Within the span of one week, two clients called with the same question:

What home improvement project should I tackle first?

We were all mid-lockdown and folks were getting stir-crazy, stuck inside and seeing all the potential DIY home projects. And finally having the time to do something about it.

I answered with a few questions:

1. How long do you plan to stay in your home?

2. What area of the home do you use the most?

3. What finished project would you get the most joy out of while you live there?

Their answers:

1. Less than 2 years.

2. The kitchen.

3. Insulating the top floor and having a nicer kitchen.

Of course there were tons more ideas on their list:

• Adding an upstairs bathroom

• Finishing the basement

• Overhauling the yard

But these three simple questions really helped us hone in on the areas of focus so we could make their investment count - both while they live there and when it comes time to sell.

So now we something to work with: getting quotes for blown-in insulation to make wintertime more bearable on the second floor. And prioritzing what parts of the kitchen to tackle first, knowing this could be a much bigger project if they chose.

For the kitchen, the priority was to have more functional space. The old chimney made the layout somewhat choppy, so we decided to start there: removing the chimney.

The next kitchen project was the floors - old vinyl. Since the house is from the 1930s, I suggested to take a sample of the floor at the heat register and get it tested for asbestos, as this top vinyl layer could likely be covering something underneath.

Within a week they had results: no asbestos!

That opened up the options (and the budget) significantly since now the 2 layers of old flooring could safely be removed and replaced with something nicer.

My clients decided to go with hardwoods, so we referred them to a trusted hardwood floor expert who specializes in older homes.

In just a few short months, and for under $10,000, my clients made impactful changes to their home that they’ll enjoy the next 2 years and that will add value when they sell.

How have you decided which projects to tackle first? What were your biggest wins? Which home improvement projects have you most enjoyed once finished? Share your experience with us in the comments below!