10 Home Improvements for DIY Beginners

*Remunerated Post*

I don’t know about you, but staying in more has meant that are starting to look at many areas of home improvements. The trouble is, like many people, we are *DIY beginners (*why do I now have the tune to Absolute Beginners in my head?!). So, where to start?!

Hopefully these 10 tips will help you to make your first do-it-yourself experiences a little easier to manage.

Change Door Handles

One of the quickest – and easiest ways – to spruce up any space is to change the cupboard or door handles. They will give a new lease of life to your doors and cupboards – and it may even look like you have changed your kitchen!

It is a great starter project as it may be as simple as unscrewing the old and replacing with the new. Plus, it will save you pounds and give your house an instant mini facelift and you don’t have to worry about doing irreparable damage or blowing a big budget.

Paint a Room

Giving a room a new coat of paint is something anyone can do and is probably the fastest and most economical way to achieve an impressive change to the feel and look of a room.

Painting is a must-have skill for any would-be DIYer and whether you are paining one wall or freshening up a whole room, it is the final touch that will complete a project. There is no shortage of equipment you can buy to make a painting job easier too!

Garage Shelf Storage

You can certainly expand your storage space, at the same time as learning the basis of woodwork, by building and hanging your own custom made shelving in your garage.

The great thing about a garage is it is not a living space so you have a bit more leeway for imperfections and the likely mistakes which come with any beginner when you are learning new, basic DIY skills. Also, each garage is unique to it’s owner and so you can learn what suits you and maximise the space for your needs.

A circular saw is a must for this project and, because plywood is inexpensive, it shouldn’t hit too hard in the finance department. A nail gun and compressor is also a great idea.

LAy a Wood Floor

For the more adventurous amongst us, you may want to learn a new skill and lay a solid wood floor. Most of our downstairs is either hard wood or tiled flooring and I have to say that we find it much easier to keep clean There are plenty of guides on the best one to choose as well as how to lay one.

Essential items for the job, as well as the flooring itself, will include a hand saw, pencil, measuring tape, wood to concrete glue and flooring nailer. You may also want to invest in a set of knee pads!

Fix a Leaky Tap

We have had a leaking tap in our kitchen for absolutely ages and I know that it was the washer inside. Of course, this meant that we were wasting water (and money!) and so something had to be done.

There are plenty of places to learn the basics of plumbing and tap repairs are a great way to get accustomed to how plumbing works. Most taps can come apart and go back together with relative ease. It is a good idea to pick up a decent pair of vice grips and channel lock pliers for this job.

Lay Some Garden Decking

Our new neighbours erected their own pergoda and lay some new decking at the start of the lockdown and, I have to admit, that I am pretty envious. As a result I have been studying a number of ways on how to lay some decking.

We currently have decking but the wood is rotten and I am certain, with a frame already in place, I have looked into purchasing some new boards and replacing the old. From what I have seen, laying a basic, ground-level decking is the best place to start.

Install a Fire Pit

Of course, you can buy a fire pit off of Amazon – but why do that when you can test your skills and build one yourself?!

It is a great place to sit round as a family and perfect for evening s’mores and marshmallow cooking. It is a good introduction to basic concreting and masonry. These skills can then evolve into laying a patio, retaining a wall and many other projects. A fire pit is a simple place to start and you will need inexpensive masonry tools such as a trowel and tuckpointer to help you with this and any future jobs.

Clean your Oven

I have to admit to hating cleaning my oven. With a vengeance! But, at the start of lockdown, I was sent a number of products from Astonish. Their products are both vegan and cruelty free and the cleaning brand have just won Product of the Year 2020.

After using their Specialist Oven and Grill cleaner with special sponge, I was impressed. I have two main ovens and the most used one had got so dirty I couldn’t see through the door – even with the light on! After using the Astonish cleaner, it looked like brand new.

I also got sent the Specialist Hob and Cooktop cleaner as well as the Astonish Cup Clean.

Make Your Own Wall Art

Grace is really artistic and enjoys drawing and painting. She has spent hours in her room doing this during lockdown and she even painted me a beautiful stone as well as picture, which she framed and gifted me for Mothers Day.

This gave me a great idea to help spruce up your home. Why not create your own wall art? Blank canvases and art equipment is easy to get hold of and you can spend some therapeutic time with your kids coming up with some great designs.

Upcycle Your Furniture

We have a number of pieces of furniture which we are looking to take to the tip BUT rather than add to the landfills, I am looking to upcycle a number of them.

You could either revamp a piece into some extra storage for your home or, with some of the items, I am going to use them as pot stands for some of my home-grown herbs and vegetables. I also love this idea from Jen at Love Chic Living and her transformation of a tile into a marble tray.

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