Home improvement is big. Who doesn’t want to make their personal space better? And if you’ve been a regular viewer of HGTV shows, you’ll find home improvement projects as appealing as retail therapy. So it’s not hard to believe that the DIY home improvement industry is growing; it soared during the pandemic, with many stuck at home doing projects that add value or enhance lifestyles.
DIY projects don’t have to be complex. The beauty of DIY is they can take as little as half an hour and add functionality to a space, like placing cute hooks to a wall and repurposing old furniture to act as a bench at the entryway. So if haven’t go t the funds just yet for massive home renovation to add property value, tackle a list of easy DIY home projects.
Start with these home improvement ideas:
For the Home’s Curb Appeal
1. Paint the front door
Revitalize your entryway with a fresh coat of paint. You could tone down a vivid shade or bring vibrant colors to an otherwise ho-hum door. Instead of buying a new door to brighten up your exterior home, a new coat of paint will create the same effect without the big price.
2. Add privacy with evergreen screen
If you have no backyard and use your front lawn as a place to relax in or entertain guests, privacy is necessary. Add some with evergreens instead of building a higher fence. Choose two varieties to plant to prevent disease and pests from destroying the whole row.
Some options are the Arborvitae Green Giant, which grows in any soil condition; firethorn, which you can use to decorate for Christmas, and the heavenly bamboo, which can grow from 5 to 7 feet.
3. Install solar lights at pathways
A well-lit front yard is always appealing in the evenings, as well as a deterrent for would-be burglars. Solar lighting is your best choice since:
- Solar lights don’t need wiring, and
- Solar lights don’t add to your electric bill.
Pick from a variety of colors, designs and brightness. Place them 6 to 8 feet apart along walkways or your driveway. And just drive the spikes into the ground. It’s an easy DIY project that gets done in minutes.
4. Make a raised garden bed
If you have a green thumb, sprucing up your garden with a raised bed would improve curb appeal, especially for small outdoor spaces.
You can cultivate flowers to add color to your yard. You could also vegetables and herbs to grow your food. You’ll not only save money on groceries, but also know you’re eating safe, pesticide-free food.
For Comfort and Function
5. Caulk windows and doors
Good DIY home improvement projects not only keep an old home pretty, but they also enhance its comfort. And sealing drafty doors and windows will keep everyone in your home comfortable all year round.
Get latex caulk since it expands more than silicone caulk. Clean the windows and doors you’ll seal and let them dry. Tape off areas where you don’t want the caulk sticking before applying it. Apply only a thin line along the windows and doors, then run your finger over to smooth out the surface. Caulk dries in 24 hours.
6. Make an entryway organizer
When you get in the door, you want to have a place to put your keys, take off your shoes or hang your hat. A table with some height would do, but an organizer would do better because it wouldn’t take up floor space.
Find an old piece of wood and reuse it, adding shelves to display a photo, a box to hold the keys in and vintage hooks to hang coats or hats on. Paint or apply a wood stain to match your interior. Hang it on a wall, making sure it’s sturdy and secure.
7. Build a home office
Find a space in your home, ideally one close to a window. Commandeer that space and designate it as your home office. The space must be clearly defined, even if you’ve taken up an area in the kitchen or the living room.
Use a table rather than a desk because the former allows for more space. Because a table will not have storage like a desk, find a rolling drawer that’ll fit under the table for easy access and to maximize the space.
8. Add soundproofing
If you’ve got a room for your home office, sound proofing helps you get more done without disturbing everyone else in the house. You can also sound proof bedrooms, which should make a restful night.
How do you do it?
Two ways to go about this DIY home improvement project: one, get mass-loaded vinyl and two, buy thermal or blackout curtains. Mass-loaded vinyl has a shiny black surface and you’ll usually find them in clubs. If you’d rather not have the look and feel of a club, go for thermal curtains, which also block out sound.
For Added Property Value
9. Spruce up the kitchen
Kitchens are home sellers, and any improvement tends to add property value. So look over which areas in your kitchen needs updating. Maybe your backsplash is looking grimy and tired. Maybe the faucet leaks. Maybe it doesn’t have enough kitchen cabinets.
Adding storage space may be the easiest fix and a cheap home DIY. The kitchen may have a empty wall that could hold open shelving. So get some reclaimed wood and refinish them. Create visual appeal by placing them in alternating pattern instead of just lining them up.
For backsplash, tiling maybe a challenging DIY. So make sure you know how to do it right and what you need before removing the old tiles. The same goes for installing a new faucet.
10.Turn the basement or attic into a family room or bedroom
Home buyers look for extra living space or bedrooms when going to open houses. These features are especially important for locations where families reside. Instead of letting these spaces gather dust and store unused items, redo them into living spaces or additional bedrooms.
Clear out the boxes and declutter. Separate the items you want to donate, keep and throw out.
- Revitalize or update areas, like replace old broken wood floors.
- Clean the walls or windows.
- Add visual appeal by painting one accent wall or hanging art or photos.
- Re-upholster old furniture and place them in the space to create sitting areas.
- Replace an old door with a sliding barn door, which is always eye-catching as well as a space saver.
- Use string lights to create a mood.
- Create hidden storage space if you have no other place to put your stuff in.
Plan for More Home Improvement Ideas
DIY home projects on a budget are easy enough to do. You just need the time and energy to do them. When you have multiple ideas, focus on the easiest ones. Schedule the projects you’re going to do and what you need to complete them, from scrap wood and floor paint to wood glue and ceiling joists.
