The doldrums of winter: The days are short, the temperature is low, and people tend to hibernate. That usually means spending most of the time in your home, staring at the same interior. It’s then that you notice that the paint could use a touchup in the living room, the bathroom is somewhat dated, or that you’ve always hated the carpet in the family room.

We all have these projects that we’ll get to “eventually,” but in the summer, we’re playing and spending time outside. Winter is the perfect time to tackle these projects. Here are a few ideas to consider in the colder months that won’t just make you happier, they’ll add value to your home.

Seal the Leaks
When the mercury dips, energy bills rise. You can find those drafts and save some money. Check the usual suspects like around the windows and doors. Install draft blockers to the bottom of exterior doors and add weather stripping or caulk to small places. For larger gaps, consider using insulation or expanding foam.

On exterior walls, it’s easy to overlook electrical outlets. Use a flame-retardant foam to seal them. It works far better than those thin insulating sheets.

Apply a Fresh Coat of Paint
Being stuck indoors all winter surrounded by dingy walls can start to make the house feel oppressive, but it’s nothing that a fresh coat of paint can’t fix. Multiple studies have proven that color affects your mood. Painting is relatively easy and inexpensive, takes just a weekend, and can really modernize and brighten up a room. Maybe it’s time to give your living room a pop of color with a contrasting accent wall or brighten up the kitchen with that yellow that you saw on your trip to Italy.

Upgrade the Bathroom
Realtors say that the two most important rooms that add value and sell houses are the kitchen and bathrooms. It’s time to bring the powder room up to the modern day or start that master bath upgrade you’ve been dying to make. The good news is that there are plenty of inexpensive bathroom ideas.

Re-grouting the floor or shower tiles, resurfacing the tub, and replacing the caulk around the shower quickly makes the entire bathroom sparkle and look like new for minimal cost and effort. Consider replacing the toilet with a more efficient one. It’ll save some money and look good to potential buyers. Add a new light fixture and mirror and you have a modernized bathroom.

Pro tip: Since bathrooms are often small, visit your local construction thrift shop like ReStore. They often have countertops that have been salvaged from larger kitchen projects. It’s a good place to get an inexpensive slab of granite or high-quality engineered quartz for a new vanity.

Give the Kitchen a Facelift
According to a 2018 Houzz study, the cost to remodel a small kitchen (less than 200 square feet) is $25,800. Standard thinking says that homeowners will recoup about 80% of the cost of a major kitchen remodel. Even if you’re not planning on selling your home soon, a kitchen remodel brings dividends. The kitchen is the focal point of the home, and everyone flocks to the kitchen during gatherings.

It doesn’t have to be a massive project, either. Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh coat of paint and a new backsplash. If the cabinets are structurally in good shape, then all that’s needed is a resurfacing. Installing new cabinet doors and hardware gives you an updated kitchen for a fraction of the cost. With the all the money you save on cabinets, you might be able to splurge on upgrading countertops or new stainless-steel appliances.

Think About Security and Convenience
Why are these two concepts together? With smart devices, security and convenience go hand-in-hand. Think smart door locks that recognize your face and unlock for you automatically or lighting that turns on as soon as it gets dark or when it senses movement. It’s not just about home security. Smart home networks can monitor air quality, act as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and even alert you to extreme heat, cold, or water leaks. If a pipe freezes and bursts or the fireplace gets out of hand, you receive an alert wherever you are.

A smart thermostat can be programmed to warm up right before you wake up, and it can be controlled from your phone. Also, smart plugs can transform almost any device into a smart one. Do you use a space heater to warm up a room? Using a smart plug, you can turn it on or off from anywhere, even program it to turn itself off if you forget.

Update Your Lighting
Interior lighting makes up about a third of a home’s overall electricity bill. Switching to CFL or LED lights can cut that bill significantly. Use an online calculator to compare your devices with new LEDs and be amazed. And check out this national database for state tax incentives, because some of your new lighting may qualify.

One Last Thought
If you have owned your house for at least two years and you’re still paying private mortgage insurance, consider getting your house re-appraised after completing your projects. If your property values have risen and your upgrades have added enough value, you may be able to remove that PMI, saving you money on your monthly mortgage. You’ll have to pay for the appraisal, but it may be worth it.

Even doing just a few of these projects can save you money and make your home safer and more comfortable. And when you’re adding value to your home while you’re beating those winter blues, well, that’s just a double bonus.