Everyone talks about the various home renovations that increase the resale value of your home, but what about the ones that just make you happier in your own space? Don’t you deserve good lighting and lower energy bills as much as the next person who lives in your house? Of course, you do!

If you think about it, any updates you might make in preparation for a sale will be heavily influenced by your own tastes anyway, so why not make them for yourself? Here’s a list of home upgrades to make your home the most comfortable place possible for you and your family.

Focus on the Heart of Your Home

Where’s the one room of your home where the most living happens? For some families, the kitchen is where the meals get eaten and the homework gets done. In other homes, the living room, den or screened-in patio may be where the family gathers. Identify the room where most of your memories are made, and spend your resources to bolster the living experience you have in that space.

Make Small Repairs

Even if you’re completely satisfied with the floorplan, space and overall design of your house, chances are there are some little things keeping you from living your best life. On the flip side, if you’re hoping to make some major renovations eventually, but not quite yet, making those minor fixes can help you feel that much closer to achieving your dream home. Some small inconveniences you can address may include:

• Removing cracked and peeling wallpaper.
• Replacing broken tiles.
• Landscaping and outdoor caretaking.
• Replacing old or malfunctioning appliances.
• Repairing leaky pipes.

Consider the dramatic improvement to your quality of life when you no longer need to wash your dishes in the bathtub because of the leak under your kitchen sink and start crossing items off the to-do home repairs list.

Install Energy-saving Technology

If you’re planning to stay in your home for a long time, then you don’t want to miss out on the long-term savings of eco-friendly upgrades. Energy-efficient appliances like a high-quality freezer and refrigerator will keep your consumables fresher longer, potentially saving you hundreds on your grocery bill each year. Additionally, installing solar panels may be a large up-front expense, but you’ll be around long after they’re paid for, and you’ll reap the benefits of lower monthly utility bills for years to come.

Customize Your Cabinetry

Another stylish, yet functional upgrade is a cabinet refurbish or renovation project. If you just want to modernize your current cabinetry, some new stain or paint goes a long way toward a fresh look. However, if you need better quality cabinets that offer more storage, then let a professional come in and customize your kitchen to your specifications. Maximize your space with a pull-out pantry, divided drawers and ceiling-high cabinets. Spring for the style you love because you get to live with it every day for the foreseeable future.

Convert Your Countertops

Are you still preparing food on the same generic countertops that were installed when you purchased your home? You keep ogling over gorgeous soapstone or granite, but you can’t bring yourself to make the commitment. What are you waiting for? Just make sure you do a little research into the cleaning and maintenance for the material you choose and take the plunge.

Light Up Your Life

One of the most common recommendations for resale preparation is to update the lighting. Does that mean everyone not selling a house is cooking, shaving and sitting around in bad lighting? Hopefully, not! Adequate light not only allows you to see while performing daily tasks but also impacts your mood and allows your brain to function optimally.

Additionally, changing out your light fixtures allows you to bring in the style elements you love while making a practical enhancement to your everyday life. For example, under-cabinet lighting can give you a squint-free food prep experience while also setting a relaxed mood for your evening wind-down routine.

When deciding how to maximize your lighting budget, pay attention to those key spaces where you perform your daily tasks. Particularly, bathrooms, home offices and kitchens benefit from additional or enhanced lighting sources.

Fabulize Your Flooring

When you enter your home, the floor is your first invitation. It’s key to the look and feel of the entire space, and if it doesn’t make you feel welcome, warm and cozy, chances are your family and friends don’t feel that way either. So, you should invest in the flooring you love most, whether that’s hardwood, laminate, carpet or tile. Also, for that extra homey feel in a colder climate, consider heated flooring in high traffic areas like the kitchen and living room. You’ll never want to put your feet up again.

Go Closet Crazy

Is too much closet space really a thing? No way! Sure, a potential buyer may not appreciate that you’ve turned two out of four bedrooms and your formal dining room into walk-in closets, but you’re not selling, so who cares? Seriously though, if you need the extra space, you can convert any room into a closet easily enough with a few stand-alone shelves or clothes racks. Or, if you want a more permanent solution to your storage problem, ask yourself “what would Carrie Bradshaw do?” and build a space for your shoes that’s so beautiful, you’ll never want to leave

Call the Electric Company

If you want to make some upgrades on a tighter budget, think about the minor inconveniences you want to address. Would you like to add an extra ceiling fan or two to make your daily life a little more comfortable? Maybe you want to put a coffee bar in your master bedroom but you need an extra outlet on a wall where there isn’t one. Call an electrician out to see what small changes you can make for a lower cost than a full renovation project.

Don’t wait until it’s time to sell to make your home a luxurious oasis. Go ahead and make the upgrades that make you happy.