During the winter months, you might not feel inspired to do much around the home. But by spacing out maintenance and renovation tasks throughout the year, you can enjoy each of the seasons more and avoid putting too much stress on yourself (or your budget) at once. In the winter, here are some projects to consider working on.
1. Replace Interior and Exterior Doors
If you noticed last time this year that it was breezy inside, get to replacing the doors this year. Not only will it help save you on energy bills over the coming months, but it’ll also be easier for an expert to notice any air leaks and cracks. Get the job done right by choosing a company with positive customer reviews and a strong BBB rating like https://tomsriverdoorandwindow.com/ in New Jersey. Getting it done properly the first time around is the way to go.
There’s no need to wait until spring either, as this job is so important that it’s ideal to do it sooner rather than later. From interior doors to the front and garage doors, many areas probably could use improvement, especially as doing so will increase the home’s value.
2. Update Home Lighting, From Bulbs to Fixtures
It might seem small but new lighting can do wonders for your spirits on a dark December day. It can also save you money switching to LEDs as they can last longer than traditional incandescent light bulbs and use less energy. Perhaps you also replace light fixtures, choosing modern sconces, pendant lights, and flush mount designs. Maybe you also add a dimmer to the light switch in the dining area to create a cozy ambiance.
These seemingly small updates can make rooms feel new and help you feel more comfortable in them. You might even find that some areas of the home look larger with better lighting. Good lighting is also better for your eyes, and natural lighting isn’t as abundant through the windows in winter as in summer, so the DIY project you’re doing is definitely important.
2. Paint Walls, and Remember the Baseboards Too
Given it’s colder outdoors at this time of year, you’ll likely spend more time inside, so doing activities like painting the walls makes sense. Doing so can give your home interior a newer look. What color you choose is up to you, keeping in mind that lighter colors make a room look larger while darker colors can do the opposite.
This project may brighten your days if your mood tends to drop in winter, along with the outside temperatures. Doing it now in winter also prevents you from overheating if you were to wait and paint on a humid summer day, which can be uncomfortable and even lead to fainting.
Don’t forget about cleaning the grime off baseboards and then freshening them up with a coat of paint, too. Given how often they got kicked and were overlooked during the last several months, they could likely use it. The small details add up!
3. Look at Attic Upgrades
If you have an attic, you know it can be a major source of heat loss in wintertime. If your place feels cool even when your furnace is at a high temperature, it might be time to add more insulation up on that top level. As you’re not going outside, it doesn’t matter if it’s really windy or icy out there; that won’t affect your work in the attic. Once you’re done, the lower energy bills are your reward!
If you’re not comfortable with this DIY project, reach out to a professional to ensure it’s done properly. They can help determine if the insulation meets building code requirements and other important details.
4. Do Some Clever Decor Updates
You can also elevate your home’s style in winter so it looks great throughout the year. Perhaps you finally re-string the window blinds in the living room that your cat chewed on last fall. Or, you hang curtains in the master bedroom, something you’ve been meaning to do since you moved in five years ago.
Another useful update is hanging artwork to complete the look of a room. Paintings, whether framed or not, as well as fabric wall hangings, can add personality to a space and help it feel cozy. A gallery wall is a fun idea for displaying photos you took or a collection of images of family. A custom wall mural is another budget-friendly idea.
Finally, you might decide to move furniture around the room. It’s an activity that is free to do and can really change the look of a space, opening it up and getting you excited about being there again.
5. Create More Storage
When you first bought the house, you likely thought there was a lot of closet space and cupboards. But now you find that space is at a premium as you accumulate more things each year, and adding storage makes sense.
There are several options here. For example, multi-use furniture like ottomans with lids that open up to put blankets into are handy, as are drawers in bed frames. Or, perhaps you get an extra cabinet to hang on the bathroom wall. You might also add wall shelving in the den to get some of the clutter off the floor. Adding extra storage is always a good idea, and doing it in winter can bring a sense of purpose to those blah winter days.
What Else to Know About House Renos in Wintertime
Be sure to stay safe as you work on these projects. If you’re not sure what to do, it’s best to leave it to the professionals for the safest outcome, especially if it is electrical, so you don’t end up in the emergency room. The same holds true for big projects like replacing doors, where you don’t want to have to do it twice. Your home is one of your most prized possessions, and it makes sense to do things properly there.
Also, as you choose which projects to focus on, think about your household budget. That can lead you to consider some repairs and upgrades over others, depending on your financial comfort level. Interestingly, it can actually save you time hiring a professional to do the work because it would take you several hours to learn the new skill and could even get in the way of your job if it’s not done right.
For those projects that you decide to do yourself, take breaks for water and to clear your head. Try not to rush anything as that could make for missteps. You might even show your kids some of the tips for maintaining the house that you’re doing, helping them develop useful skills that can benefit them when they’re older and independent.
Finally, be cognizant of potential challenges and common mistakes with the project ahead. This information can help you pivot when needed and avoid costly errors later.
A Few Last Words: Getting Your Home How You Want It
Only you and the others who live in your house know what you want it to look and feel like. It takes work to maintain the place but you can feel good about the hand you take in keeping the place at its best. In wintertime, work around the interior to make improvements where you see fit and then enjoy it through the rest of the year.
You’ll create a fresh vibe and not be as stressed in the coming seasons because you completed several tasks in the winter months. Way to go!
