As an Interior Designer, I have an endless Honey Do-List of home projects and vision board ideas on stand-by to be included in said list. Can you relate? These are always home projects that you just can’t seem to get done. You know the ones. And our dear, old friend procrastination (or, you know, anxiety or overwhelm) can make it all too easy to push these sorts of things aside for another day. But as we head into the springtime, it’s time for some spring cleaning and taking aligned action to give our respective homes the pampering they deserve. To help transform your house and get a head start so you can enjoy your summer, here are 12 easy home projects and DIYs that have the most impact that you can tackle this weekend!
Replace your cabinet hardware
This is one of my favorite and easy home projects to tackle! Whether it be your kitchen or bathroom, or even a piece of furniture, if it looks boring and dated, I’d be willing to bet your hardware is to blame! Boring, dated, old, or unattractive pulls and knobs can make the whole space feel lackluster. Luckily, replacing hardware is an easy, inexpensive home project you can get done in a day. I would recommend that you opt for a new shape or finish. Metals like brass or matte black are super popular but are also great for a modern look! You simply screw them in and Voila!
If you’re changing the style of hardware, you may need to create new screw holes, but a drill makes this super easy.
Roll out a new area rug
This is another personal favorite of mine! Because out of all the decorative elements in a room, I would argue that area rugs have the most impact! They are like jewelry in a space! Swapping out your rug is a bit more subtle than, say, investing in a brand-new sofa, but this change can still have a transformative effect on a room.
Whether you’re going for a classic neutral or a bold, colorful pattern, finding the right rug can make (or break) the space. Because this swap typically entails moving around furniture, easy home projects like this are best left for the weekend. While you’re moving stuff around, you might even want to try out a new furniture arrangement!
Organize your drawers and cabinets
I have a confession to make. I have that drawer. You know the one. It has every manual, random tiny object, spare keys. locks, etc. in it. You got it. It’s the junk drawer. And it’s not the only one in need of good tidying. I’ll be frank, this is something I always dread doing and will put off for months. Then actually doing it only takes a couple of hours (or less) and I roll my eyes at myself after I’m done. Go figure.
For the kitchen, I would recommend that you begin by sorting out your mail/junk drawer and shred any papers, letters, and invalid receipts. That even means old medical cards, empty credit cards that you no longer use, and recycle expired coupons. Then, look through all other drawers to organize similar things like silverware, take-out menus, or stationery.
Next, for your bathroom or vanity, go through your makeup drawer and beauty cabinets to rid yourself of anything that may be expired. Now make sure that you swatch your makeup to decide whether you want to keep something. Then, bring in some organizers to make everything nice and neat.
Clean your makeup brushes
I have another confession to make and it’s that I didn’t even know that you were supposed to be doing this easy home project. But now that I know and have done it, I’ll never forget it again! I love to hate doing this, but now is the perfect time to give our makeup brushes a good cleaning. Because as I just recently learned, brushes can gather bacteria and build up over time, which can often cause our skin to break out or even develop rashes. So if you haven’t made it a habit to clean your brushes regularly, now’s the best time to start! Here’s the cleaner that I’ve been using that worked wonders!
Deep-clean your bathroom and kitchen
You cannot go wrong with this easy home project. It’s also very hygienic so go do it now. I can wait. You’re back, great! Let me tell you why you need to do this easy home project today! You might give your countertops a quick wipe-down on the regular, but every once in a while, you should go in for a deep clean. Get into all those spots you’ve been pretending are “fine”. Next, scrub down your shower, tub, bathroom, and kitchen sinks drains, toilets, cabinets, and kitchen appliances. Then, toss those bath and kitchen mats into the washer, get out the vacuum, and shine up those wood floors with a mop! Remember, you’ll feel so calm after doing all this hard work!
Clear your fridge and pantry of expired or stale foods
I love doing this easy home project because I know that I can do this in service of someone else! If your pantry and refrigerator are starting to look like they’re overflowing, it’s time for a clean-out! It’s time to go digging through the stuff in the back and toss out any expired foods or opened items you know you won’t finish after washing out the containers first (especially if they can be recycled). If you have any unopened, unexpired, and non-perishable foods left that you can spare for those in need, don’t hesitate to find a local food bank or food organization to donate those items too.
Start a windowsill herb garden
I love tending to my herb garden. I started with only one herb – it was a mint plant and I’ve never looked back. This is so easy! For those of you who love cooking at home and are avid herb enthusiasts (myself included), now is a great time to create your own herb garden! Many grocery stores, convenience stores, and hardware stores sell herb seeds and small plants that can quickly blossom and thrive—you can also order these online. Start a collection of small pots on your windowsill so you can enjoy fresh herbs whenever you want.
Paint that accent wall you’ve been thinking about forever
There is power in paint. Paint is the easiest way to initiate a transformation within a space. If you have a wall or two in your home that need livening up, grab some paint swatches and get painting! You might consider adding in some accent colors, painting the whole room a crisp neutral, or even applying some amazing wallpaper—and now is the perfect time to do so!
Sort out your wardrobe
Now, I don’t normally talk about fashion here as I’m no fashionista but I do love a good statement shoe. I’ve tried the capsule wardrobe and even seasonal organization but with that comes the responsibility of having to declutter and reorganize my existing collection of items. I recommend that you start by going through all of the things you own and sorting them into piles to keep, donate, or toss (for items that have been heavily worn out). Then, organize what’s left by color, function, season, or whatever works best for you!
Give your outerwear some TLC
Are your jackets, hoodies, sweaters, trenches about had it for the winter? I know mine definitely have! Outerwear truly goes through some tough times, especially as colder weather brings all sorts of snow, salt, and mud to wade through. Thank god spring is just right around the corner! This season, I’d recommend taking some extra time to lay out all of your wool coats and puffers, lint roll and de-pile them and freshen them up with some fabric spray. Give your shoes some love by polishing them and thoroughly scrubbing out the muddied bits! They will look brand new!
Tackle your pet hair problem at the source
So I have three animals. The mounds of fur are always flying! Do you also got mounds of fur flying all around your home? That’s a clear sign that it’s time to give your dog (in my case, multiple + a cat) a grooming. Depending on your doggo’s personality, they may consider this a pampering and luxurious experience, the most mundane thing in the world, or a chance to make you their worst enemy. In my case, I have all 3. Since professional grooming services can get pricey, tackle this one at home. Clip their little nails, give them a subtle trim to freshen up their coat, wash them with some pet-friendly shampoo and conditioner, and top it off with a nice blow dry! They’ll be wagging their tails again in no time. Or sit there and stare at you asking, “What did you do to me?”. Either works.
Wash your curtains and dust your blinds
This is so easy but please ensure that you read the tag when cleaning your curtains. Some are just easy to throw on a line outside and wave them in the wind and they are all set. Others, not so much. But it’s literally a hands-off job and can be done in minutes or an hour, if you have a washer like mine! After you take your curtains off, I’d take a wet cloth and spray a little bit of Thieves cleaner on the blinds and wipe them down to brighten up your space. It will smell great too!
In conclusion,
I know what it’s like. As a busy Mama, mompreneur, and work a full-time job. It’s a day in paradise when you hear the dog barking, the kids playing throwing toys around. Your partner is asking when dinner’s going to be ready. You’re considered to be wonder woman. But I promise you this, after tackling these 12 easy home projects over a span of a weekend, you’ll still be wonder woman with an essentially, brand new home. Let me know which projects you’ll be tackling this weekend!
Love,
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