Five No Cost or Low Cost Ways to Boost Your Home's Curb Appeal

Creating good curb appeal  can be as involved as a new facade or as easy as fresh mulch depending on your time and budget. 

But what if your budget is slim to none?  Check out these 5 low cost solutions that you can accomplish in just one afternoon...

1. Make a statement with color.  Painting your front door is an easy way to draw attention to the front of your home and show off some personality.  I've recently seen a few examples of this trend around town that definitely serve to inspire, such as a lovely white cape with black shutters and a bright yellow door.   Take it a step further and coordinate your mailbox, shutters, window trim or window boxes!
2. Cut it back.  Over grown shrubs look unkempt from the street and block light inside.  I say cut them back!   Don't be shy, grab your clippers and trim large shrubs to expose your windows or other details of your home that are being blocked.  Don't worry, in most cases, overgrown shrubs are hardy enough to handle a major haircut.  Take it a step further and try your hand at the art of topiary!
3. Pull out the weeds!  Removing weeds will instantly make your home look more polished and tidy.  Keeping these unwanted invaders away is as easy as laying down a sheet of landscaping fabric or newspaper and then adding a layer of mulch on top.   If that is more work then wanted, enlist some help and pay a local teen a few dollars or add this once a week task to your own child's list of chores.  Take it a step further and try planting a quick growing ground cover like creeping myrtle or pachysandra to help keep weeds at bay. 
4. Rearrange your plantings.   You've heard of redesign for the interior of your home, now try it outside.  Right now is the best time to dig up shrubs or split hardy perennials and move them around.   Stand in front of your home and determine where you'd like to draw the eye; a little sweat equity will go along way in creating beautiful garden focal points.  When relocating plants just make sure to keep the plants light requirements in mind and plant accordingly.  Take it a step further and start a perennial plant swap with your neighbors...a clump of this for a clump of that!
5. Use container gardens.  If cutting out new planting beds or digging things up is just more then you'd like to take on, you can use container gardens in the same way.  A strategically placed pot or grouping of pots can create a focal point, help define an area or screen off an unsightly one.  Take it a step further and visit top ten reasons to container garden  to further investigate this viable option.

Try all of these ideas and your home will not only  look better, but you'll be increasing its value as well.  If you happen to be selling, good curb appeal can be the difference between a sale or not; a great looking outside is the best way to get potential buyers inside.  Not selling, then go for it...I love homes with personality in their curb appeal.  Do you have a funky fun color on your door or a great "found" object in your garden?  I'd love to hear about how you make your home unique to your family so drop me a line!

Jennifer Napolitano operates  JNdesign Decorating~Staging~Redesign www.jndesign.info
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