Everyone is always talking about upgrading their homes for aesthetic reasons. It’s nice to live in a nice home! Re-painting, decorating, or making more space in and around your home is certainly a nice thing to do, as is adding an extension or altering your garden. But, what about making an upgrade that affects more than your comfort?

There are actually loads of ways you can upgrade your home, internally and externally, that also add functionality. You can modernize your home whilst also adding some useful tools and tricks! Let’s take a look at the top house exterior upgrades that you should try for improved functionality.

Parcel Drop Box

A huge proportion of retail sales are done online these days. From Amazon all the way down to your local town store, it’s likely you do some shopping via delivery – especially since the pandemic began. But, you’re not always at home to accept these deliveries, which leads to chasing couriers, going to postal offices, or having to re-order products – not ideal.

You can completely avoid this with a simple solution. A home delivery box is a secure, safe, and good-looking addition to your porch or veranda. You can even place it by the back door or garden fence, as long as you let your courier know. They will be able to drop parcels in, with the door locking behind them. This means that your parcels are safe from burglary as well as from the weather! No more soggy parcels hidden in the garden or missing deliveries! 

CCTV Doorbell

In recent years, there has been a huge increase in the availability of home security systems. Once upon a time, it was almost impossible to get CCTV or any kind of security addition on your home unless you were rich and famous. Nowadays, though, it’s affordable and comes with much easier-to-use technology.

One of the most purchased items in recent home technology is the CCTV doorbell. These can help in multiple ways. Firstly, just like in the scenario above, you may be out when a delivery arrives. No problem! You can answer the doorbell from your mobile phone and give your courier instructions for where to hide your parcel.

Secondly, maybe you simply want to check who is at the door before opening it, which is totally reasonable. One of these types of cameras can put you at ease before opening the door. A great addition to any type of home.

Solar Panels

A slightly different functionality now – solar energy! Solar panels are a very modern addition to any home. This is by far the most expensive upgrade on this list; however, it can pay dividends further down the line. 

The benefits of solar panels are almost endless. First off, you are doing your bit for the environment by harvesting the naturally free energy from the sun to help power your home. Secondly, you are likely going to save money in the long run. You will be able to mostly use the power from your solar panels, meaning you’ll be paying less for energy from other providers. 

Motion Sensor Lights

Motion sensor lights are a great addition to the exterior of any home. Why? For multiple functions! Firstly, if you often get home late at night or entertain outdoors, a motion sensor light is a great way of making sure that you can find your way through the garden or up the driveway safely.

Secondly, they are great for deterring thieves and burglars. If your garden is brightly illuminated the minute they get near your home, they’re not going to want to stick around! Motion lights are a great deterrent and very cost-effective.

Electric Garage Doors

What could be more pleasing than pulling up to your home and the doors literally open for you? Believe it or not, this kind of functionality is actually super affordable these days. No more getting out of the car and cranking up the garage door! 

Instead, you can get electric, sensor-based garage doors. You can keep a fob on your keys, meaning that when you are getting close to the garage door, it automatically opens. This isn’t going to change much in terms of the look of your home, but it will definitely make it feel more satisfying when you arrive home.

Just a few simple upgrades like these can make a huge difference to the feel of your home, whilst often improving the appearance too. Consider a storage box for parcels and a doorbell cam as a cheap and easy way to improve your home. Then, you can tackle the bigger projects!