You don’t have to be an expert or even close to one to tackle basic home improvements yourself. In fact, there are several that even the most unhandy people can become pros at and should.
There are a range of projects that can easily be done on your own to keep up with the maintenance of your home. When it comes to more specifically technical large projects, homeowners should think about contacting and hiring a professional to avoid added expense from a failed DIY project.
Cleaning your furnace, AC, or other systems
Changing the filters of your house’s furnace, AC, and plumbing systems helps avoid costly fixes in the future. Read the manufacturer’s specifications to figure out the right filter size and style, and buy the filters in bulk to save some money. When you do change them, look out for leaks, staining, or new rust. Call a pro if you see any.
Fixing loose cabinet doors
We recommend learning how to fix loose cabinet doors—an all-too-common occurrence in any home. You can tighten the fit with a screwdriver and toothpicks for a quick fix. Keeping the hinge on the door, unscrew the loose cabinet hinge from the base of the cabinet, and stick one toothpick at a time in the existing screw hole. Break the end of the toothpick off once it reaches the depth of the hole, and continue with as many toothpicks as possible until you can’t fit any more. Re-attach the cabinet hinge for a new snug fit.
Add open shelving to empty wall space
Who couldn’t do with a couple of extra open shelves at home? They’re a great way to display prettier mugs, tchotchkes such as pottery, and books.
Pick up some ready-to-hang shelving, which usually comes with the brackets and screws you need. Home Depot’s video offers a step-by-step tutorial on correctly hanging the shelves.
Painting a room
Painting a room such as a bedroom or a bathroom is a great, cost-saving way to refresh a space for any DIY skill level. First, move anything small or fragile to somewhere safe, and move furniture out of the way or protect it with drop cloths and plastic. Cover floors as well. Then, scrape away any loose paint, patch or fill in any holes, sand the area you’re painting, prime, and sand again. Finally, paint two coats over the desired area.
Changing handles and hardware
Kitchen cabinet hardware, entry doorknobs, door stoppers, and hinges can add a luxurious feeling to your home, and upgrading your current hardware with a new look is an approachable project. This handy video shows you how to get the job done.
Hanging curtains
Why spend the money on a professional curtain installer when it’s a straightforward task that you can handle yourself? The items you need include the curtains, a curtain rod, screws, screwdriver, a ladder, pencil, and measuring tape.
Changing out lightbulbs, dimmers, and light fixtures
Lighting is one of the most important aspects of a home, and you can rely on yourself to change bulbs, dimmers, and light fixtures.
Finally, changing out light fixtures is another great DIY task—but to a point. If the fixture is taller than 10 inches or weighs more than 20 pounds, hire a pro as balancing weight at heights is best left to an expert.
Organizing around the home
In the wake of all of us spending so much time at home, the desire for optimizing storage space has never been more prevalent. Professional organizers charge around 120$ for the average job, but you can master organizing yourself by picking up the solutions that best suit your needs from The Container Store or another source.
