Friday, May 8, 2020

Home Renovation Projects During Stay at Home Orders





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3 Projects to Hone Your Home Improvement Skills During Stay at Home Orders



Now that you’re spending all your time at home, you’re probably noticing everything you’d like to change about your house. Whether it’s making your living room more livable or finally fixing up that old bathroom, there’s never been a better time to dive into good, old-fashioned, DIY home improvement. However, with non-essential businesses on hold, you can’t exactly invite a team of contractors into your house. Instead, turn to DIY projects like these to keep your hands busy and your home improving during the quarantine.

Optimize Closet Organization


Are you starting to feel suffocated by clutter now that you’re stuck at home? If so, take control of your house’s clutter problem with a storage makeover. These projects will transform your home’s messy storage areas into an organizer’s dream.



  1. Need more storage space? Add functionality to existing closets with custom storage solutions, like these wooden organizers and closet door shelves.
  2. Transform a walk-in closet or pantry with custom DIY built-ins or by installing an out-of-the-box closet system.
  3. Ditch the disorganized spice rack by building a DIY spice rack that keeps your culinary supplies organized and right where you need them.

Build a Raised Bed Garden


Victory gardens are seeing a resurgence in popularity during the coronavirus pandemic. Why not start one of your own as a fun weekend project? Raised bed gardens keep plantings contained and are a great way to add interest to a front or backyard.



  1. First, build your raised bed using a natural hardwood like cedar. You can construct a prefabricated raised bed kit or build one from scratch.
  2. Automated watering makes it easy to keep garden plants healthy. Read Seattle Urban Farm Company’s drip irrigation FAQ to learn how to set up an efficient drip irrigation system in your garden.
  3. Now you’re ready to plant! Check if garden centers near you offer curbside pick-up of garden plants. If not, you can buy seeds and start your own in a simple DIY cold frame.

Redo Your Bathroom


Are you ready to test your skills with a more complex DIY project? Bathroom renovations are one of the best projects for adding value to your home. While you might not be able to complete a full remodel on your own, there are lots of DIY-friendly bathroom projects you can do.



  1. Warm up with an easy project: replacing bathroom hardware. New faucets and cabinet hardware modernize your bathroom’s look and can be installed in under an hour.
  2. Tiling a shower or tub surround isn’t a project for the impatient, but if you pull it off, it’s a great way to give your bathroom a fresh, clean look. For best results, choose self-spacing tiles and glue tiles using mastic rather than mortar.
  3. Tile can only do so much. If your bathtub is showing its age, refinish it to fill in cracks, cover stains, and make your old tub look like new.

How to Pay for Home Improvements


DIY projects save money, but they’re not always cheap. If you need money to pay for home improvements, think twice before putting it on a credit card. While credit cards are a good tool for expenses you’ll pay off quickly, they’re not the best way to finance big projects. Home equity financing offers lower interest than credit cards, and in some cases, you can even roll the expenses into your mortgage. For the best rates, consider refinancing your mortgage. With mortgage rates currently low, you’ll save compared to a HELOC and will only have one loan to manage instead of two. Mortgage rates are in flux, however, so be sure to talk to your lender before making any important financial decisions.



These DIY projects are a great way to keep busy during the coronavirus quarantine, but make sure you don’t bite off more than you can chew. You’ll get the best results by sticking to projects that are comfortably within your skillset. When businesses reopen, you can turn to trusted local contractors to take what you’ve started and use it to transform your house into a dream home.

Guest article written by Suzie Wilson of Happierhome.net

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