Beat the winter blues by learning a few new DIY skills
While warmer days seem to get all the glory, winter is a great time to finally tackle all of your home improvement projects. Long weekends stuck inside avoiding snow and cold temps allow you to hone your DIY skills and make your home a more comfortable place. And many of these projects are relatively simple, don’t require a ton of specialized tools, and can usually be completed in just one day. Plus, they may increase the value of your home, which is a definite bonus.
We've compiled some of our favorite winter DIY projects that will help you spruce up the interior of your home.
A fresh coat of paint can change a room from mundane to amazing in just a few hours. Whether you’re experimenting with textures or bold colors or repainting a dingy wall with the same color, the difference will be incredible.
Just be sure to follow a few best practices for painting a room, like taking your time and prepping the walls, to get a pro finish. Painting is also best saved for a milder winter day so you can crack windows to ventilate the space properly.
You don’t need a full kitchen or bath makeover to get a new look. Swapping out your kitchen faucets or those in your bathroom is a simple DIY job that only takes an afternoon. New faucet fixtures can give the feel of a major upgrade without shelling out big bucks for a renovation. Bonus points: You can be satisfied that you did it yourself every time you turn the knob!
Upgrading your cabinet and drawer pulls is another super easy project that will bring a breath of fresh air into your kitchen. New hardware is as easy to install as 1-2-3, so it may only take an afternoon from shopping to securing the last cabinet pull. You can also install some cabinet hardware for a super affordable cost of less than $100, especially when you take on the labor yourself. Don’t be surprised when people ask if you got entirely new cabinets.
If you’re looking for something that will keep you busy and really help you express your creativity, look no further than taking on a new kitchen backsplash. You can choose from many different tile options for your new backsplash and pick any colors or designs that you think will fit in your home. Don’t be intimidated either: options like peel-and-stick tile mean that anyone can take this one on.
While this project will take a week or two of work, it’s bound to fill you with pride every time you put a pot of hot cocoa on the stove and see your hard work.
Changing out your light switch plates is a great way to freshen up a room. Over time, switch plates can become dingy, dated, and discolored. Replacing them with new covers can provide a small update and add a little nuance to your space, especially in older homes with original switch plates. To create a coherent look, ensure your new covers match the switches. Then grab your screwdriver, and in about five minutes, you’ll have a fresh switch plate and a modern update.
There is nothing more relaxing than a long soak under a top-notch showerhead. If you’re looking to improve your bathroom routine, replacing your old showerhead with a dual head, rain, or movable shower head is just the ticket. A new model can improve the water flow or even change the entire look of your shower. With a few simple tools, like wrenches and screwdrivers, you can up your shower game by leaps and bounds.
Before you start enjoying that brand new showerhead too much, take a look at your shower or bathtub seal. Caulking degrades after a while and can pull away from the seam, leaving a gap that can allow water to seep in. Resealing your tub or shower is an easy home improvement project that can prevent costly mold, mildew, or water damage down the road.
A fabulous wardrobe means nothing if you can’t see it all! With a few hours of hard work, you can totally transform your closet and your outfits in the process. By following a few closet organizing tips, this home improvement project can have a huge impact on your everyday life as you make your closet into a well-organized, color-coordinated dream. If you want to go beyond a quick cleanout, you can invest in a closet organization system or even just a new shoe rack.
