Inside: Empowering DIY: How to Successfully Tackle Home Improvement Projects. Collaborative post.
Do you sigh when you look around your home? Do you wish you could fix it up but don’t want to splurge on hiring a contractor? Tackling DIY home improvement projects can be an empowering experience, reinforcing your sense of agency that your actions can make a positive difference in your world.
It’s often not as tricky as you think. Even novices can learn basic techniques, building upon them and honing skills with time.
What should you do to fix up the old homestead? Here are five DIY home improvements you can tackle yourself.
1. Stop That Draft
Do you catch a draft sitting by your bay window? A fresh bead of caulk can often fix the issue, and a gun and a tube of the stuff will cost less than $50 at your local hardware store. You can use painter’s tape the first few times to help you draw a straight line.
While you’re at it, check out your doors. Appropriate weather stripping can save you a small bundle on energy while decreasing your carbon footprint, and it’s a matter of peeling and sticking in most cases.
Eco-Friendly Tip
Even renters can use passive solar methods like curtain use to regulate indoor air temperatures without adjusting their thermostats. However, many don’t have the time to get into a routine.
Let technology be your friend. Upgrade to smart curtains and blinds you can program to retract on a fixed schedule to take maximum advantage of the sun’s rays. Do yourself a favor if you lease by getting it in writing so that you can take your investment with you when you leave. Some states treat window treatments as fixtures for real estate purposes, meaning they stay with the property unless otherwise specified.
2. Breathe More Comfortably
Professional air duct cleaning can cost upwards of $500 if you have many registers, but it’s often unnecessary unless you have severe mold issues. You can tackle this minor home improvement project with a long vacuum hose, saving money and feeling like a regular Toolbelt Tammy. Here’s what to do:
- Turn off the power to your HVAC system.
- Remove the old filter and discard.
- Remove the filter grate and vent covers from each register.
- Wash the grate and vent covers with hot, soapy water.
- Using your vacuum’s hose, vacuum all dust and debris inside your ducts.
- Clean any gray streaks off the surrounding walls.
- Replace the filter with a clean one. Replace grate and vent covers.
- Power your system back on.
Eco-Friendly Tip
Consider upgrading to a smart thermostat if you don’t already have one. Although this DIY task is a bit trickier, it’s still possible for novices to DIY, and doing so can feel empowering. Adjusting your thermostat up and down by one degree during your eight working hours can result in significant energy savings.
3. Move More Freely
Carpeting is soft underfoot but can harbor germs and makes navigating your home a challenge for anyone with mobility devices. Upgrading your flooring might seem like a task best left to the pros, but it’s surprisingly easy for most novice DIYers to tackle, empowering themselves in the process.
Sheet vinyl is probably the easiest flooring to cut and install, although not everyone likes the look or the lack of longevity. However, vinyl laminate can last nearly as long as hardwood and is relatively easy to cut and fit. You’ll need specialty saws for stone and tile, so factor that into the price when choosing materials.
Eco-Friendly Tip: Consider Cork or Bamboo
Cork is an eco-friendly building material because it doesn’t require cutting down trees to harvest. Bamboo regrows quickly, with some species gaining three feet in a single day. Both of these materials make eco-friendly flooring choices and are as easy to install as sheet vinyl or vinyl laminate.
4. Enjoy Enhanced Outdoor Living
Perhaps the most common DIY home improvement project people tackle is building a deck or patio. Each offers unique challenges, allowing you to empower yourself by growing your skillset. Do you have room for one of each? Other ideas include building a gazebo — install one amid a meditation garden for the most idyllic yoga studio imaginable.
Your friend here is your local home improvement center. Many such retailers offer free workshops — they reap their reward when you purchase the materials from their store.
Eco-Friendly Tech Tip: Xeriscaping
Xeriscaping is the process of gardening that requires very little irrigation, making it an excellent water-saving option. It’s especially beneficial for desert climates.
5. Color Your World
Painting may be the easiest way to empower yourself by tackling a modest DIY project. It can transform your home’s look but takes more patience than skill to master. You might not have to do your entire home to enjoy a completely new look. Consider these fun ideas:
- Add an accent wall: It’s a great way to highlight family photos.
- Make a kids’ mural: Your child’s bedroom is the perfect place to get creative with an under-the-sea tapestry of painted octopi and clown fish.
- Tackle the trim: Touching up your moldings can refresh your indoors. Painting your front door and shutters a striking hue can make your entire exterior look new without the time commitment required to do the whole outside.
Eco-Friendly Tip: Use Light Colors
Do you live in a warm climate like California or Florida? If so, light colors reflect heat instead of absorbing it, keeping your home cooler. You’ll save money on air conditioning and run your HVAC less during the busy season.
Empowering DIY: Tackle These 5 Home Improvement Projects Like a Boss
You might think you can’t swing a hammer. However, chances are there are plenty of DIY projects you can tackle and pull off like a boss.
With these home improvement projects, you can master minor DIY skills and feel more confident in your abilities.