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10 Affordable Landscaping Ideas to Add Curb Appeal To Your House
From inexpensive lighting to repaving your driveway, we’ve got smart, affordable tips to make the front of your home look its best.
“It’s on the inside that counts” are wise words, unless you’re talking about selling a home! In that instance, what's on the outside matters just as much. If you’re trying to sell your home, you’ll want to make sure it has some curb appeal. One way to do this is to focus on landscaping. While you could spend thousands of dollars hiring a company for a full overhaul, there are some affordable ways to spruce up your home’s landscaping look.
1) Trim Overgrown Trees and Bushes
Trim away branches or overgrown trees so the exterior of your home looks tidy and neat. Overgrown shrubs and trees can make your home look sloppy and rundown. Also, if you remove branches that block windows, you’ll get more light on the inside of your home.
2) Reseal or Replace Driveway
Don’t overlook your driveway - often this takes up a lot of real estate at the front of your home. Rough weather can wreak havoc on your driveway, showing unsightly cracks and holes. This can be a simple DIY project with the help of a crack filler and some asphalt.
3) Add Potted Plants to Your Front Steps
Instead of digging into your lawn, an easy way to bring more greenery to the front of your home is by having a large planter (or two) by your front door. Ferns, soft needle conifers, or depending on your climate - cacti, all work well for this.
4) Create a Walkway with Natural Slate Tiles
Having a path to your front door creates a nice aesthetic for the exterior of your home. If you have just concrete or overgrown grass, cover it up with natural slate tiles. On average, you can find 12x12 tiles that are less than $2 per square foot at most home improvement stores.
5) Add a Window Box
This is another simple way to have some flowers or plants outside your home. Adding a window box will make the window look bigger, and bright colored florals can make your home stand out.
6) Keep a Minimalistic Garden
If you have a green thumb, you may think that having an elaborate garden will make a great impression on home buyers. However, for people who don’t have that talent, a garden like this can overwhelm them. Instead, plant a neat, simple garden featuring flowering shrubs or dwarfed evergreens that don’t take too much work to maintain.
7) Plant Flower Beds
You don’t have to overdo this one, but having some beautiful flowers at the front of your home will majorly up your curb appeal. For a clean look, focus on one or two colors and types of flowers. Plant them along the front border of your home, or along the pathway leading to your front door.
8) Add Some Solar Lighting Panels
For your house to stand out day and night, landscape lighting is needed. However, there’s an affordable way to do this using solar lighting panels. They’re charged by the sun, so no electricity or complicated wiring is needed. We’re fans of these ones from Nature Springs. Simply stick the stakes in the ground to illuminate your walkway.
9) Fertilize Your Grass
Dead or overgrown grass is a sure way to turn people off from wanting to view your home. After mowing the lawn, make sure it’s watered deeply a few days before. Using a spreader will work best. Purchase a bag of fertilizer for less than $20, and this will make a world of difference.
10) Prune Your Shrubs
Shrubs can add depth and beauty to your front landscape, but if you’ve been neglecting them, they’ll do the opposite. Grab some pruning scissors, and you can change the whole look of your front yard. Cut back any dead or sickly looking stems and branches. Keep your shrubs uniform in size and no higher than waist-length for a polished look.
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