Quality matters when hiring for a big project. Call a Best Pick now!
Even though it might not feel like it outside, spring is just around the corner, and with that comes the annual spring cleaning extravaganzas. Like many animals, we tend to hibernate during winter, and while we stay cozy inside, our houses’ upkeep can fall by the wayside.
Both clutter and last season’s home decor can really dampen the mood, making us want to give any hope of spring cleaning up before the season even gets into full swing.
Here are some DIY home hacks that will help you keep your home both chic and organized in these final weeks before spring cleaning season.
Make Small Updates
Spray Painting
The metallic trend has taken off recently, and adding metallic accents to your home is a great way to jump in head first. Instead of buying new, shiny trinkets, you can update pieces you already own with a quick coat of paint.
Using metallic spray paints, you can paint your way to being on trend.
Low-cost way to update household items.
The sky’s the limit on what you can spray paint—lamps, different pieces of office furniture, and even trash cans will look trendy when finished. Make sure to paint outside, and remember to paint on a clear protective coat first.
DIY Room Spray
You can create your own DIY room spray to give your home a new signature scent.
Crafting your own room spray with essential oils instead of picking up a new candle allows you to create a unique scent to speaks—or smells—to you. Plus, your homemade room spray won’t smell overwhelmingly chemical or synthetic.
A fresh scent can transport you, tricking your nose into thinking you’re in a field of flowers or on a Mediterranean island and not stuck inside.
There are several homemade air freshener “recipes” available online, and you can easily experiment by creating your own mixture.
Lighting Fixtures
Providing additional light sources can do more than just brighten up a room; the addition of a statement floor lamp or changing out old lighting fixtures for something more modern can create the illusion of more space.
Choose a lamp that can serve your functionality needs and your aesthetic desires. For example, a well-placed floor lamp can brighten up an entire room, and table lamps can create a soft, concentrated light in dark space.
Try a Few Upcycling Ideas
Upcycling, or the practice of creatively reusing old household items in a new way, is a great house hack because it can be done for little to no personal cost.
The best part? You can generate your own upcycling ideas based on what you have on hand and really flex your creative muscles.
Here are a few jumping-off points:
Glass Bottle Lamp
If you’re thinking about updating your home’s lighting situation with lamps, consider making your own by using a glass bottle as a lamp base. Wine bottles have a good shape for this type of project. Here’s how in a few easy steps:
- Using a diamond-tipped drill bit, carefully cut a hole near the bottom of the bottle. Be sure to wear safety goggles and gloves during the drilling process.
- Run a wiring kit, which can be purchased at most hardware stores, through the bottle.
- Add a light bulb and a lampshade.
Voilà! You have a chic upcycled statement piece for your nightstand or side table.
Wooden Crate Coffee Table
Use wooden crates to create a conversation piece coffee table that doubles as extra storage space. Follow these steps, and we guarantee your new coffee table will be a talking point for all of your houseguests.
- Use any color wood stain on four wooden crates.
- Once dry, arrange the crates on a plywood sheet so that they face outward.
- Secure them to the base with nails.
- Measure wood to fit the hole in the center.
- Add caster wheels to the base to make the table easier to move.
Cardboard Box Baskets
Put your Amazon Prime boxes to good re-use by making a DIY multipurpose basket. Here’s how:
- Remove the flaps at the top of the box with a box cutter.
- Wrap twine around the exterior of the box.
- Line the inside of the box with a fabric your choice.
You’re done! This simple hack provides a rustic-chic place to store anything from hair products to magazines to toilet paper.
Better Space Utilization with These Organization Ideas
Whether it’s hiding bedroom clutter in the closet or sweeping dirt under the living room rug, we’ve all taken shortcuts when cleaning the house.
Now, your bad habit can be a house hack. Here are some ways to creatively hide and organize household items like thermostats, wireless routers, and cords:
Thermostat Covers
Thermostats are absolutely necessary, but sometimes, they can throw off a space’s aesthetic.
Creatively hiding your thermostat is a fun way to bring some artistic flair to your space. Put hinges on a canvas to create an artistic cover for your thermostat—double points if you craft your own painting on the canvas.
Bookshelf Camouflage
Wiring and cable boxes that are not neatly maintained can make your space look like a server room and not a living room.
Hiding your wireless router or cable box amongst some elegant hardcover books is a great way to keep a room’s theme cohesive and make yourself seem very well read. Using a decorative aluminum sheet and board, you can create a cover for your router or cable box that will fit in seamlessly with the decorative books.
(Optional: giving your houseguests your Wi-Fi password.)
DIY Drawer Separators
Try wrapping sturdy cardboard with wrapping paper or drawer liners to create a cheap organization solution for your junk drawer (we all have one).
The cardboard can be placed in your drawer diagonally, creating sectioned-off spaces of varying sizes. The smaller sections are great for storing easy-to-lose items like measuring spoons, paper clips, and corn holders, and the larger spaces could store spatulas, whisks, and spoons.
Before cabin fever strikes and you start to like your “cabin” a little less, use these organization ideas and DIY hacks to stylishly update your home without breaking the bank.