Many of us live in houses with sorely outdated bathrooms. Remodeling costs are high, and a lot of us don’t have the time or the skills to do it ourselves. But you don’t have to tear it up to improve it. Here are some easy and inexpensive ideas for updating your bathroom.

Add some new towels. You don’t have to buy a whole new set. Just buy a set of hand towels or washcloths in a new color that will complement your existing color scheme. You could get a mix of colors or just one shade. Sew some lace trim or rickrack on the hand towels to give them a custom look. Or have each of your children’s names custom-embroidered on some colorful towels at a local T-shirt shop. Your kids will think you just won the lottery. Short on towel storage? Try rolling a few up and displaying them in a basket for an attractive decorative accent.

Frame your mirror. Make a plain mirror more decorative by creating a custom frame. Cut your choice of molding to fit around the mirror and paint it, using neutral colors or a brushed gold or silver. The frame can be attached to the mirror with glue and a few small nails or brads to bind the corners.

Cover the walls with your life. One of my friends used old road maps as the wallpaper in her guest bathroom. Instead of reading a magazine, her visitors can travel to exotic locals while they soak in the tub. She accented with souvenirs from each stop, such as keychains and seashells. Do you like horses? How about using discarded feed sacks to adorn your walls? In a kid’s bathroom, choose some of their old school papers and photos. For the pool bath, how about brochures from some of your favorite beach resorts. Why not?