Home improvement projects have seen a massive increase in popularity, and now many homeowners are focusing on cost-effective upgrades that don't require a lot of time or money.

Here are some of our favorite ideas.

Improve your lighting

Lighting is an important part of setting the mood at home. Make sure you’re using LED bulbs if you aren’t already—LED bulbs save energy, provide better lighting, and generate much less heat than traditional bulbs, plus they're easy to get your hands on. 

One of the best methods to improve your home’s lighting is a technique known as “layering light.” Layering light involves utilizing three types of lighting in tandem: ambient lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting. So string up some festive twinkle lights and enjoy a book under the soft glow of a mood-boosting lamp.

Install a filtered shower head

Filtered shower heads are all the rage right now and for good reason! Filtered shower heads remove heavy metals and other unwanted minerals commonly found in shower water. Softer, cleaner water is known to help improve hair and skin health. Plus, filtering shower water can help reduce the mineral buildup commonly found in showers.

Installing a filtered shower head is incredibly easy and can be accomplished in minutes. Most shower heads can be removed by using a wrench to untighten the fixture. Then, simply twist the old shower head off of the pipe. Apply plumbing tape around the shower pipe thread and attach the new shower head, tightening it with the wrench. How many showers per day is too many? Asking for a friend...

Add a bidet to your toilet

Adding a bidet to your toilet is well worth the cost and incredibly easy. Not only do bidets help reduce toilet paper use, they also help keep your behind squeaky clean. Bidets can decrease toilet paper use by 75%, saving you money and storage space—no need to stock up on TP like before!

There are several affordable bidet brands that will get the job done, and installing a bidet is fairly easy. In most cases, simply turn off the valve by the plumbing line that supplies water to your toilet’s tank, then connect your new bidet to the existing plumbing line. Rinse and repeat.

Grow indoor plants

Decorating your home with indoor plants is an excellent way to introduce a soothing color palate and introduce a natural element inside. On top of that, having plants in your home has been proven to offer several health benefits such as mood improvement, stress and fatigue reduction, plus focus enhancement. Some indoor plants can even boost air quality!

We recommend starting off with low-maintenance indoor plants. Spider plants, peace lilies, and classic succulents are some of our favorites. 

Enhance your outdoor space

Enhancing your outdoor space is nearly as important as upgrading your interior. 

One of the best cost-effective ways to enhance your outdoor space is to add flowers or set up an edible garden. Grow flowers near your home's entrance to introduce more color and boost that curb appeal. The bumble bees and butterflies will thank you! Plus, guests will feel even more welcome, and you'll have a nice view outside your windows. 

Upgrade your outdoor faucet

Updating your outdoor faucets is one of the best upgrades you can make—House Hydrants are easy to use and also look great. Aquor's House Hydrants are sleek, flush-mount water valves that make accessing water a breeze. With a simple push and twist of the included hose connector, you can access water in seconds. Unplugging the connector instantly stops water flow and allows leftover water to drain.

House Hydrants are the only residential outdoor faucets containing zero lead. They are composed of durable stainless steel and provide superior freeze protection, plus the hydrant body is backed by a lifetime warranty.

The installation process is fairly simple and almost identical to a typical outdoor faucet replacement. Feeling handy? Install the hydrants yourself. You can also hire a local plumber to install the faucets for you. 

So what are you waiting for? Let’s make home even better.