Winter is a time for hunkering down and feeling safe, cozy, and warm in your home. Maybe you like to bake batches and batches of treats for you and the family, or perhaps you love to wrap yourself up with a warm blanket and read by a roaring fire, or inviting a few friends over some cocktails and delicious canapes.
Whatever your preference, to keep your home perfect for hibernating in, you will need to look after it and that will require some maintenance. Here are some DIY projects you can easily undertake over the winter months.
Clear Gutters
Gutters can easily become clogged with debris such as leaves, detritus, and even dead rodents. If you live near large trees that shed their leaves in the Autumn, then clearing the gutters in the winter is essential. Blocked gutters will not allow water to flow away from your home properly. If water overflows a gutter it can end up cascading down your external walls.
An overflow of water can penetrate and cause damp which can not only damage the house but can be potentially dangerous for its residents. Moisture is a breeding ground for bacteria and mold and can be prevented with clear flowing water drainage. However, if you do not feel comfortable on a ladder, then leave this one to the experts.
Similarly, if you notice any damage to your roof when you are clearing your gutters, such as a loose tile or exposed interiors, then do not try to fix this yourself. Expert roofers should always be consulted, to ensure repairs are thorough and retain the integrity of your house. You do not want to do a terrible job and end up paying for the repairs anyway.
Sort Out The Loft
The wintertime usually ends up with a lot more items coming into the home. Whether these are gifts or guilty purchases you’ve made for yourself on a rainy night, they are going to need space. Over the course of a year many things get stuffed into corners and forgotten about. These long-forgotten accessories can soon fill up a home, and you are left cramming things into spaces that there isn’t enough room for.
A good clear out of your loft in the winter months is a brilliant project that can leave you feeling very satisfied once completed. The secret is to be ruthless. If you haven’t used it in the last year and it doesn’t hold any sentimental value, then chuck it. Charity shops will happily accept the donation if the item is in good working order.
Also, unless you are going to move home any time, soon then get rid of all the boxes for your appliances as well. A lot of people pack the boxes away just in case an item needs returned and then forget about them. But if your TV has been working for over a year, there is no need to keep such a large bit of cardboard. It takes up valuable space that you can make better use of.
If you do have lots of sentimental items you want to keep, taking time to go through them and sorting them, so they are more accessible is also refreshing and will be useful when the time comes to hand them onto someone else. You will be amazed at how much space a little bit of reorganization can give you. Maybe once you are finished, with all that clear space, you could make way for a fabulous conversion into a new luxurious room for your home.
Put Up New Shelves
Another way to store your items is to create a new display with them. Remember that not everything needs to be tucked away into a cupboard. Shelves can give you a lot more space in a home and allows you to enjoy your items, seeing them every day.
Most shelves should come with all the screws and fixings you need but check to make sure the wall will support the shelf before putting it up, especially if you plan to put heavy items like metal statues or books on it. There are great online tutorials that can guide you through putting up a shelf if you have never done it before. You must get the shelf level, so if you don’t have a spirit level, make sure you get a second pair of eyes to double-check your handiwork.
Lay New Flooring
Our floors take a lot of wear and tear over a year, especially if you have children or pets. New flooring can help make a room feel cozier, as underlay can help insulate a room and feel comfortable underneath your feet. Laminate flooring is better quality than ever and can look as good as real slate or wood at a fraction of the price. The other benefit of laminate flooring is its ability to be installed easily.
Installing a new floor with click and lock systems can transform a room quickly and is brilliant for a room, like a kitchen, because it can be wiped clean. The quick installation also means that the room can be completed in one day, so this is perfect if you have limited time but want to make a big impact on your home. If you are laying carpet, then be sure to take accurate measurements of your room as you do not want to end up with a roll that doesn’t reach the edges or needing to cut a lot of material that needs to be disregarded.
Fix Your Doors
It is incredible how we can end up with an item in our house that gets on our nerves, endlessly but we never get round to fixing it. A stiff or squeaky door is often a nuisance but one we can end up putting up with and never get round to fixing. If you have a door with a loose handle or a shoogly hinge, now is the time to get out the glue and the screwdrivers. Installing and hanging a new door can be tricky and is best left to expert carpenters unless you feel particularly confident in your DIY skills.
However, running repairs on a door usually do not need the same level of skill and can be undertaken by even the most inexperienced DIY enthusiast. Again, there are instructional videos for almost any job you need to do with a door, so don’t struggle without help. If you have a jammed or loose handle, for instance, this site can provide you with some top tips and tricks to try. Before you begin, identify the exact problem your door has and also try to figure out what type of door or handle you are working with. The solutions will differ depending on the type of door you are fixing. Most fixes will only need basic tools. However, you may need some oil to loosen up hinges or stiff handles.
Regrout Your Bathroom
Regrouting your bathroom is one of those jobs that might not be enjoyable when you are doing it but feels excellent when it is done. It is better to regrout as soon as you see any signs of grout damage. Taking precautionary steps will ensure you don’t end up with crumbling or lose tiles. Regrouting helps secure your tiles and makes them stand out as the eye is no longer drawn to the surrounding worn grouting or patchy exposed wall. Regrouting will also help prevent mold from developing or spreading in the bathroom, which as previously mentioned can be a health problem if it is allowed to develop.
Regrouting should be done regularly, especially if you do not have good ventilation and moisture is allowed to linger in the bathroom. Regrouting is a long process, depending on the size of your bathroom and the scale of damage between the tiles. Give yourself plenty of time to undertake the project and if you need to do it in stages then plan to divide the wall into clear sections so you can easily track your progress.
Upcycle Old Furniture
If you have cleared out the attic, then you might have stumbled across a discarded bit of furniture that looks like it has seen better days. It is incredible what a bit of imagination and a lick of paint can do to repurpose an old piece of furniture.
Upcycling can be done to make a piece that fits into your home decor, or you can try to make a unique item that can be sold for a tidy profit. Whatever your aim, have a look at what seasoned professional upcyclers are doing for inspiration, tips, and a rough pricing guide.
Finally, remember your home is probably the most expensive thing you own. It needs to be loved and cherished, just like all precious things. Take care of your home, giving it attention when it is needed. If you look after your home, it will keep you and your family feeling safe and warm for many winters to come.
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