20+ cheap ways to immediately boost your home's curb appeal

Whether you rent or own your home, curb appeal matters as its everyone's first impression. Given a person's home is often one's largest expense, it pays to invest in it -- not just for you but the potential value down the road, whether that's higher resale value or paying less back to your landlord once you move out.
The good news? There are dozens of easy, budget-friendly upgrades you can do on your home to instantly boost curb appeal. These projects are not only doable by the average homeowner but also can be fun! You'll have a piece of your home (literally) that you'll be proud of everyday. Plus, it will make for immediate conversation when guests are over. Keep reading and learn more about these tricks of the trade:
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1. Upgrade your door knocker
You may not have the budget of a king, but you can still have your home look like it's made for one! Gold or brass door knockers like the one below can be purchased on the cheap. To save more money, you can even find a used one from a thrift store and spray paint the hardware instead. Pro tip: Rust-oleum metallic spray paint adheres well to brass.
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2. Invest in solar powered lights
Adding a warm glow to interior decor doesn’t have to come with a large price tag. Using materials readily available in the home, you'll find it simple to create a solar-powered jar light that creates a welcoming ambiance while helping the environment. Get the full tutorial here.
3. Use stylish planters
Give an outdoor DIY planter project dual purpose by designing a display that also works as a hose holder. Keep gardening essentials well-organized while providing a place for flowers to bloom in eye-catching hues. Pallet wood provides the foundation and a wood stain gives the final product a sleek look. With flowers planted on top and the hose wrapped up below, this is a project that's made for the patio and one that’s sure to inspire the neighbors. Get the step by step instructions at DIY Candy.​
4. Give your front door a makeover
Bring an old brown door back to life with a paint makeover. This tutorial by Anika's DIY Life proves that you can give your door a fresh coat of paint without ever actually removing it! Cheers to easy, lazy, but effective DIYs!
5. Wrap skimpy columns
Does the front of your home have ugly, skimpy-looking columns? Don't worry. This tutorial by Addicted 2 Decorating shows you how to wrap these columns yourself and transform them into sleek, modern columns on the cheap. You'll have your neighbors looking twice!
6. Give your patio a 5-star makeover on the cheap
This makeover by Jenna Sue Design is simply stunning! Transform a drab backyard patio into a 5-star resort on the cheap. Use wood tones and different textured pillows to add warmth to a space. The added fringe canopy provides an element of fun! Freshen up with your favorite plants.
7. Paint your garage door
Over time, your garage door will wear and tear. Some might even show signs of rust. Rather than have the garage door be an eyesore, turn it around with a fresh coat of paint. Pro tip: You'll likely want to do at least 2 coats of paint, but it's important to let the first coat completely dry (give it about 12-13 hours) before applying the second coat.
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8. Install porch curtains
Adding some simple white curtains can give a dramatic, statement look to a house. These curtains immediately makes the home feel more welcoming and bright as you turn the porch area to a true extension of the house. Decorate with your favorite flower pots for that pop of color.
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9. Install a chic white fence
Sometimes a good-looking house is ruined by an old, rusting fence. Need to fear! You can just remove it, and replace it with a chic white vinyl one. This tutorial by DIY Playbook goes over the details. Pro Tip: Given a fence resides right along the property line between your neighbors and you, make sure to have an open conversation with your next door neighbors about this project before doing it!
10. Makeover your mailbox
Upgrading an old mailbox certainly is a simple way to increase curb appeal! Change and old wood post into a beautiful cast stone post. This tutorial by Beneath My Heart shows the detailed step-by-step.
11. Upgrade your welcome mat
This tutorial at Domestic Imperfection demonstrates how you can easily build your own wooden welcome mat on the cheap. The end result is chic, rustic, and modern at the same time, not to mention very durable.
12. Add a window box beneath your windows
Flowers and greenery can make a huge statement in terms of curb appeal. Luckily, adding your own window box does not take much work and is very cheap to do! All you need to do is put together your favorite flowers. This tutorial by Ella Claire Inspired gives you the full walkthrough.
13. Hide your ugly trash cans
This DIY from A Beautiful Mess is simple but genius. Make those no-so-cute trash cans go away (but still be accessible) with this chic custom fence build. It's painted the same color as the exterior of the house, so from the curb, the trash cans are completely invisible.
14. Add a hanging swing chair to a front porch
A hanging swing is the sort of addition on a porch that everyone will gravitate toward. Few things are as idyllic for people as swaying gently while enjoying a good book or glass of wine. A swing certainly turns more heads than run-of-the-mill wicker furniture, but luckily, it’s easy to transform a wicker chair into a swing in as little as an afternoon. Get the full tutorial here.
15. Faux garage door windows
It turns out that adding faux windows to a garage can be super easy, as shown in this tutorial by One Good Thing By Jillie. It's remarkable how some windows immediately add a sense of brightness to the garage door area, as shown in the photo below.
16. DIY cedar cube solar landscape lights
If you've had experience with traditional solar lights (the ones with the spikes), you might be familiar with its flaws: broken ground spikes and clouded solar panels. Luckily, this DIY fixes them and takes solar landscape lights to the next level with this cube design. The tutorial by The Navage Patch walks you through the step-by-step instructions.
17. Hide the electrical box with paint
If you hate looking at the electrical box in the side or back of your house, we are right there with you. This tutorial from Love of Family and Home shows you how you can easily camouflage it from view by matching the color to the exterior of your home.
18. Create a welcoming garden
Never understimate the power of container gardens! By staggering multiple container pots, you can easily create a beautiful garden in the front of your home, backyard, or porch area. Pro tip: The key is to stagger out the pots and use different types of pots to mix and match the textures. This will create a more dramatic, dynamic look and feel.
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19. Add molding to a front door
When your budget is tight, don't forget that a little can go a long way. Molding around a front door is one of these tricks! It easily draws the eye and immediately makes a statement. Make sure to use a contrasting color (i.e. white against the brown door below), so the molding really stands out.
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20. Hang a wreath
No matter the season, hanging a wreath instantly cheers up the front door. For elegant and classy, try this wreath made from old jewelry. For fall and winter vibes, go for this pine cone wreath. For a more whimsical look, try this flower butterfly wreath.
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21. Don't forget the shutters
The following DIY by Bright Green Door took under $100 and just 3 hours. Notice the power of paint, the addition of shutters, and window boxes. What a transformation!
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