Spending time locked up in your home can be difficult, whether you are alone or with your family members. While you should try to relax and do the things you enjoy but don’t always have time for, you shouldn’t put everything else on hold. Setting yourself little tasks and completing small home improvement projects will ensure the time you have to spend in quarantine goes by more quickly.
The fact is, you’re in quarantine and this is the perfect opportunity for you to make all the little changes and improvements you have wanted but didn’t have time for. Well, with the pandemic showing no signs of slowing down, time is one luxury you have plenty of now.
Keep your home improvement projects simple
Just because you currently have time to spare, doesn’t mean you should undertake complicated and long-lasting projects. Try and keep things simple. There are several reasons you should avoid getting involved in demanding projects at a time like this, but perhaps the main one is that the more complicated the project, the more materials and supplies it will require. Finding the necessary tools and supplies is not easy during a pandemic and you could find yourself halfway through an alteration without the means to complete it.
With larger and more complicated projects comes an increased risk of personal injury and this is certainly not the time to visit a hospital unless you absolutely have to. Try and minimize the risks to which you are exposing yourself. Even simple tasks such as de-cluttering and cleaning can make a big difference in the appearance of your home.
Preparation is the mother of success
Before you begin with any actual physical work, check whether you have all the necessary supplies and equipment and make sure to seek out any tips and tricks available for the tasks at hand. If you need to replenish your supplies, do so online. Minimize the amount of physical contact you have with strangers, and make sure to disinfect and sanitize everything you buy before using it.
Organize and de-clutter
Begin your home improvement projects by deciding which part of your home you will be working on first. Experience has shown that following a room by room strategy is a good way of achieving your goals.
Make sure to de-clutter each room you decide to organize. This will require some additional time but the result will be well worth the effort.
Keep in mind that old boxes can be useful when de-cluttering. They can be used to store items that you no longer need or want. Make sure to label each box, and adding a list of contents at the top of the box is also a good idea, as it will make finding items within them a lot easier.
Organizing your closets properly will require that you take everything out first. Sort through your clothes and set aside all those pieces that are not appropriate for the current season. If you own storage containers, you could pack those clothes there and store them away until needed.
Clean the interior of your closet and let it air out. When returning your clothes to the closet, try and arrange them according to how often you wear each item. This will make them more accessible.
Reconsider your home layout
At some point during your home improvement project, you will need to take a break. This is the perfect time for you to consider the layout of your home. Consider how your furniture is arranged and whether rearranging it might free up more space. Perhaps just moving a lamp or rug to another room might freshen the place up. Adding a houseplant to a room can make a big difference as well.
Organize and rearrange your bookshelf. Take all of your books off the shelves and dust them as well as the shelves. Rearrange the books in a more organized fashion.
Organizing and cleaning your bookshelf will make your home appear tidier and more organized.
Cleaning those hard to reach places
As we all know, cleaning a countertop is one thing, but cleaning under your bed is a different matter altogether. Well, this is the perfect opportunity to take the time and tackle the dreaded task of cleaning those hard to reach places. Consider cleaning the following:
- Vents and heating covers gather dust and in most cases are not cleaned regularly. By cleaning them, you can reduce the presence of allergens in your home and it might even increase your air conditioning and heating unit efficiency. You can try using a vacuum cleaner or a microfiber cloth, or even removing the vent cover and washing it in your sink with soap and water.
- Move your bed, vacuum any dust, and wipe the floors. If you had any stored items under your bed, wipe down the containers, and sort through those items.
- Move your fridge, vacuum, and wipe the floor underneath.
- De-clutter and clean your kitchen and bathroom drawers. We often leave items in these drawers in a rush, and now is a good time to go through them and get rid of any unneeded things. Give the drawers a good wipe and return items in an organized matter to make them more accessible.
Add some color to your home
Many households have some paint stored away. Now is a good time to get a hold of that paint and repaint any walls or areas that have been damaged. Whether you have decided to repaint all the walls in your home or just one room, you should be smart when choosing the wall colors for your home.
There’s no need to stop with the walls; you could also paint and freshen up the baseboards, door frames, and doors.
Straighten up
Go through your home and straighten all of your wall hangings. Take your time and consider whether you want to add or remove something. If you have empty frames consider hanging them up and creating a collage with some new photos. Swapping the paintings between different rooms in your home can freshen the rooms up.
Taking care of the placement of your hangings, especially mirrors, can provide an illusion of a larger home.
The Outdoor
If you are lucky enough to have a yard, landscaping is a great form of stress relief during the quarantine. It gives you the chance to go outdoors which will prevent you from feeling trapped. Spending a few days outdoors planting plants, pulling weeds, and adding rock formations for esthetic reasons will help you spruce up and maintain your curb appeal while enjoying a nice, relaxing day.
If you don’t have a yard, don’t fret. You can still create an indoor herb garden. Mint and rosemary flourish can be easily grown indoors. Indoor herb gardens can liven up your living space, but you will need to consider the placement of such a garden, as exposure to sunlight is an important factor in plant growth.
Taking on small landscaping and gardening projects can improve your home and your health.
These are just some of the home improvement projects you could undertake during the quarantine period. They will help you pass the time and make you feel productive, as the results of your efforts will be visible. Keeping busy while in quarantine will help you get through these trying times and completing these small projects will leave you with a clean and fresh-looking home.
Written by Sophia Perry – Edited by Ashley Pasquale
Feel free to share this post:
