With the beginning of March comes thoughts of spring cleaning, so it feels like a good time to put aside the fear and guilt and get moving on some of those resolutions. Today I’m bringing in a guest with expertise in the field of home improvement, and she’s going to give us some frugal ideas for where to begin on updating your kitchen. Be sure to read to the bottom for Jillian’s bio. Take it away, Jillian!
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| Image Credit: Ikea |
This year when you’re doing your annual spring cleaning, don’t just clear out the clutter from your kitchen; –make it better by improving the organization, updating the design, and maybe even doing a bit of renovation.
Here are several great ideas to make your kitchen the best room in the house.
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| Image Credit: Ikea |
Organize(rs for) your drawers.
How many times have you cleaned out your drawers and made everything look fantastic, only to open them a few weeks later and discover that everything has gotten cluttered again? No system is perfect, but there are some great drawer organization systems that can go a long way towards helping. Ikea offers these simple drawer organizers that help you to divide your cabinets with clean lines, and several manufacturers are even applying this idea to dinnerware with pegged dish organizers. You can move the pegs around as you need to fit your particular plates, bowls, and saucers, and never worry about where they’re supposed to go.
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| My mom’s kitchen after recent updates (note the mirror and newly painted cabinets) |
Do it with mirrors.
Everyone knows that mirrors work wonders at making spaces feel bigger, but few people think to use this knowledge in their kitchen. If you have a cramped cooking area, you can make it appear larger by adding in a mirrored backsplash. You’ll open the space up with reflections and create a brighter, cleaner look.
Provide a facelift.
Redoing your entire kitchen can be prohibitively expensive, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t use frugal tips to make it look like a new room. Convince people that you replaced your cabinetry by getting new doors. Some places even offer them unfinished for as little as $9.95 per door! Alternatively, you could paint your current doors a different color and simply pick up some fancy new hardware. 
Sink and faucet.
Another piece of hardware that can make a big impact is your sink and faucet. Change out both, and you can have a truly different look in your kitchen, especially if you’re going from a traditional metal sink to one made of stone, china, or even glass. Of course, some sinks can cost in the thousands. For many, that’s probably too expensive, so if that’s you, make an impression with a new designer faucet. You can even help the environment by getting one that’s low-flow.
Hang around.
One great way to get organized and revitalize the look of your kitchen is to utilize the vertical space – especially the space underneath counters. If you’re really feeling in the mood to change things up, you can get a cabinet that suspends your microwave over the stove and free up more of the counter. Those looking for something a bit easier, though, may want to try a hanging pot rack or a hanging wine rack.
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| Image Credit: Ikea |
Change out your chairs.
If you have a small table in your kitchen or a breakfast bar, the kind of seating you use can make a big statement about the room. Are you stately and refined, or sleek and modern? Even changing out something seemingly small like your seating can greatly affect the overall look and feel of your kitchen. Perhaps just as important, smaller chairs can give you more space and make your kitchen feel bigger than it really is.
About the author: Jillian Watkinson is a DIY expert and has written about home and gardens for many years. You can find other examples of her writing on The Design Inspirationalist, The Kitchen Blog, and Pegasus Lighting. When she’s not writing, you can find her covering Community Home Supply and other useful supply companies for various projects.
Editor’s note: This post is part of LHITS DIY Linky and The Homestead Barn Hop