If like most people, you are dreading the thought of winter coming once again, and being stuck inside or you want a way to help cure cabin fever, one of the best things you can do is to do some DIY creative, fun, and rewarding home improvement projects! The question shouldn’t be what projects can I do, but rather which ones should I do now. According to most professionals including designers, New Jersey house painters, electricians and more – the best projects to do are; ones that will add value to your property, the ones that will lower your utility bills and, of course, the ones which will make you happy. Below, you will find a few ideas on projects you can do this winter when you are stuck inside, and surely one, two or maybe all of them will add property value to your home, save you money AND hopefully, put a smile on your face!
Repainting
If you spend a lot of time indoors, you probably stare at the walls a lot and if that’s the case, you are probably becoming super sick of the boring paint color you have on your walls. Or maybe it’s not so boring, but its chipped, cracked or even peeling. Repainting is a great course of winter blues therapy, and you can create a room color that is going to make you feel happier and really lift your mood. Some people say that you cannot paint in the winter, but that’s not true and any New Jersey house painter will tell you that if you use a LOW VOC paint, it’s going to help with toxic fumes if that is something you are worried about, which you should be! Paint fumes can cause health issues, breathing issues, can give you headaches, it’s even been known to make people faint. Low VOC is the way to go for winter painting.
Redo Your Floors
If you have wood floors that need to be redone, carpet that is getting shabby, or you just want to create a warmer and inviting atmosphere to your rooms, flooring is a great option. Wood is really easy to redo, just make sure that if you are using paint, varnish or stains, that you open a few windows to let the fumes out. If you are going to redo your carpet, remember to either open a few windows for the off gassing or ask the manufacture you buy the carpet from to air the carpet out to help with those gaseous fumes from entering your home. If you want to try something different altogether, think about laminate flooring, faux wood or even tiles – these can all be done without ever opening the windows and they allow you to get creative and have some fun!
Declutter and Reorganize
Chances are you will already think of this step anyway, especially being inside so much, but just think if you get a head start on this now you won’t have to spend so much time on it when Spring comes. There is even a month in the winter that is called Get Organized Month – its January! If you devoted just a few hours a week to declutter and get organized, you would be surprised what goals you can accomplish. Also, remember, if you haven’t used it in a year, chances are you never will, and you should consider giving it to the VETS. The Vets have an organization in every state and maybe in other countries, where they come pick up your stuff in a big moving truck. Those items then go to Vets, their families and anyone related to The Vets. It’s a great program and there are many different options out there in each state. It’s also free. Most organizations accept a wide range of items, such as:
Clothing of all types & sizes (men’s, ladies, children’s, babies)
- Clothing accessories – purses, belts, ties, wallets
- Shoes (all kinds)
- Baby items
- Houseware, glassware, and home decor
- Books, toys, bikes
- Stereos, radios, and other electronics
- Bedding, linens, draperies, curtains
- Kitchenware
- Usable small furniture & rugs
- Small appliances
- Tools (all kinds)
- Jewelry and cosmetics
- Etc.
Clean, Update and Redo Your Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of those projects that tend to sneak up on people. They never really look AT the bathroom, they just go in, do what needs to be done and leave. But, I’ll bet if you take a closer look you will begin to see some issues such as mildew in your grout, paint that is outdated or needs to be redone, a leaky faucet, or even a showerhead that needs to be renewed – these should actually be changed every few years because of the micro buildup of sludge i.e.; bacteria. Your showerhead can get as filthy as a public toilet believe it or not! Updating all of these things is a good time to do in the winter. You have nothing but time after all. So get some good cleaner for that grout, DIY or call a New Jersey house painter to update the paint in the bathroom, fix that leaky faucet already and add a new showerhead!
These are all quite easy things to do when its winter. Most of them are do it yourself, but there are handymen, painters in NJ, fixer uppers and more to help you with those jobs you really have no business or no idea how to do.