House giving you a little of the sad face? You don’t have to overhaul the whole thing to make it feel fresh. Nor do you have to take out a new loan. With a little effort and a few bucks, you can breathe some new air into your home this weekend.
Redo your floors
Not everyone in every situation will be able to get new floors in a weekend. If you have a large space, have to rip tile up, or do a lot of measuring and cutting (but aren’t skilled with math or power tools), it may take a little longer. But in many situations, changing out flooring is a relatively easy task that can totally change and update your space. Think: floating floors. They require no glue, literally snap together to “float” above your existing floors, and can in prefinished wood, laminate, and vinyl. You can get a step-by-step instructions and materials needed on This Old House.
Update your bathroom
Get new faucets, paint your cabinets, install new hardware, swap our your lights – they’re all relatively easy tasks and inexpensive fixes that can have a huge effect on the way your bathroom looks. If you’re not ready to rip out and replace your vanities or think about a new bath or shower at this point, get in there and do a few easy DIY tasks to give your space a mini overhaul that has maximum impact.
Beautify your backsplash
It is possible to do a backsplash by yourself in a couple of days, although it takes a little bit of diligence and patience to make sure you get everything installed right. Otherwise, you’ll be looking at crooked lines and popping tiles for years to come. If you don’t want to worry about that, there is a growing array of temporary tiles that go up in a cinch and look like the real thing.
wayfair.com
Frame your windows
Hanging drapes is so easy that the most challenging part of the process will probably be choosing between the thousands of options out there. Take a good look at your room before heading out to the store so you have some sense of the color or pattern you’re looking for. And don’t forget to pre-measure. Nothing kills your redecorating buzz like having to return the drapes you just bought because they’re too short.
Modernize your cabinets
Painting your cabinets is a big undertaking, and, as anyone who has tried will tell you, a complete pain in the butt. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it if you’re gung ho, but just know what you’re up against. And understand it’s also not a one-weekend job. If you just want to bring in a little shine and make older cabinets look fresh, start with new hardware. Get a cabinet hardware jig and installing the knobs and pulls will be a breeze.
Dress up your walls
Patterned walls continue to be popular, but you don’t need permanent wallpaper to take advantage of this trend. There is an ever-increasing array of peel-and-stick options that go up easy (and come down just as simply). We also love painting tools like Rollerwall that simulate the look of wallpaper. Per the website, “You can apply a complete faux-wallpaper look in any room in just one hour.”
latestgadget.com
Pretty up your patio
The end of summer is a great time to look at outdoor furniture and accessories because they tend to go on sale at or near the change of seasons. In many climates, you can still hang out in your backyard or on your front porch throughout the year, save for the harshest few winter months, so a new outdoor dining or living set is a great option now if what you currently have has had it. At the very least, bringing some color up to your front door with some new potted flowers (potted so you can protect them when it gets cold) can bring a smile every time you drive past your house.
