DIY or “Do It Yourself” is and has been an extremely popular trend as it allows people to spend more on the material and tools they use since they are not paying for the labor of their project. In doing this, they can invest in high-quality products that can last for years to come. A whopping 71% of DIYers have said that quality is more important than price when it comes to choosing materials for their home improvement projects. Quick DIY projects around the house can bring great gratification, especially if it allows you to save money in the long run.
Here Are 8 Cool DIY Projects That are Quick and Easy
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Make Your Cleaners
There are always an array of colorful bottles featuring popular names of cleaning products in the cleaning isles at many big-box stores, all of which make the promise to take on tough stains while leaving your home smelling terrific. It is convenient to buy cleaners, there is a considerable amount of money that you can be saving per month if you invest in making your own at home. When you DIY your cleaning products, you know firsthand what ingredients are in them, without having to worry about exposing your family and yourself to dangerous chemicals.
You may be asking yourself how much can you save by DIY-ing your cleaning products. Well, it all depends on the product. For example, a citrus-scented kitchen cleaner can cost you as little as four cents per ounce to make. There are many DIY cleaning product recipes out there for you to follow. If you aren’t sure where to start, the safest route to go is to purchase distilled white vinegar, a box of baking soda, and some Castile soap (all household products you likely already have in your home!).
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Invest in a Low-Flow Faucet
Unfortunately, when it comes to yearly costs, the average household spends about $1,000 on water use. Replacing your house’s existing faucets, shower heads, and toilets with low-flow faucet models may help reduce your water bill by around 20 percent. Now, the complexity of this faucet-replacing project will all depend on your preference. You can always go all out and replace the whole fixture with a faster, more efficient model. For a more simple, less expensive option, consider replacing the aerator at the tip of the faucet with a low-flow model.
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Install a Ceiling Fan
To better help you save money in a few days, installing a ceiling fan in your living space is a great start. In the summertime, of course, depending on where you live, if you use a ceiling fan along with your home’s air conditioner, you can set the thermostat up to four degrees hotter without taking note of the difference in your comfort.
Unbeknownst to some, a ceiling fan can also help keep your home warm in the winter, but only as long as you reverse the direction of the blade spin. This project does not take a DIY genius to get done. When getting this project completed, the most important thing to remember is that if you are trading a lighting fixture for fans, you also need to change out the electrical box. Electrical boxes that are made only for lights are not strong enough to support an increased weight of a fan.
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Paint a Room Yourself
A simple DIY home improvement project for beginners is a fresh coat of paint on the wall. If a professional is hired to paint a room, it can cost you anywhere between $380 to $790. If you do it yourself, the likelihood of the price being under $300 is high. There are of course different factors to take into consideration when it decides to paint a room, from the size of the room you are going to paint to the quality of paint you choose.
High-quality paint or specialty paint will usually cost more but will have a higher long usage life compared to low-quality paint. Paint in itself is a great way to freshen the interior of your home, making it feel brand new without the cost of whole-room redecoration.
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Install a Water Filter Under the Sink
If you don’t like the taste of the tap water in your home, or if you are worried about the chemicals in your drinking water, installing a water filter under your sink can help you save money. You can save on both the installation if you decide to DIY, and on the expense of bottled water, if that is what you have resulted in drinking.
For convenience’s sake, an under-sink water filter is a better idea than pitchers with built-in water filters, to save on having to refill the pitcher after every time you refresh your beverage. Such filters can vary in price, but you can always find an option for less than $100.
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Re-Caulk your Tub and Shower Yourself
Caulking creates a tight seal around both your bathtub and shower, which can reduce water damage. Occasionally re-caulking your tub or shower will keep mold and mildew growing to protect the fixtures in your home. Re-caulking is not an expensive or difficult project to complete. To get started with this project, you will need painter’s or masking tape, a caulk gun, and a caulk designed for use in the bathroom or other areas that are at risk of getting wet. You will want a knife to cut away old caulk.
When you apply the new caulk, you will want to place the tip of the caulking gun in the area that is being sealed while using light pressure to create a thin line of caulk. To give it a neat appearance you can run your finger along the line of the caulk when you’re finished to clean it up.
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Make Your Furniture
These kinds of projects are simple and require minimal tools and skills. Furniture such as bed frames and desks are fairly easy pieces to make. For the bed frame, you will need 2-by-4s and plywood, and by keeping it simple, you can have the plywood cut at places like Home Depot, or Lowes. Screw and glue the sidebars and legs together to make it rock solid.
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Make Your Patio Decor & More
Outdoor furniture and decor don’t always need to have a perfect finished appearance, and this is a great opportunity for DIY projects. Wooden benches can be made for $15 or less with 2-by-4 lumber, and can even be made from recycled lumber. All you will need is a few screws and nails. Cement block planters are made of cement blocks that start at $1.25 and can be stacked in various ways to create flower gardens. For fire pits, a basic pit can be made with free rocks collected and can look wonderful for the setting. For a more professional-looking firepit that can save money, use fancy blocks.
Read More: 8 DIY Projects for an Outdoor Living Space
I love helping folks with DIY Projects and home improvement, whether you are considering selling your home or not! Call me for more tips if you plan on selling your home in the future and what DIY projects can really offer a good bang for your buck! For more information on moving to Charlotte, browse our website. I work the entire Huntersville real estate area, University City homes, Midland Properties and Harrisburg and Concord real estate.