Is your NYC apartment feeling dated? Here are five home improvement projects that will boost your home’s value without costing you a lot of money.

1. Refresh Your Kitchen

A kitchen refresh is one of those home improvement projects that, if done well, can increase your apartment’s value. Short on funds? No problem. There are plenty of affordable ways to improve your kitchen.

If your cabinets look outmoded, replacing the hardware is a simple update. For a whole new look, consider repainting them. This Old House’s comprehensive guide to painting your cabinets will get you started.

Are your floors or counters the problem? Given the petite size of NYC kitchens, replacing dated flooring or counters may be an affordable solution. Visit your local home improvement store to explore your options.

Consider replacing old appliances with energy-efficient models, too. For functional, but mismatched appliances, new faces will help everything coordinate. A beautiful new faucet lends a more modern look, too.

2. Repaint Your Walls

Are your walls dingy or painted in drab colors? New paint is an easy and cost effective way to instantly refresh your apartment.

If you’re thinking of selling your home, choose neutral paint colors that will appeal to many buyers. Keep in mind that neutral doesn’t have to mean white. Coco Kelley rounded up the best non-white neutral paint colors to get you started.

3. Install New Lighting

One of our favorite easy home improvement projects is installing new lighting. The right lights will truly enhance your home, and what buyer doesn’t love a light-flooded apartment?

A combination of ambient, task, and accent lighting will make the most of your space, so make a plan before you make any purchases. Ambient or overhead lights, such as cans, pendants, or chandeliers, will brighten the entire room. Task lighting, such as table or floor lamps next to a sofa, allow you to read and perform other work easily. Ambient lighting, such lights on a built-in bookcase, is a wonderful way to highlight your apartment’s features.

Not sure where to start? Stop by The Light House to get inspired and for professional advice from their knowledgeable staff.

4. Modernize Your Bathroom

A dingy, dated bathroom is an automatic turnoff for buyers. Thankfully, small changes in the bathroom can have a huge impact.

The goal should be to make your bathroom look as clean and fresh as possible. Simple updates like replacing the toilet seat, updating cabinetry hardware, or installing a new towel rod will go a long way toward accomplishing this.

Check out your shower and floors next. For grout that’s gouged or crumbling, you can regrout. Is the grout okay, but dirty looking? A grout renewal product, like Polyblend Grout Renew, can have an amazing impact. If the floor is a total mess, replace it or cover it with inexpensive peel and stick tiles.

Don’t forget to replace dated or leaky plumbing fixtures, like the faucet or shower head, too.

5. Add Closet Organizing Systems

A perennial problem with most NYC apartments is the lack of closet space. However, you can easily enhance a small closet with the right organizing system.

Installing a good closet organizing system can double your closet space, as well as make the most of unused areas, like the backs of doors. These systems range in price from inexpensive wire shelving from Target to expensive custom designs. Stop by your local Container Store for inspiration and for help getting started.

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