When a house no longer feels like home, homeowners are left with a big financial and emotional question: renovate or real estate? Love It or List It helps fed-up homeowners decide.

You’ve probably seen enough home renovation shows to demystify the beautification process, and to inspire you to try your hand at updating your own space.

So what are some simple DIY updates you can tackle without professional help? The Love It Or List It design team came up with a few home renovations that are easy enough to try yourself, but that pack enough of a wallop to make a big difference.

• Painting is a fool-proof way to make a big improvement. Applying a few coats of white will refresh, or putting a bold colour on a key wall can add some dramatic flair, and completely alter the mood of a room.
• To add some country character put up some wainscoting. The wood paneling will give an elegant look to an otherwise ordinary room.
• Get rid of your carpets. Rip ‘em up and replace them with pre-finished plywood floors.
• Paint your cabinets to freshen up your kitchen. Just take them down, sand them and give them a couple of coats of paint. When you reinstall the cabinets your kitchen will look updated and clean.
• Updating your hardware, such as knobs in the kitchen, can make a huge difference in the overall look of a room.
• Take down tired old wallpaper and hang new paper to liven up a room. New wallpapers are easy to hang, and can add a bold pattern to liven up and invigorate a room.
• Put in track lighting to brighten up a dark room. All you need is some basic wiring skills to make a big difference in your home.
• Try putting a marble or granite tile around your fireplace.
• Hang some interesting wall coverings. Roman blinds have a very upscale look, and are a great way to add colour and pattern to a room. Shutters are a little pricier but another easy way to update a room.
• Reframe and switch up your hanging art to alter the look of your living room. If you have two pictures that are too small for a space, hang them side by side. Or stagger pictures, rather than hang them in a straight line.
• Put up a tile backsplash in the kitchen. It’s a small detail, but it will add great style to the room.
• Install some French doors between your living and dining room. The elegant double doors will add elegance, while the windows will allow access between the rooms.
• New baseboards will give your home a clean and elegant look.
• Change your light switches and switch plates for an updated look.
• If you have a small space with a closet change the regular doors to mirrored doors. It will open up the space and provide more light.