just so-so. If you are selling, you’ll need to do these things anyway in order to pass your home inspection.

4. Pressure Wash

A good pressure wash does wonders to remove mildew, cobwebs, pollen and other grime that can sully your home’s appearance. Don’t forget the porch steps, porch pillars, front walk, driveway and any other surface that needs cleaning. Use a gentle setting on wood surfaces to avoid etching. For homes with visible driveways, regular resealing is a good idea. For an asphalt driveway, resealing should be done every two to three years. Concrete requires less maintenance, but it is more prone to staining so you may need to pressure wash it more often.

5. Grab a Paint Brush

If any of those areas you’ve just repaired or pressure washed could use a new coat of paint or stain, now’s the time to prep the surface and slather on the color.

6. Spread Fresh Mulch

Another cheap landscaping idea is to add fresh wood chips to your landscaping beds to help make them pop. Older mulch can turn dull after several months. A thin layer of new mulch does the trick, and it helps your shrubs and perennials hold moisture.

7. Put in a Perennial Flower Bed

Maybe your front yard needs a little color to jazz it up. Visit your local garden center and find native perennials that will grow well in your soil and climate without much upkeep. Decide whether you have a shady or sunny spot, and then select your plants accordingly. Choose cuttings that will grow to varying heights and arrange them in the garden bed with shorter plants in front. Avoid symmetry and opt for odd numbers of each variety. Think about bloom times as well. Aim to always have a perennial in bloom during the growing season.

8. Organize Your Plants

Containers can spruce up porch tables, flank your doorway, line walking paths or even add an extra dimension to a perennial garden. If you’re worried about watering, opt for shallow containers mixed with succulents. They can get by on little care, so no green thumb is required.

9. Accessorize Your Entry

If you have a porch or front stoop, get creative. Buy some outdoor throw pillows for a swing, lounger or chairs. Add an outdoor rug to anchor a seating space. Hang flowing porch curtains to add a bit of whimsy and also function as shade. Put up a decorative knocker. Just be sure to maintain these things, so you don’t end up welcoming your guests with dirty rugs and furniture.

10. Update the Little Things

After you’ve lived in your home for a while, it can be easy to overlook details like mailboxes, outdoor lighting, door hardware and house numbers. But swapping these things out can be transformative when it comes to curb appeal, especially if you find cohesive design elements that align with the style of your home.

Protect Your Home

Contact your Farm Bureau agent to protect your hard work (indoors and out) with the right homeowners insurance.