Winter Home Improvement Projects for Beginners
Gray winter days cooped up indoors may not be prime inspiration for oil painters and poets, but it sure motivates the burgeoning DIY homeowner. Now is an ideal time to jump-start the new year by tackling home maintenance tasks and adding stylish, simple upgrades that complement your lifestyle.
These beginner-friendly decorative and home improvement projects are perfect for turning countless days spent indoors into opportunities to refresh your living space — even if you’re a DIY novice.
Replace Window Screens
Rips and tears in old window screens compromise their ability to keep bugs and pests out of your house. (Plus, they’re aesthetically irksome.) The good news? You don’t need to hire a professional to fix them. Most hardware stores and online retailers sell rescreening kits for under $20, and with a little effort, you can replace a screen of any size in about 10 minutes.
Recaulk Showers
Is unsightly moldy bathroom caulk ruining the serenity of your shower or tub? Good news. Recaulking takes a few steps but only requires a couple pieces of equipment (a putty knife and a caulking gun). With a little effort, you can restore caulk to a crisp, clean finish in no time.
Install Garage Shelving
Curious how to hang a shelf on a wall? Start with the garage, where you’ll have minimum heartache if you drill a hole in the wrong place. Make your own shelves with plywood if you feel comfortable with a circular saw or opt for prefabricated shelves from the hardware store for a quicker solution. As with all DIY projects, always measure, sketch, and plan your designs first on paper.
Upgrade Cabinet Hardware
It’s incredible how little pieces of metal can completely change the vibe of your kitchen or bathroom. Give your cabinetry a facelift with new knobs and pulls. Simply unscrew the old knobs and screw on the new ones. Take it a step further by upgrading drawer slides and cabinet hinges with whisper-soft-close hardware for a quieter, more luxurious kitchen experience.
Just Add Paint
Pining for a kitchen cabinet upgrade but not ready to call in a carpenter? A new coat of paint can help scratch the itch without breaking the bank. Be sure to have plenty of painter’s tape handy to mask off hinges and hardware if you don’t plan to remove them.
While time consuming, painting your home interior is relatively straight forward. A fresh coat of paint can breathe new life into a room — especially overlooked spaces like the laundry room or guest bath. If the finished look has streaks or bubbles, simply add another coat. Intimidated by painting a whole room? Try an accent wall or brighten up the ceiling with a bright hue.
What to Leave to the Professionals
Do-it-yourself influencers on the internet make even the most complicated home projects seem like a breeze. Don’t shy away from challenging yourself if you’ve really got the DIY bug, but please exercise extreme caution on projects that involve electrical and plumbing. There’s a reason people in those professions have to get a license. You don’t want your DIY project to literally go up in flames.
Looking for even more home project ideas? Check out our guide for more building-inspiration, including fire pits, bean bag toss boards, and more.
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