• What is my first impression of my house and yard when I'm standing from the curb?
• What are the best exterior features of the house, and how can they be enhanced? (for example, is a beautiful bay window being blocked by overgrown shrubs?)
• What parts of the exterior are eyesores, and how can they be improved?

If possible, take photos of your home and then examine them to see what you can do to increase the curb appeal of your home.

Keep in mind that increasing curb appeal need not be difficult or expensive. The following are some of the ways you can increase curb appeal in your home without spending a lot of money or working too hard.

Take care of the lawn and landscaping.
A well-maintained lawn and landscaping is one of the first things people notice from the outside. If your lawn is overgrown, brown, or patchy, your home will not look appealing from the outside. Invest in a good lawn treatment or even sod if you have difficulty growing grass in your area. Make sure you take the time to keep it mowed and edged, even if it's the winter, and if there are leaves on the ground, rake them regularly or use a leaf blower and bag them up.

If you have landscaping such as trees or bushes, make sure you trim them and keep them manicured. This is a small thing that is free and doesn't take a lot of time, but makes a big difference in the way your home looks and is perceived.

Keep things tidy.
Make sure lawn tools, toys, hoses, litter, and so forth are picked up from around the yard. Clean up anything that tends to accumulate on the front porch and make it look cluttered, such as umbrellas or shoes, and find a place for them inside the home.

Clean the windows.
The windows are said to be the eyes of your home. Clean windows from the outside as well as the inside are very noticeable and give them impression that you care about the little details of your home and take great care of it. Clean all water spots, dirt, and bug residue from your windows.

Clean out the gutters.
Caring for your gutters, including keeping them clean from leaves and other debris and repairing any broken ones, will also increase the curb appeal of your home. Pay to have your gutters cleaned and repaired, or do it yourselves.

Pressure wash.
Whether it's for dirty siding or dirty sidewalks and walkways, rent a pressure washer or pay someone to pressure wash your walkways and siding. This will make your home look cleaner overall, and it's something potential buyers and visitors are sure to notice.

Consider lighting.
You can increase your evening curb appeal as well by installing low voltage lighting to your walkway, or add an attractive lamppost. Turn on your porch light every night to enhance a wreath or door hanging.

These are a few easy ways you can increase your home's curb appeal.