14 DIY Home Projects to Tackle While You’re Quarantined at Home

As more and more communities around the country implement social distancing or stay-at-home restrictions, many of us are facing the chore of finding things to do as a way to stay occupied and engaged. After all, there’s only so much screen time most of us can handle before we start to get restless.

With so much extended home time on our schedules, and with only so many activities to keep us entertained, now is as good a time as any to tackle some of those home projects we’ve been putting off. Since running out to the store may be out of the question right now, here is a pretty decent list of DIY ways to spruce up your home and keep busy.

NEW ARRANGEMENT, FRESH PERSPECTIVE

Splurging on that new furniture set might not be the right move right now, but that shouldn’t stop you from making a few living room or bedroom rearrangements to give your space a new look and feel.

• Reconfigure the furniture: Try putting the couch on a different wall, swap rugs between rooms or even move lamps around for something different.
• Reorganize shelves: Arrange books in a new order, put décor items in new spots and more.

ORGANIZATION TRANSFORMATION

• Tame the closets and junk drawers: Closets and junk drawers often take “out of sight, out of mind” to the extreme. Take a moment to sort them out. You might be surprised what you’ll find.
• Tidy mudrooms and entryways: Life tends to accumulate in our most trafficked areas. This might be a good time to shake the rugs, hang up the loose items, and even reevaluate the configuration.

CLEAN AND UNCLUTTERED

Spending more time at home typically means more occasions to notice all the neglected areas in your house that could use a little cleaning. Now’s your chance to tackle them.

• Vacuum under the beds: Vacuuming is probably a weekly chore, but there are surely places that get missed, like under beds and other large furniture pieces.
• Clean bathroom drawers: Time to finally get around to emptying the drawers and cleaning out the hair, toothpaste, makeup spills and unneeded junk.

LIGHT THINGS UP

Light plays an important role in our homes, as well as in our lives. Making sure yours is well lit can add a touch of coziness and warmth to your days and nights.

• Replace bulbs: Have extra lightbulbs? Take a walk through every room and replace any that have burned out.
• Clean the lighting fixtures, windows and blinds: Sometimes the reason for bad lighting is a little dirt and dust. Try cleaning the lamps and lighting fixtures for a brighter, cleaner look in your living areas. Having clean windows, blinds, curtains and shutters will also let that natural light flood your home.

HIT THE HANGOUTS

Even your home’s most popular hangouts need a refresh from time to time. Making some updates to your walls can make a big difference in aesthetic and ambiance.

• Re-think wall hangings: From framed photos and artwork to TVs and shelves, it’s easy for hanging items to gather dust or become crooked over time. For the real ambitious, consider replacing your photos and art with whole new gallery of items.
• Touch up paint: Bust out left-over paint cans and touch up dings and scratches in your walls, door frames, baseboards, etc.

KEEPING UP THE KITCHEN

Whether we’re cooking, eating or mingling, the kitchen can quickly become disorganized. However, beyond the regular chores of washing the dishes, clearing the counters or cleaning the fridge, there are other often neglected areas that could use some attention.

• Stock the essentials: Go through your spice cupboard, liquor cabinet and pantry and take stock of what you have and what you might be running a little low on.
• Clean the appliances: Just like that fridge or microwave, some of the smaller appliances could use a little tidying tenderness, too.

HIT THE YARD

Spring is in the air, and that means it’s the ideal time to get outside and tend to any yard-prep ahead of summer. Whether you have a small patio space or a big lawn to cover, there are plenty of places to start.

• Prep the planters and lawn: Rake up any remaining leaves or pinecones, sweep patios spaces, reseed bare areas in the lawn, prune dead or damaged branches from trees and shrubs and make sure everything is ready for spring planting and summer growth.
• Scrub the outdoor furniture: Get the outdoor furniture out of storage and give them a cleaning. For wood and wicker, use a mild oil-base soap mixed with warm water. For other types, use a dishwashing liquid and warm water. Most cushions can be wiped or even thrown in the washing machine.

Ultimately, when considering what projects to work on, it’s important to remember that staying busy not only helps you pass the time but offers the sense of purpose and accomplishment we all need, as well. Plus, making a few home updates can help your family feel more comfortable, not to mention add to your home’s overall appeal.

If you happen to be looking for your dream home in a safe and secure master-planned community, we want to help. Feel free to visit Magnolia Green online for more information or to take a virtual tour of our beautiful model homes.