Save money on bathroom updates and remodels.
All home improvements, including updates to a bathroom, can be expensive. But more often than not, the money you spend on this part of your home will increase the house’s resale value, and it will pay for itself. Find some tips and methods for saving money on updates to your bathroom. Or find information on government loans and grants from HUD that can help a low income family pay for a bathroom update.
First ask yourself if you want to improve your bathroom and turn it into somewhere you “love” (if it is possible to love a bathroom!) rather than a place you have no choice but to visit occasionally? Note the following cost-effective tips and update its style.
Overhaul grout
First of all, for a remodel, stay away from Tile. But is your bathroom tiled now, if it is, do the following? New tiles look fresh with shiny white grouting between them. As they age, however, stains and mold nestle where clean lines used to be. Buy a grout pen, which can be bought for under $10, from your local DIY store to remedy the problem.
Use government assistance to help pay for bathroom updates
These programs are generally income based. A low income household, or one run by a senior citizen, the disabled, or someone who lives in rural America, may be able to get Housing and Urban Development (HUD) subsidized grants or loans to pay for a bathroom update.
There is a federal government Home Repair program. This gives low interest rate loans for needed repairs, so if the house (or bathroom) is not safe or can’t be used.
The disabled may also be able to get financial help to pay for bathroom updates or modifications. These programs are intended to pay things to make it friendly and safe for someone with a physical or mental disability. The funds can be for things like grab bars for a shower, make the bathroom wheelchair accessible, lowering light switches or making other changes to them, and countless other things to make it safe and disabled friendly. Read more on disability assistance.
Medicaid may help pay for bathroom updates. This will often be for low income families or those that live in, or close to, poverty. The Home Care program is intended to allow the occupant to continue to live in their home vs. going to a nursing home or some other facility. As part of this, there may be some grants to pay for updates to the bathroom.
De-clutter your bathroom
The first step is to get rid of clutter, which is free to do. It will look cleaner, fresher, and maybe even brighter. Bathrooms often contain half-used, out-of-date goods that have outlived their purpose. Get rid of junk, such as do you want to keep the shower cap with the frilly trim your cousin gave you last Christmas? Or hang onto five pairs of nail clippers? Keep only attractive, useful goods, and you'll notice an improvement already.
Look for free bathroom items
There are some places or online sites, such as Craiglist and others, in which you can buy very low income bathroom accessories, maybe find free items, get coupons, and more. Maybe you can find a an old, gently used piece of furniture for say a vanity. Or a decent mirror to hang on your bathroom wall. Using various sources of items will allow you to shop around and save money, and find a listing of where to get free stuff.
Exchange old essentials for newer models
Old small essentials, which are much cheaper to replace, like toilet roll holders, light pulls, and bath mats might be jaded and sad-looking. Swap them for new accessories and your bathroom will enjoy an instant upgrade. You can freshen up your bathroom on the cheap at places like Target, Wal-Mart, or shop online at Amazon. Other necessities to change include bath towels, toothbrush containers, flannels, and soap dishes. Much of these goods are budget friendly and can be bought for $10-$100 in total.
Do you need a fresh shower curtain? If so, then get two, so they open in the middle when in place. Their theatrical appearance will provide a little flair to your bathroom, and a shower curtain is also very budget friendly at $10 to $20 each. Make sure they are heavy duty, anti-wrinkle, and luxurious.
Your bathroom may also benefit from a new mirror--the larger, the better. Big mirrors add light and evoke spaciousness. You might like to frame the mirror with molding or trim. Add a downlight over your new acquisition unless the room is already bright.
Has your bathroom medicine cabinet seen better days? Another way to freshen up is to give it a makeover. Improve it using spray paint on the outside and wallpaper within. Also, stick a metallic strip inside the cabinet door to hold small metal items like bobby pins.
Add life to the bathroom, which is inexpensive to do
Bring life into the bathroom in the form of paint color and plants. Boston ferns, orchids, spider plants, and peace lilies find bathrooms agreeable as they don't mind the moist atmosphere, and a plant may be as cheap as a few dollars. Put small plants in suction cup shower caddies and move them around as you see fit.
When selecting a color to paint walls, consider whether you want to enliven the room, bringing vigor and zing, or introduce a calming ambiance to aid peaceful relaxation. A fresh, brighter paint can make the bathroom look cleaner and more spacious. If you like the first idea, sunshine yellow is an excellent choice. Then again, organic green tamed with white is revitalizing. Blue with white is suitable too if you want to generate a relaxing, fresh atmosphere.
Bathroom storage
Freestanding towel rails, trolleys, and cabinets are useful items in the bathroom, allowing you to store bottles, tubs, and other knick-knacks you need to carry out ablutions. Many of these items are also budget friendly. Likewise, seagrass drawers and wicker baskets hide items you need not display. Free up space by tidying accessories and the room will appear larger.
If you're working with a small bathroom and need storage space, put a bookshelf above the door for rarely used items. Use spice racks for little things that can be hard to sift through when piled together.
No room for towels? Gain space by rolling them and store them in a basket. Or consider an over-the-door towel rail or coat hooks mounted on a wooden strip on the wall.
You need not spend much money to update your bathroom. The tips above, some of which may be under $5 each, can add more life to the room and they are very budget friendly. They can apply to low income families or those living check to check. Note the tips mentioned and transform its appearance for the better without denting your rainy-day fund.
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