Spring is finally here, and it's time to use that warm weather and those longer days on home improvements. Pick out one or two weekend home improvement projects every month, and by September your home will feel like a different, updated place. Even simple projects that work for people inexperienced with DIY can still add comfort and value to your home. Whether you're new to the home improvement scene or you're an old pro, you'll love the results these projects offer.
Accessorize Your Garden
Adding potted plants or accessories to your garden gives it a unique, professionally landscaped look. One idea is to paint an old wagon, then use it as a planter to hold some small plants. Create an herb garden or a mini flower garden with blooms that will attract your favorite birds. If you're an experienced gardener, this project won't take you the entire weekend. Take the opportunity to add some extras to your garden, like stone paths or outdoor lighting.
Perform Simple HVAC Maintenance Tasks
When you want to feel the difference from your home improvement projects, pay attention to your HVAC system. Dirty filters or dusty grates mean your indoor air isn't as clean as it should be. Between maintenance appointments, change your air filter at least once every two months to circulate the freshest air within your home. You can find the place where the filter goes near or in your air handler. After you do that, take the grates off your supply and return vents and give them a good wipe with a damp cloth.
Stain Your Deck
Staining your deck isn't as fun as other home improvement projects, but it's an important maintenance task that needs to happen. A stained deck will look better and last longer. Get this project done on a warm weekend before the summer sun hits and starts heating up your deck. Make sure no rain is in the forecast, and enlist the whole family with brushes and rollers. Treat yourself the next weekend by throwing a party to show off your new deck stain.
Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets
Image via Flickr by Jeremy Levine Design
Feeling bored with the look of your kitchen? A fresh coat of paint on your old cabinets is a fun project you can finish in a weekend. Wood cupboards are the easiest to paint, but if you have composite ones, you can still give them a new paint job. Kitchens that get a lot of light can handle cabinets in bold colors like blue, green, or orange. Have a traditional cabinet design? Paint the carved detail in a different shade than the rest of the cabinet to create extra dimension.
Roll up your sleeves and celebrate the good weather by working on your interior or on your yard. If you live alone, this is a great opportunity to have some friends over for fun projects like gardening. If you have a family, get everyone to help so the projects are that much faster and more fruitful.
