Home Improvement Tips for 50+ Adults

Keep projects small and manageable

JONATHAN: Every year, do a walk-through of your home and take note of places that could use a small refresh. It could be something as simple as applying a fresh coat of paint, swapping a light fixture or installing a new mailbox. But taking on bite-sized projects over time is a lot easier to manage than handling it all at once if you ever want to sell. Plus, when your home looks good, you’ll feel great.

Make lighting a priority

DREW: Install motion-activated night lighting around the house. At minimum, get some plug-ins for the bathroom and main hallways. But there are even sleek options now for things like stair rails, under the cabinets and anywhere else you want to avoid fumbling around for a light switch.

This is a little thing, but go through your house and replace all your light bulbs with LED bulbs, or swap the fixture altogether. … They’re more energy-efficient and last longer, so you won’t have to get the ladder out every year to change that one hard-to-reach fixture. You can also spring for smart lighting, which I personally love because you can control everything from your phone. Makes it really easy when you don’t want to get out of bed to turn out the lights.

Embrace tech to stay a step ahead on maintenance, safety

JONATHAN: One of the most expensive and unexpected problems are leaks. I have the Phyn Plus Smart Water Assistant with auto shutoff in my home and at my parents’ house, and it’s saved us several times when they couldn’t hear water rushing because the tap was left on. It’s got features like alerting you to leaks and other problems, allowing you to turn off your water automatically or do it for you in the event of a leak, and monitoring water usage and activity overall. So, if you share access with another family member or neighbor, they’ll be able to see if you haven’t used water all day, which may be an indication of a need for a welfare check. [Editor’s note: Jonathan Scott is part of the investor group that owns Phyn. Other comparable leak detector brands include Flo by Moen, Flume 2 and H2Wise.]

And set calendar alerts for yearly maintenance appointments. You can call on pros to do cleanings and checks on your HVAC, roof, gutters and other big-ticket spots. But you can also tackle some low-maintenance projects like weatherstripping around windows and doors, and replacing your smoke detector batteries. I set my reminders to recur once a year — or more frequently, if need be — so I don’t even have to think about it.

DREW: Don’t ignore all the great smart home options that are out there now. Smart smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, plus the leak detector with auto shutoff that Jonathan mentioned before, can send urgent notifications to your phone if there’s an issue. Smart thermostats can help you save money and energy by monitoring and adjusting your usage. There are even smart climate systems that’ll offer room-by-room temperature control. I’m a huge fan of keyless entry, too. It’s a lot easier than fumbling around for keys and adds an extra layer of security.