Top 5 Basic DIY Projects for Your Home

By Kathy Woodard

DIY projects for your home are becoming more popular than ever before. Homeowners are taking control of their most valuable investment, creating a more luxurious environment for their families on a tighter budget. And all it takes is a bit of elbow grease and some good DIY basic know how. Here are our top 5 DIY home improvement projects that you can get started on today!

1. Painting

Painting your home is one of the most common home improvement projects, and for good reason. No other project can make such a large impact on your space for such a small investment in time and money. Whether you choose to paint your exterior or interior, make sure you start out with a plan. Choose your colors within the theme or style of your home, and make sure your colors flow well from space to space. Learn about color combinations and values before you choose your colors. And remember the most important tip for painting your home; preparation is everything.

2. Installing new sinks and fixtures

You can quickly increase the value of your home by replacing sinks and plumbing fixtures with modern, updated choices. With basic tools you can disconnect the water supply and plumbing, replace the sink and faucet, and reconnect your water supply in a short time. You may want a helper for this job, so one person can be adjusting the plumbing while the other manages placement of the sink or faucet. Try to coordinate a look throughout your home with the same design, style, and finish.

3. Updating Window Treatments

Windows in a  home can often look cold and uninviting, especially at night. Decorating your windows usually should wait until you have a full decorating plan in place, but they are things you can do to avoid “tacked up sheet” syndrome that many new homes contend with. If you don’t already have blinds for privacy, buy curtains online...they install in minutes are it’s an easy do it yourself job. Soften your windows easily buy using clip top drapes. They attach to a curtain rod in minutes, and look updated and contemporary.

4. Updating kitchen cabinets

The most important space in any home is, of course, the kitchen. The kitchen is the most often remodeled home in the room, and the kitchen design affects the resale value of any home. However, one of the most dramatic improvements a DIYer can make in the kitchen is also one of the least complicated. Provided your cabinets are sturdy and sound, refinishing them can save you thousands of dollars, and add instant appeal. You can paint the surfaces, add molding, or use an antique finish to give your existing cabinets a one of a kind feel. While time consuming and a lot of good old fashioned work, refinishing kitchen cabinets can be well worth the effort.

5. Installing flooring

Installing flooring is perhaps the most difficult of the basic DIY home improvement projects, but easy enough to learn. With today’s wood laminate flooring, ceramic tiles and snap flooring systems, any DIYer can get this done in a weekend, with help from a good-natured friend. Consider taking a free class at a local home improvement center to learn the techniques and tools necessary. However, it is not often recommended that wall to wall carpet installation be considered a DIY project.

Once you obtain basic DIY project skills, you can tackle some more complicated projects.

While projects involving light fixtures can seem fairly straight forward, I always recommend leaving electrical projects to the professionals. A licensed electrician can make sure your new ceiling fan, chandelier or sconces are installed correctly, and more importantly, safely.

Most homeowners can drastically change the appearance and value of their home once they learn some basic DIY project instructions. Make sure you take the time to plan, review and learn about your project before getting started, and you are sure to be rewarded with the home of your dreams, not of your nightmares!

Visit Factory Direct Drapes and use their free Virtual Room Designer to help you choose the best draperies and curtains or valances for your home. Kathy Woodard is a freelance writer and home decorating expert. 

You can visit her at TheBudgetDecorator.com.