While you’re stuck at home, you may as well take advantage of the extra time you have. You may not be able to go outdoors, but there aren’t any rules that say you have to be uncomfortable in quarantine. Use this time to fix up the house and make it a more comfortable place to live in. This can actually turn into a fun bonding activity for your family. Get everyone together and make a plan. Read on for nine great ideas that you can work on together.
You aren’t actually stuck inside; you’re just stuck at home. You’ll enjoy spending more time outside if you have a comfortable place to go relax. Creating an outdoor space can be as simple as putting out a few lawn chairs with a canopy, but there are plenty of things you can do for a more stunning effect.
A wood deck or cobblestone patio make great surfaces for outdoor barbecues. Speaking of barbecue, you could build yourself an outdoor kitchen! If you want to make a nice place to lounge, consider putting up a few hammocks. For nighttime gatherings, nothing beats a fire pit. You can make a simple fire pit by cutting a shipping drum in half, or you can build one out of bricks and stone.
Decluttering is the bare minimum that you should be doing to improve your home. Clutter increases stress and makes your home look messy. Clutter tends to pile up because we have items that we don’t have places for. We put these items on available surfaces like desks, and couches. Soon enough there are piles everywhere. You may tell yourself that you’ll take care of it later, but let’s be honest. Later is never going to come. To get everything straightened out, you need to follow this one rule: a place for everything, and everything in its place.
As you go through the clutter and sort it out, you need to ask yourself an important question. If this item were lost, how much would you care? If you wouldn’t notice, then you should probably get rid of it. Some people hold on to junk that they don’t use just in case they need it in the future. If this is the case, keep the items that are difficult to replace, and get rid of the rest.
The color of your walls has a major impact on the feelings of a room. If it’s been a while since your walls have been painted, the color has probably taken on a faded and dirty appearance. Until this is fixed, your home will always have a dirty feel. Don’t be afraid to change up the colors in your house. Take your time choosing colors. Explore the most popular colors and brush up on color psychology. If you want to create a nice intimate feel, darker colors may be the way to go. If you want to create a more open feel, you may want to consider using lighter colors.
Redoing the flooring in your house can instantly change the ambiance of the home. Replacing old, worn carpet with fresh, new carpet will make your home feel more comfortable. If you want a more elegant look, try putting in tiling or wood flooring. You can protect a new wood floor from furniture scratches by using large area rugs.
A driveway with cracked and crumbling concrete just makes a home look rundown. Repairing or replacing your driveway is an ambitious DIY, but very rewarding when it’s finished. Before starting, make sure that you carefully research the type of concrete that you need. Learn how to lay the concrete so that it is level and smooth. Make sure you mix concrete away from your vehicles, as concrete splatter can be difficult to remove from car paint. If you live in a place with lots of snow and ice, consider installing a heated driveway.
Caulking may not seem as exciting as other home improvements, but it is very important. There are several parts of the home that need to be caulked and sealed to be protected against water damage. Start in the bathroom. Caulk all the edges around the toilet, and the shower. While you’re at it, check the grout and tiling for damage. You should also check each window in your home. By sealing the edges of your windows, you prevent water and bugs from entering, and improve your homes insulation.
Fixing up old furniture can be a fun activity. Wooden furniture is the easiest to work with. If the old furniture is painted, you don’t want to waste your time sanding the paint away. You can get the job done much quicker if you apply a coat of paint stripper. After a few hours, the paint can be easily scraped away. Afterwards, a quick sanding can smooth the wood and prep it to be refinished. You can refinish by painting or staining the wood depending on the desired look. Be sure to work in a well-ventilated area.
If you’d like to create a nice feature wall, a pallet wall is a great way to go. Pallet walls are a beautiful way to give your home a natural and rustic feel. They are easy to build and can be finished quickly. Break down your pallets and prepare the wood by sanding and staining. You can get a better look if the boards are different lengths, so you may want to cut a few of them. Remember that the boards may vary in width, so you may need to use a table saw to make them the right size. Now matter what you do, you are going to end up with some gaps in the wood. To keep things looking good, be sure to paint the wall a matching color ahead of time.
Window blinds control how much natural light comes into your home. If you’re changing up your blinds, you’ll want ones that can keep out glaring sun and look nice. There are many different styles of blinds and curtains that you can choose from. One trend that is on the rise is the use of barn door style shutters that can be rolled back and forth on tracks set into the wall. Consider the style and feel of the room and make sure you pick curtains and blinds that will match.
This extra time at home can be a blessing if you allow it to be. You’ll always find time to sit on the couch and watch tv or browse social media. Use this opportunity to do something different. If you do, you’ll come out of quarantine proud of all that you accomplished.
If your project requires windows or aluminum, be sure to check out our products and see how we can help you with your project.
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