
Freshen Up the Flooring
Floors take a beating and carpets are dirt magnets. You can rent a carpet cleaner at a home improvement store (and some grocery stores) for about $30 a day or buy one for about $150 or less.
All it takes is 24 hours to give carpets in an average-size home a good scrub and allow them time to dry.
If your floors are worn or damaged and you don’t have the money or skill to replace them, a few carefully coordinated area rugs will add color and hide blemishes. You can find a room-size flat-weave cotton rug for $200 or less.