I love sharing DIY’s with you especially when they have to do with home projects. I love doing things to my home that will allow me to enjoy it more. I also love sharing guest posts with you. Here is one that I know you will enjoy as much as I did. I will definitely be trying out a couple of ideas on this list. When I do, I’ll be sure to share them with you.
2017 DIY Home Projects to Tackle Before the Summer Heat by: Kaitlin Krull
One of the best parts of summer is spending lazy days at home with family and friends. But it can often be difficult to find the time and budget to get your home ready for the summer months. Thankfully, with a little bit of prioritizing and some DIY savvy, you can easily tackle some of your home renovation projects before the season is in full swing. Here are some of our top DIY home projects to inspire your next home renovation before the summer heat.
Kids’ backyard play area
As families with young children know all too well, summer means no school—and, therefore, more hours to entertain your children at home. Help your kids avoid summer boredom by creating an outdoor play area that is exciting, stimulating, and safe. Small stations to suit a variety of types of play will work best for keeping kids entertained for hours on end. Water stations, mud kitchens, forest dens, treehouses/playhouses, and outdoor performance stages are all easy to set up, and they’ll give your kids plenty to do on the hottest summer days. But don’t forget to provide shade and regular refreshment breaks so no one gets overheated!
Herb Garden
If you’re thinking about taking up a new hobby this year, a handmade herb garden for your backyard (or patio, or windowsill) might be just the ticket. You can easily create your own raised beds or square foot garden from recycled pallets, 2x4s, or even an old bookcase if you’re up for an upcycling challenge. Setting up and tending to your herb garden can be a family activity, so get started now and reap the rewards throughout the summer months and beyond. We recommend starting simple with easy-grow herbs that you can use in your own home cooking, but if you feel ambitious you can also try growing vegetables, fruits, and even seasonal flowers.
Mudroom
Your house will see plenty of dirty traffic this summer. That’s why you should update or create a mudroom for all the messy clothes and equipment your family brings in, to save countless hours of headache and cleaning throughout the season. The best mudrooms are functional, so make sure to stock yours with plenty of storage for footwear, jackets, and bags, a bench for changing shoes, and a sink for washing up muddy playthings. If you don’t already have a mudroom in your home but have some extra room in your budget, consider spending a little more to create a multipurpose utility room that can also store your washing machine and dryer. A splurge like this can massively increase convenience in the home, especially if your mudroom is a pathway to the backyard.
Barbecue Station
Summertime and barbeques go hand in hand, so make your outdoor grilling area a priority this year to get your summer entertaining off to a great start. Give the BBQ master in your family the gift that keeps on giving (for everyone involved!) by creating a barbeque station fully equipped with all the essentials. A grill, worktop, rain cover, and stable flooring are essentials, but with a few extra hours of DIY work and a little innovation you can customize this outdoor space with seating for the chef and even a built-in wireless sound system. After you’re finished, you’ll be grilling every night!
Outdoor Entertainment Area
Another outdoor party essential is a welcoming and comfortable entertainment space. For a large scale renovation here, upgrade to bi-fold doors and floor-to-ceiling windows that lead to your backyard patio or decking area, which would create a stunning indoor/outdoor dining and entertaining space. The same kind of effect can still be achieved on a budget, however, by transforming part of your backyard into an open-air dining area. Start with hand-laid tile or stone flooring and all-weather furniture, and add decorative and functional accents such as a drinks cart, and handmade storage jars and jugs to complete the look. You can also add solar-powered lights, which work the same way as roof-mounted solar panels.
Front Yard and Porch Area
Increase your home’s curb appeal before the summer heat hits by giving your front yard a makeover. Tidy up your landscaping, power wash or clean your siding, and touch up or repaint shutters and other areas of your home’s façade if necessary. Pay particular attention to your front porch or entryway. A bold new coat of paint for your front door, freshly stained flooring, a new number sign, or all-weather seating and a bright area rug will transform your front porch without breaking the bank. You’ll thank yourself when summer begins and you have nothing to do but sit back in your rocking chair and drink lemonade as you watch the world go by. We can dream, right?
Awesome content and ideas that every home owner can follow through it.
That looks a lot like my list. I’ve already done some of them and some are still left to do. So far the best one was adding a mudroom…SO great. This year I think I’ll take on an herb garden….always wanted one, never got around to it, and this is the perfect time to do it because it’s just now starting to get a little warmer around here after an extended time of late cold weather.
I would love that beautiful house. Give me that, and I will make the rest happen.
I totally know what you mean! 🙂
I wish I could venture into most of these projects! I don’t have a closed off backyard. Great ideas!
Your Turn it Up Tuesday Cohost!