HOME IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS TO GET YOU OFF THE COUCH THIS WINTER

By Jeff  Posted January 5, 2016  In Blog

How did you spend the first day of the new year? Like others, January 1, 2016, was probably not one of the most productive days you’ve ever had, most people spent the day simply relaxing. Having a lazy day once in awhile isn’t a bad thing, but if you’re stuck indoors because of the cold, why not turn your snow day into a “get it done day”?

If you’re feeling the post holiday blues, here are some simple home improvement projects to get you moving.

INSTALL A BACKSPLASH

Backsplashes are to kitchens, as basil is to spaghetti sauce, they’re essential for completing the flavor. If you want to spruce up the appeal of your kitchen, a backsplash will help accessorize and emphasize your countertops, cabinets and appliances. For a kitchen that needs color and life, textured tile can wake up any plain countertop.

CHANGE OUT YOUR LIGHT BULBS

This takes a bit of an upfront investment as you will be installing energy efficient light bulbs, but these new bulbs have huge cost saving benefits. On average, an Energy Star qualified light bulb will save more than $40 in electricity costs over its lifetime so don’t let the upfront cost of these bulbs scare you.

DO SOME PAINTING

Did you know that cold weather is perfect for drying paint? The dryness of the winter months actually makes winter the perfect time to paint the interior, so crack a window, grab your favorite brush and make the cold work do the work! Pick a bold color and paint an accent wall or add dimension to your bedroom by painting the ceiling.

ORGANIZE YOUR MUDROOM

Make a usually messy mudroom look organized! If your family’s coats and boots are out of control, use the mess as motivation to get a hold of the chaos once and for all. Install hooks, this takes out the effort it takes to use a hanger. This is especially great for kids. Create labeled bins so each family member can store their own scarves, gloves, hats and any small stuff that can’t be hung. Additionally, making sure everyone’s boots are stored on a boot tray can eliminate the dirt and sludge created when boots are simply stored on the floor. Lastly, install a key rack. While this isn’t a “big item”, storing your keys on the counter creates clutter. Having a key rack in your mudroom, the first room you walk through when coming home, is a perfect place to install a key rack.

REFURBISH YOUR DOORS

Interiors doors can have a lot of visual impact on your home. The good news is you can “replace” all your doors without spending a lot of money.

Paint them. Dark doors can make your home look more expensive. Colored doors can look much more modern and whimsical than traditional wood.

Change the doorknobs. Updated hardware is an instant fix for outdated doors.

Add molding to flat doors. Molding can create dimension and give an elegant, expensive feel to any run-of-the-mill doorway.



By focusing on the inside of your home when the weather is cold, you’ll open up time to do warm-weather stuff when spring rolls around.