It’s been a weird year so far, and you’d definitely be forgiven for wanting to change things up with a fresh start somewhere new. If this year is your year to find your dream home, then it’s probably time to jazz up your current house and give it some kerb appeal ready for it going on the market.

Buying and selling a house is likely to be one of the biggest and most stressful decisions you’ll make in your life, so it’s important to make the process as easy and quick as possible, right? 

Giving your house the wow factor is probably one of the most important things you can aim for when selling. Wanting a prospective buyer to fall in love with your home as soon as they walk through the door is key for getting the ball rolling, and there are a number of things you can do that are both easy to do and inexpensive. 

Here, we’re going to take a look at how to use glass to improve your home, with a few other quick and easy home improvement tips thrown in for good measure.

Strategically placed mirrors

Mirrors are a fantastic way of creating the illusion of space. If you have a small room or slim hallway, a made to measure mirror placed horizontally can widen an area as well as add light. To that end, if you have an area that doesn’t really get all that much natural light, placing a mirror opposite a window can really brighten it up as it’s reflected around the room. 

One thing to avoid with mirrors when trying to sell your home, is placing them directly opposite a door way, particularly your front door. Being greeted by an unexpected vision of yourself can make some people uncomfortable, so it’s always best to steer clear if you can. Despite their purpose, making mirrors as inconspicuous as possible is the key. If you want some more handy tips on using mirrors in your home, check out our blog post on how to use mirrors to maximise space. 

Let the light flow with glazed internal doors

Whilst it’s not necessarily one of the cheapest things to do, replacing solid internal doors with glazed doors is a great way to create a flow of natural light around your home. This is particularly useful for houses with a more linear structure such as terraces which can fall victim to dark spots as the day moves on. 

Creating a light, bright atmosphere in your home not only makes it feel bigger, it can also be quite calming. Unless you’re looking for a project, you’ll know as a buyer how important getting that “feel” for a place really is and maximising the light is a great way to do this.

Replace wooden shelves with glass shelving

Much like solid doors, solid furniture can become a bit of a sticking point when it comes to blocking out natural light, creating giant shadows and dark spots in a room. If for example you have a large bookcase that takes up a lot of wall space, not only can this be quite imposing, it can also make a room feel smaller as it likely draws a lot of focus. Replacing solid shelves with a series of glass shelves will not only help increase light flow but will add a modern, sleek touch to the room too. 

Replace grubby tiles with a glass splashback

If your kitchen or bathroom tiles are looking a little worn out and in need of a refresh, replacing them with a glass splashback can actually be a much quicker and cheaper solution. The kitchen in particular is one room that most buyers will focus a lot of attention on, so it’s important for the first impression to be a good one. 

Often, the tiles are a big focal point and if they’re a little outdated or not in the best state, a potential buyer may see that as a job that needs doing, which could put some people off. Not only that, with cleaner lines and a fuss free design, a glass splashback can really add a modern edge to a kitchen with minimal effort, as well as provide a more practical solution compared to tiles when it comes to cleaning.

Clean your windows!

OK, this one might seem like an obvious one, but it really can make a huge difference. Increasing kerb appeal is a massive thing when it comes to selling your house and the state of your windows is a big deal when it comes to this. You want the outside of your house to make the best first impression it can and as your windows are a big part of the exterior, it makes sense to ensure they look their best. But don’t just give the glazing a clean, give the frames a scrub too if you can! If they’re wooden frames, a fresh coat of paint or stain will definitely help. 

But it’s not just about the outside, making sure your windows are clean can have a big impact on the interior, too. It’s surprising how much natural light can be lost when windows are smeared or dirty, and if you hadn’t guessed already, natural light is probably one of the biggest things that will help sell your house. Check out our article on glass cleaning tips for what we think are some of the best ways to get those windows looking sparkly and fresh. 

Other ways to make your house more appealing

While products such as mirrors, splashbacks and glass shelves can help add appeal to your home for a relatively small amount of money, there are loads of other things you can do quickly and cheaply, so here are some of our favourite ideas:

Decorate in neutral colours – Give your walls a fresh coat of paint and provide prospective buyers with a blank canvas for their own ideas. While decorating to your own personal taste is great, it may not appeal to others.

Switch up your switches – This may not be something that even crossed your mind but replacing old light switches and plug sockets with new ones can be a great way to add to the fresh factor for not much money at all.

Refresh your front door – As we’ve already mentioned, kerb appeal really matters and while replacing your front door may not be a particularly cheap job, it can actually add value to your home, not only from an aesthetics point of view but from a security standpoint, too. If however, your budget won’t stretch to a new front door but you have a wooden one, giving it a fresh coat of paint will certainly help.

Add a shed to your garden – While it’s unlikely to add value, it can definitely be a selling point. Even if it’s just a little one, it will also give you somewhere to stash all of the bits and bobs that you’ve accumulated in the garden in the meantime – helping to make the most of the space on offer. 

We hope you’ve found our tips useful and good luck with the sale!