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Before retreating into your home, you probably made a list of essentials to pick up (toilet paper and mac and cheese, of course), but you might have left off “neutral color paint” to refresh the living room. While you might not have the supplies you need for certain tasks, that doesn’t mean you have to hit pause on all your home improvement projects.
Check out this list of super easy home improvement projects you can complete without stopping by your local hardware store.
1. Sweat the small stuff
It’s the little things that really count when it comes to everyday home improvement. Simply replacing missing screws in our kitchen drawer pulls can make a big difference. Look for areas in your home where you can make these super simple changes. In our own homesteads, we found:
- Supergluing broken items, such as that leg on the end table or a tile in the bathroom floor. (Double check to make sure the tile isn’t loose from water damage. That’s a bigger problem that could require professional attention.)
- Touching up paint in your living spaces.
- Spackling any small nicks in your walls.
- Tighten the bolts in the chairs or tables.
- Lube any squeaky door hinges.
- Change the burned-out light bulbs.
2. Tidy up the homestead
Working from home? Perhaps your significant other is, too. Coupled with a few kids, your house might be very crowded and very cluttered with spring cleaning the farthest thing from your mind. If you’re finding yourself with more time now, it’s probably a good idea to declutter to make workspaces for each member of your family.
We’ll be going more in depth with this topic next week with a professional organizer from the NEAT Method, but here are a few quick tips to declutter your home:
- Start small and try to clean one area a day, such as one counter or shelf.
- Free the treadmill of clothes (yes, we know you use it as a closet); put them in a bag to donate if possible.
- Pack away those winter clothes in their designated storage area.
- Use the Marie Kondo method – if it does not spark joy, then consider getting rid of it.
- Organize one drawer at a time, tossing out old products and making space for new ones.
- Clear out your shed after the winter months.
Before starting this super easy home improvement project, make a decluttering checklist like the one above, so you know the full scope of the project.
3. Become a lean, mean cleaning king or queen
It’s spring cleaning time, and though we’re sure you cleaned to keep coronavirus from infecting your home, maybe now’s the time to give your home that additional attention it deserves. A few necessary but easy home improvement projects include:
- Changing and/or washing your tablecloth. (If you have one of those disposable holiday tablecloths, throw it out and replace it with a new one.)
- Washing your windows to let in more Vitamin D.
- Sweeping and cleaning any hardwood floors.
- Letting in some fresh air (though be mindful of allergy season).
- Performing seasonal grill maintenance and getting it ready for the summer months.
- Vacuuming out your dryer vent and ensuring the quality of your braided metal hoses. (If they’re worn, it might be time for new ones. Add it to your “after quarantine” to-do list.)
Take care of yourself and your family while cleaning your home with these spring cleaning safety tips.
4. Take it outside – literally
You might be social distancing, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay off your lawn. Get fresh air, soak up some Vitamin D from the sun, and work your muscles by tackling exterior but still easy home improvement projects. Take this time to trim back branches that you can reach from the ground. (Avoid any maintenance or projects requiring ladders. Improper ladder usage sends more than 164,000 people to the emergency room each year.) Tend to your garden which, depending on your location, might be starting to bloom even before the April showers. And depending on where your garden is, you could be adding some valuable curb appeal to your home.
5. Set an “after quarantine” to-do list
Sometimes, you need to make a stop at the local home improvement store to finish a project, but that’s not an option now. Instead of lamenting over lost time, practice patience by using the vipHomeLink app to make a list of the projects you want to complete after we’ve “flattened the curve.” Read our seasonal checklists in our member-exclusive vipTIPs for necessary tasks that should be added to this list. (While imperative, these tasks don’t require immediate attention.)
And remember – every project counts
Start small, and don’t forget to celebrate. Whether you cleaned out a drawer that’s been cluttered for years or wiped all your doorknobs and counters – every project improves your home in some way. We just recommend you complete tasks. Rather than starting a whole home decluttering project and then stopping with your belongings all over the floor, pick a closet and clean it. Or pick a room and give it a makeover. What you decide to do – do it, and then move on.
Want to learn about improving your home, one project at time? Check out the vipHomeLink app, available on Google Play and the App Store, and subscribe now to get a monthly or annual membership.
Improve your home’s health during your stay-at-home stint with these insanely easy home improvement projects to bettering your work and living space:
The after-hours home maintenance checklist
Creating a “work away from work” space at home
How to keep your home healthy from coronavirus
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