8 DIY Home Improvements for New Homeowners

From the perfect location to its spacious backyard, your new house checks all the boxes on your “must-haves” list. Now is the time to start crossing off items from your “wants” list to make your space feel even more like home.

From simple cosmetic changes to smart safety upgrades, here are eight easy projects to tackle after you move into a new place.

Swap Out Hardware and Fixtures

One of the easiest ways to add your personal touch to a new house is to swap out small fixtures, like doorknobs, cabinet hardware, curtain rods, towel racks, and even switch plates. Adding sleek black handles to your interior doors or bold bronze pulls to your kitchen cabinets can change the feel of your space, and all it takes is a quick trip to the hardware store and a few hours of work.

If you’re confident in your DIY skills, you can also replace plumbing and lighting fixtures for a much-needed update. For example, you can trade builder-grade faucets with upgraded versions to elevate your kitchen and bathrooms.

Choose New Paint Colors

Whether the walls in your home are all neutral beige or a mismatched assortment of bright colors, they probably aren’t what you would choose yourself. So before you hang your favorite pictures and prints, pick a few rooms (or your whole house, if you’re ambitious) to repaint.

With the right supplies, everyone from DIY beginners to seasoned pros can tackle a new paint job. Be sure to try out a few samples before you coat the whole room, as a color may look completely different in person than in your inspo pics. Once you’ve locked in a decision, you can grab a few cans and get to work.

If your home also needs an exterior refresh, repainting your front door is another DIY-friendly project. A bold, fresh hue on your front door is the perfect way to greet visitors and show off your personality to the new neighborhood.

Looking for more ways to transform your entryway? Check out these tips to help refresh your front door.

Upgrade to a Video Doorbell

Your front door sees a lot of action after a move, from neighborly visits to special deliveries. With a Ring video doorbell, you won’t miss a moment — even if you’re checking out the local park or getting lunch at a cafe down the street.

Don’t have a existing doorbell at your new home? Choose one of our battery-powered options to add visibility without any wiring. You’ll get notifications on your phone when motion is detected or someone presses the button. A Chime can also provide the classic “ding-dong” sound when someone comes by, so you won’t miss out if your phone is out of reach. If your home already has a traditional doorbell, you can replace it with a wired video doorbell, which connects to most existing chime systems.

Once your new doorbell is in place, you can check out Live View on the Ring App and chat with visitors using Two-Way Talk. You can also review and save past footage with a Ring Protect subscription, sold separately.¹ So if you come home to a box of treats on the front porch, you can look to see which new neighbor dropped it off.

Install Smart Locks

When you buy a new place, it’s a good idea to change the locks to ensure you’re the only one with a working key. While you’re at it, you can eliminate the need for keys altogether by upgrading to smart locks — so you never have to worry about hiding a spare or getting locked out.

Ring-compatible smart locks allow you to unlock and lock the door from the Ring App, create temporary codes for visitors, and check to see if the door is locked from anywhere.² You can even unlock the door from Live View if you can’t get to the door right away.

Set Up a Security System

Now that you and your family are settled in, keeping your new home secure is a top priority. With a Ring Alarm Security Kit, you can add a layer of whole-home security in as little as one weekend. Just decide how many sensors you need, order a kit, and use the step-by-step instructions to get everything in place.

Ring offers two security system option: Alarm and Alarm Pro. Ring Alarm offers essential protection around your home, while Alarm Pro adds a layer of network security with its built-in eero wifi router.³

Both options come with a Base Station, Contact Sensors for your doors and windows, and Motion Detectors that sense activity.⁴ Your Base Station sounds a siren if a sensor is triggered while your system is armed. With a Ring Protect subscription, sold separately, you can also get real-time notifications on the Ring App. With optional Alarm Accessories, like Flood & Freeze Sensors and Glass Break Sensors, Alarm can also alert you to potential property damage around your new home.

Add Window Treatments

While vinyl blinds offer some privacy in your new home, they aren’t the most aesthetically pleasing. Swapping out builder-grade blinds for wooden shutters or Roman shades can make your space feel more luxurious and help block out more light.

Installing curtains is another easy way to accessorize your home. Depending on the style you want to achieve, you can brighten up a room with flowy white curtains or add flair with thick drapes.

Spruce Up the Landscaping

Landscaping helps set the tone for your entire home, from eclectic and colorful to manicured and neutral. So if your current landscaping situation doesn’t exactly match what’s inside your new house, add a personal touch with plants, lighting, and accessories. Even a few planters with bold flowers or a small vegetable garden can change your home’s look and help you enjoy your new space both inside and out.

With exterior lighting, you can help illuminate your new landscaping at any hour. Ring Pathlights and Steplights help brighten the walkway to your home, and Wall Lights give an ambient glow to outdoor living spaces.⁵ Spotlights and Floodlights also provide bright, powerful lighting to larger spaces like driveways, yards, and decks to ensure safety and security when people walk by.

Test or Install New Smoke Alarms

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors can alert you and your family to a potential problem and save you critical time during an emergency, but it’s easy to overlook when they lose charge or stop working. That’s why you should test all your detectors when you move in, clean them according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and install new batteries if necessary.

For added peace of mind, consider adding Smoke & CO Listeners to your existing detectors or upgrading to First Alert Smoke/CO Alarms. Once you connect your new listeners or detectors to Ring Alarm, you’ll get notified if they go off with a Ring Protect subscription, sold separately. You’ll know if there’s a potential emergency at home, even if you’re away. You can also enroll in 24/7 Alarm Professional Monitoring with your Ring Protect Pro subscription, sold separately. If a connected smoke or CO detector goes off, a trained agent will follow the appropriate response plan and request assistance from the fire department if necessary.

Looking for even more ways to boost safety, security, and convenience in your new home? Browse security systems, indoor and outdoor cameras, and compatible smart products today to see how Ring can help keep you connected, no matter where you are.

¹ Your Ring videos in the cloud are stored temporarily, up to 180 days. Changing your video storage time will only affect videos that are recorded after you adjust your storage time setting. Check Ring Protect Subscription Plans for more information.

² A compatible smart lock must be set up in the Ring app to enable this functionality.

³ Advanced online security features are available to US customers with eero Secure, which is included with a Ring Protect Pro subscription.

⁴ Requires the Ring Alarm Security Kit.

⁵ Batteries not included. Ships to the US and Canada (excluding Quebec). Requires Ring Bridge for smart controls. Sold separately. One Ring Bridge supported per household.

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