Photo by Valentin Salja on Unsplash
(This guest post was written by Maria Cannon of Hobbyjr.org) Maria created Hobby Jr. to encourage young people to find a hobby they love. Her hobbies include gardening, quilting, sewing, and knitting, which play a major role in maintaining her mental health.)
Living healthier is not just a typical New Year’s Resolution; it’s an ongoing goal for many. By prioritizing the health of your home and making positive changes, you can reach your objective faster. If you aren’t sure where to begin, here are some tips from US Delta Realty.
Picking Improvements
When you’re picking improvements to make, look beyond your needs, especially if you may sell soon. By considering buyer trends, you can select projects with broad appeal, allowing you to increase the value of your home more effectively. By taking photos and keeping receipts, you’ll have an easier time getting top dollar, so make that a priority.
Straightforward DIY Projects
If you’re looking for DIY projects that allow you to prioritize the health of your home and make positive changes, start with the basics. Clutter can lead to higher stress levels and anxiety. As a result, decluttering is an excellent first DIY project.
While you can simply declutter in a way that feels logical, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the idea. If you aren’t sure how to get started, give the KonMari Method a try. It’ll give you a framework to follow, making the project less difficult.
Another great DIY project is an air filter replacement. Your HVAC air filters remove contaminants from the air in your home, but they can only be at their best if they are in good shape. Usually, replacing them only takes a few minutes and requires a few – if any – tools, making it an excellent DIY option.
If you want to give your home a new sense of life and vibrance, introduce plants. Fresh greenery can be a mood booster, allowing you to bring a bit of the outside indoors. If you couple that with new paint, you can transform your space quickly and improve air quality. Select soothing shades to create a sense of calm throughout your house, turning it into a respite.
When to Hire Professionals
Some home upgrades aren’t DIY-friendly. In those cases, you’ll want to bring in professionals to ensure the work is done right.
One great project that can improve the air quality in your home is to add UV to your HVAC. UV light can kill germs, making your house healthier. But since the project is involved and impacts a critical system, work with a skilled HVAC technician instead of tackling it yourself.
Remodeling your kitchen to give you more room for creating healthy meals is also a good choice. Since it’s an enormous undertaking, this one is better left in the hands of professionals. Once you’re ready to begin, look for a skilled plumber if you need to repair, replace, or relocate pipes. Since you’ll pay around $45 to $150 per hour, make sure you read reviews and choose a licensed and insured plumber. That way, you’ll get your money’s worth.
Paying for Home Improvements
Many homeowners can’t afford to cover the cost of their home improvements out of pocket. If you’re in that category and wondering how to refinance a house, then you may want to explore financing options.
While options like a personal loan or credit card may be easiest, they aren’t always ideal if you want the best interest rate. If you want a better rate, going with cash-out refinancing or HELOC could be a wiser choice.
With a cash-out refinance, you’ll get a new mortgage that’s larger than your current loan, and you get to receive the difference between your current balance and the new loan amount in cash, giving you money to spend. HELOCs are a separate line of credit that’s tied to your home’s equity, allowing you to tap the value of your house without a completely new mortgage.