Easy Home Upgrades You Can Do on a Budget

Pick from our round-up of value-boosting upgrades that all come in under the $300 mark—some well under. Not only will they be soft on your wallet now, but some of these will even save you money in the future. Check out our easy home improvement ideas below.

Refresh Your Rooms With Paint

You can give your drab, washed-out walls a burst of brilliant depth (or wash away your decorating sins with virgin white) just by picking up a paint can and having at them. That's the power of a coat of paint: It rearranges your reality. Which is why painting is the most oft-tackled DIY home-improvement upgrade.

While you don't have to be a pro to learn how to paint like one, there is more to a good paint job than just slathering some colour on the wall. See our how-to instructions to coat your walls expertly in one weekend, from the first scratch of the pole sander to the final feather of the brush.