Adding curb appeal to your home may seem like a daunting task, especially if you do not have a green thumb.
You don't have to have intricately manicured hedges and extensive flower beds constantly requiring weeding in order to have good curb appeal.
Here are a few ways to easily add curb appeal to your home.
photo courtesy of one2c900d flickr.com/photos/72861652@N00/2969249189/Grass
Your grass should be cut on a regular basis.
It should have few weeds and should not have any brown or dead spots.
If you are having problems keeping your grass mowed or looking healthy, consider hiring a yard cutting service, researching care instructions on your particular type of grass, or hiring a company to treat your lawn for whatever is causing it to not stay green.
Clean
Just as the inside of your home should be clean, so should the outside for good curb appeal.
Pick up any kids toys and lawn equipment.
Pressure wash the exterior of your home.
Sweep or blow off your front porch and walkway.
Wash your windows and doors.
Front Door
Your front door can welcome people to your home and set the expectation for the interior of your home.
Make sure your door is clean and in good shape.
Consider painting it a fun color to stand out and not look like all of your neighbors' front doors.
Add a nice door mat to add curb appeal.
Disguise the Ugly
Make sure to disguise the less than beautiful parts of your home.
Such things to disguise include an air conditioning unit, power poles, your trash can storage location, or a neighbor's ugly fence.
You can cover items by using plants and/or fencing.
Doorbell
Your doorbell is probably the first thing people touch when visiting your home.
Why not upgrade it to something special to add curb appeal?
Hardware stores carry a few doorbells, but look online for a doorbell that is really special and unique.
House Numbers
Add unique house numbers to your front door, on your mailbox, painted on a large flower pot, or attached to your house.
The numbers can be larger than usual, in a unique color, or in a unique font.
Mulch
Mulch helps plants retain moisture, keeps weeds away, and looks nice.
Add new mulch to your flower beds at least twice per year for good curb appeal.
Flowers
When planting flowers or flowering bushes in front of your home, you need to recognize whether they will be seen from a distance or close up.
The flowers close to your front door will be seen close up while the ones closer to the street will be seen from a distance.
The flowers seen close up can be unique and special specimens.
The ones seen from a distance should be clustered in groups to make a bold statement while someone is driving by.
Select flowers that bloom at different times of the year so you always have something in bloom.
Trees
Trees can add curb appeal to your home.
When selecting a tree for your front yard, make sure to research its site requirements and full grown size.
Ensure that your full grown tree will not interfere with the foundation of your house, overhead power lines, or other items.
Exterior Lighting
Exterior lighting allows your home to have curb appeal during the day and at night.
Not only does it look good, but it also increases safety.
Upgrade your front porch lights and coach lights and add landscape lighting for increased curb appeal.
Mailbox
If you have a mailbox outside your home, consider painting it, replacing it with something more elegant, or adding a few flowers around it.
Window Boxes and Shutters
If your home is lacking architectural interest, consider adding window boxes or shutters for added curb appeal.
Window Treatments
Window treatments should look the same on all windows from the outside.
You should not have red curtains in one window and white blinds in another.
If you use colored curtains, make sure they are lined with a consistent color on all windows.
If you have stained wood blinds, use the same blinds on all windows for consistency.
Brick and Tile
Consider adding brick pavers around your walkway or on either side of your driveway.
You can also tile your front porch for added flair.
Add a Flag
Americans love American flags because it shows patriotism and pride while increasing curb appeal and adding a little color to the front of a home.
