When we moved into our first house last year, we wasted no time in writing up a list of all the items around the house that we wanted to replace or upgrade. The bathroom was high on my list, the space was functional and clean but far from inspiring. However, the reality of owning a home meant that items like replacing windows and insulating our crawl space were more immediate concerns than cosmetic touches.
Despite our tight budget, we realized we didn’t have to resign ourselves to a boring space until we could budget enough for a full renovation. Here are a few tips and tricks we used to create a space that we loved without spending tons of money.
Fresh Paint – the number one tip for budget friendly upgrades is always paint, and for good reason! Even just a fresh coat of white paint can instantly brighten up a space. For bathrooms, make sure to choose Kitchen and Bath paint as its meant for high moisture areas and will prevent mildew from forming. You can have it tinted in any colour you can imagine, and it’s available at any local hardware or paint store. Even old and dated tile can be painted, with the right primer and preparation.
Pops of Colour – If you’re not ready to commit to a bold shade on the walls, colourful accessories are your friends. Especially in smaller spaces like bathrooms, you can get a lot of bang for your buck by focusing on eye catching details. Shower curtains, bathmats, towels, soap dispensers, even just replacing the knobs on your vanity can add a big punch of personality.
Clean Grout – The internet is full of great cleaning tips and tricks, and none has made a bigger difference than getting our bathroom grout looking new again. Over time grout can easily get stained and look dingy even when scrubbed clean. For grout discolouration and stuck on grime in the shower, make a paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Scrub the grout lines with a small brush (an old toothbrush works great) and use a damp cloth to buff the mixture against the tiles before rinsing clean. For floor tiles, the best cleaning hack I’ve come across is using Clorox Clinging Gel. Though it’s meant for tough stains on toilets, it got my grout sparkling again with minimal scrubbing. And at only a few dollars a bottle you can’t beat the price!
New Caulking – Redoing the caulking around your tub and toilet can be time consuming but oh so rewarding. There are great tutorials on YouTube that will guide you through the process step by step, most important is making sure to remove all old caulking and clean the area thoroughly before you start. Using painter’s tape to define the area helped me get clean and even lines with minimal effort.
Small Upgrades – While you may not have the funds to completely replace all the fixtures, updating some of the main items can make a massive difference. Our sink and vanity were old and scratched, and no amount of scrubbing could get them looking any better. Updating your vanity, toilet or shower head may still require the help of a professional, but the final cost will be much less than replacing everything all at once. Check out online sites like Varage Sale and Facebook or watch for discount sales at local hardware stores to make your dollars stretch further.
Written By: Sarah Park (sarah@jj.team)