Finished DIY projects while safe at home

June 11, 2020


I like to keep busy, so it's hard for me to sit still most days. When things started shutting down a few months ago and we were at home, I started working on projects that had been sitting on my to do list for quite some time. 

I got through a TON of them and it feels so good! I thought it would be worthwhile to do a quick recap of the bigger projects in case you missed one. Keep in mind as you read through them that this is my job and my passion. I get a lot done because of that. :) 

Hopefully these will inspire some fun projects in your home! 

I finally finished up the painting in our master bedroom -- I added the wallpaper and trim months ago and was dreading all of the painting. I had plenty of time to tackle it!: 
gray room gray grasscloth wallpaper

It's so nice to have this done! I just have to paint one more outlet cover that I forgot about. ;) 

I made some updates to our garage doors that didn't break the bank, but they made a big difference!: 
simple updates to garage doors

I plan to add more hardware to the doors soon. :) I absolutely love those lights!

Since we were cooking at home a LOT more, I shared a few of my favorite kitchen gadgets we use every week: 
My favorite kitchen gadgets

That is the best popcorn popper! 

I also finished painting most of our mud/laundry room...again, after a year of it being halfway done: 


Light gray mud room laundry combo

That blue gray color is so soothing and peaceful. Perfect feeling as we walk into the house. 

I had a few electrical/lighting projects on my list forever. I shared all about dimmers, USB outlets, sensor lights and more here: 
Lighting tricks with dimmers, sensor switches

Our outdoor table was in bad shape after being out all fall. 😬 I sanded it down and refinished it -- now it looks better than ever!: 
How to refinish a worn outdoor table

It was way easier than I thought it would be. Letting the natural wood shine makes the process even simpler. 

Our family room ottomans were deflating...it will happen with anything filled with foam. I shared how to refill poufs to make them look like new again: 
how to refill at pouf or ottoman with foam

It's such a minor thing but makes a big difference! 

If you have a window or sidelights on a door that you'd like to cover, but keep the natural light, this next one is for you. I have a trick to make windows private but keep that light shining through: 
how to make a window private for super cheap

And it's SUPER cheap!

I painted another door black, this time in the kitchen. If you want to paint your doors, be sure to check out the tutorial: 
black accents in light kitchen

I planned to keep painting more doors, but I got sidetracked. I'll be done in five to ten years. ;)

Pulling out my spring decor really boosted my mood early on. You can see my little spring house tour here
simple spring home tour Thrifty Decor Chick

More recently I built some quick floating shelves for our water closet in the master. I also made a couple other changes that made a BIG difference: 
easy floating shelves above toilet

I made these with scrap wood so they were completely free! These are a great beginner project if you're dipping your toes into do-it-yourself stuff. 

I shared how we incorporate Disney-themed decor in a more sophisticated way with these cool Disney parks prints I hung in the basement: 
vintage Disney park art prints

Those prints all have a retro feel that we love. 

And finally, I shared how to treat a butcher block, or wood, counter so that it holds up to almost anything! If you do it right from the start wood counters should last you a very long time: 
How to finish wood counters that hold up to water

I learned this trick from my Dad and it has not failed me through years of having butcher block counters. :) 

I've also done a bunch of organizing over the past few months. I may share more about those projects as well. 

Have you tackled anything fun while at home more? (If you were actually home more than usual?) We both work from home, so it wasn't a huge change for us, but with no appointments or social things I got a lot more done than usual! 

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Comments

  1. i'd LOVE to see more organizing posts!!

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  2. You really do use your time so productively! Thanks for being an inspiration! ❤️✨

    Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
    http://charmainenyw.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. You have such a nice home! Well done, girl!

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  4. Congrats on completing all these projects! :)

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