Hi Friends! Wow, it’s been a while hasn’t it? It’s been a whirlwind of a year, to say the least, and now we are in the midst of a global pandemic. Life is full of surprises.
I hope you are all holding up okay and staying as sane as possible during this limbo period.
To catch you up to speed, in a nutshell, the past year has involved me:
- getting engaged
- almost finishing the interior design program; and
- buying a house!
This last one is VERY exciting. Get ready to follow along with the renovation journey, which is about to kick off!
In the meantime, we have a guest blogger today: Aimee Lyons, DIY goddess of http://diydarlin.com/. Aimee reached out to see if she could share her DIY tips and tricks to help you pass time (enjoyably) during the pandemic. Without further ado:
Here’s How to Pass Time (in DIY Mode) During the Pandemic
If you have both the spare time and the motivation, starting DIY projects during the pandemic might be a productive way to pass the hours and days. Start preparing your home maintenance to-do list and start those projects. Here’s how—and what projects you should focus on.
Consider Safety: Inside and Out
There are plenty of ways you can address home safety during the pandemic. Between outside threats and in-home hazards, you’ll have many items to check off your list. You can start your home security DIY by ensuring your home is as protected as possible. Consider ordering security cameras that you can install yourself or replacing (or installing) exterior flood lights that work on automatic sensors.
As far as indoor hazards, carbon monoxide leaks and fire safety are just two of many potential safety issues. But with a quick online order pickup at your local hardware store, you can start fixing those problems ASAP.
Of course, if you plan to sell your home after the pandemic is over, you may also want to get started on smaller repairs to prep the property. Selling as-is is an option—but it may not be the best one for your wallet. From kitchen and bathroom updates to replacing flooring, doing the DIYs now could get you a better sales price.
Make Your Home a Relaxing Retreat
If you’re feeling stuck at home, one solution is to transform your living space. With the right paint color—Bob Vila recommends light gray, pale blue, and even lavender—you can create a relaxing room where you can escape from it all. Incorporating comfortable seating, enhanced lighting, and some fresh air can help encourage relaxation, too.
Of course, indoor air quality can also make staying inside a challenge, especially with contaminants like lead, pollen, and even household products tainting the environment. Fortunately, you can “clean” the air in your home with simple steps like vacuuming and dusting often, opening the windows, and giving your drapes and curtains a regular washing.
As far as DIYs go, laundering and cleaning up is an easy project to tackle. But you could also choose to install an air purifier, schedule a duct cleaning for your HVAC system, or swap your carpets for wood flooring. Changing your flooring is also a healthy way to cut down on indoor toxins—which is especially helpful for people dealing with allergies.
Renovate Your Outdoor Spaces
Whether you live in a condo or on acreage, reinventing your outdoor space is an excellent DIY for these trying times. After all, spending time outside can help you feel rejuvenated and ease anxiety, notes Country Living.
Whether it’s something small like purchasing a new patio set or a bigger DIY like building a deck, there are plenty of ways to make your yard a relaxing oasis. To make your outdoor areas more inviting, think about planting a garden, trimming shrubs and trees, and even building a shade or privacy structure.
For small yards—or patios—consider container planting, hanging a hammock, or setting up a bird feeder and bird watching spot. Any element or project that makes your small yard or patio feel more comfortable and welcoming is worth the investment.
Whether you’re surveying home security or want to spruce up your home’s interior, there are tons of DIYs you can tackle during the pandemic. The best part is, these projects are easy to manage and will easily keep you occupied.
Photo via Pixabay
Guest post by Aimee Lyons
State of Design 