It can be challenging at best to try to determine what home improvement project to do first and which home improvement services to choose. Perhaps you’ve recently moved into a fixer-upper, or maybe you’ve lived in the same house for years, but it’s simply time for an update. Either way, you have to decide what project to start with.

Professionals always make it look easy. Watch any program on television where they are fixing up an old house or renovating, and you’re sure to walk away from the program thinking “this looks easy”. Funny thing is, the easier they make it look, the more challenging the project is. Keep in mind that the professionals have entire teams of experts that are working with them. So start small. Instead of trying to do the entire home in one fell swoop, start small and work through a plan.

Make A List

Sit down and write out the changes that you need or wish to make. Then start by decluttering the room that you wish to start out in. Often, decluttering is a huge step, and it may take a day or longer to get all of the clutter out of the area that you’re going to make improvements on. Get rid of furnishings that you don’t absolutely love.

By removing the clutter and getting rid of things that you don’t absolutely love, you’re opening up the home to new possibilities and concepts. Once you’ve made it to this step, you’ll be more excited and have a vision.

Emergency Repairs

Of course, a leaking roof, leaking plumbing or other issues are considered emergency repairs and should be done first before you consider any other changes to your home. When considering home improvement projects always start with things that could affect the quality of life in the house.

Also, consider childproofing if you have children in the home. Something as simple as gates on stairs, locking cabinet doors and the like could be lifesaving.

Consider Your Budget

Emergency repairs and childproofing can be expensive so be sure that you’re taking a good look at the changes that you’re needing to make and sticking to your budget. If you’re not doing emergency repairs, you’ll still require a budget.

If you’re starting in the kitchen, for example, what needs to be changed? Is it within your budget? Start with a coat of paint, often, this can completely transform a room so much that you won’t need to do a whole lot more. You could also change out the hardware or change the backsplash. These simple changes can make a huge difference in the appearance of the room while not breaking the budget.

If you have the budget for new appliances or to update fixtures, by all means, go ahead and do these changes as well. But keep in mind that you may need to do these in stages and start out small. Consider all of the things on your list before you begin and always prioritize them to ensure that the most important projects are being done first.

Go Room By Room

By starting in one room and staying under £1000, you can often make a huge difference in your home. Prioritize the changes that need to be made and focus on the more manageable and less costly changes first. It may be as simple as changing the linens in the bedroom and changing out the curtains. Consider changing out the look of the bathroom by adding a few strategically placed mirrors and changing out the shower curtain and rugs on the floor. It’s amazing how just a few simple changes can make it appear as if the entire house has been remodeled.

By working on your home in stages, you can often save a lot of money and focus on what really needs to be done. Consider alternatives and options when you’re looking to make changes to your home.

Curb Appeal

Curb appeal is another quality that many homeowners wish to improve upon. Consider a fresh coat of paint. Minor landscaping changes, awnings, shutters, and other small changes that will really make your home look nice and neat and give it some great curb appeal. You may also wish to consider a few trees or plants that will be attractive to look at when looking from the street to your home.

Return On Investment

Consider your return on investment often referred to as ROI. These will net you the most when you decide to sell the house. This means that you should consider kitchen and bathroom changes first as well as the master suite. When someone is looking to buy a home, these are the most common things that are checked out first. By focusing on such rooms, you’re sure to get a good return on your investment.

However, experts strongly suggest that you make changes on your home according to your needs and desires, a return on investment is good, however, if you plan to remain in the home long term, it’s okay to make changes according to your own personal preferences.

Determining where to begin on your home improvement projects may be as simple as a few coats of paint and a few new throw pillows, or it may be as complex as adding on a room, a new deck, or a second story.

Regardless of what you’re trying to do, keep in mind that you’ll want to go in stages to prevent feeling overwhelmed or hurried. Do as much as your budget will allow and then stop until you can afford the next phase. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you don’t have to complete all of your projects in a day. Making home improvements can be fun and a great family bonding time. Just make sure that you’re doing your projects correctly and right so that you don’t have to hire someone to fix any mistakes that you may have made. These tips should help you to make the best home improvement projects according to your needs and desires.