There are plenty of very good reasons to want your home to look its best. Whether you plan on selling your home or simply living in it and enjoying your time there, there are a lot of ways you can work on your home. Some of these tasks you can do yourself and are relatively simple, while others are more of an investment.
Cleaning and Organization
First, let’s start with a lighter job. One of the quickest and easiest ways to make sure your house looks great is to make sure it’s clean. A deep clean allows you to get all of the big and small cleaning jobs done, as well as clear out any clutter that has accumulated over time.
Work room-by-room, as this allows you to take breaks when needed. It’s also good to start from the top of the room to the bottom, especially as you’re dusting. Take the time to get rid of junk and clutter, as well as things you don’t need.
Before taking on a big cleaning task, make sure you have plenty of cleaning supplies, including bin bags that you can put unwanted things into.
You can then make sure that your room can be organized in a better way to make things easier to tidy in the future. Cupboards and other storage solutions allow you to tidy things away that don’t need to be out all the time, which makes things look much tidier. If you do like the more rustic cottagey look, which can include a lot of ornaments, then you can still balance this slightly cluttered look without making it look untidy.
DIY Painting and Decorating
Another job that can make a massive difference to your home without costing a lot of money or even that much time and effort is painting and decorating. You have a few options here.
You can hire a professional painter and decorator to paint the walls or put wallpaper on. This will cost more, but it means that you don’t have to do anything and you will probably get a more professional result. The job might also take less time, as they have more experience and better equipment.
However, if you want to save money and you have a weekend spare, you can always paint the rooms yourself. Painting can be a small job or a much bigger one. It’s good to have a bit of paint around to touch up corners and parts of the wall that get bumped a lot, because this keeps the walls looking fresh.
The best option is to get your furniture out of the way and cover everything with dust sheets. This basically means your flooring and your belongings are safe from any paint splatter. Many people prefer to use rollers because they allow you to cover more surface area evenly, but it’s good to use brushes for smaller areas that require a delicate touch.
Maintenance Checks and Repairs
This job can be big or small, depending on what your property needs. Maintaining a property is one of the responsibilities of owning it, and even if you don’t live in your property, you are still obligated to maintain it, especially if you have tenants. Problems don’t just go away if you ignore them, but they can get much worse and much more expensive. So, regular checks keep your property standing.
Thankfully, there are a lot of maintenance checks and repairs that you can do yourself as long as you have a few tools and a bit of time. If you don’t have any DIY skills to speak of, YouTube can be an incredible resource because it can teach you how to do lots of little jobs. Most DIY jobs are deceptively simple, so it’s just a case of knowing what to do and not trying to brute force everything.
The best way to do this is to make a maintenance checklist, which includes things that might need checking every week, every month, and so on. Some checks are simple, like a visual roof inspection which is as simple as just looking at your roof after a storm and looking for missing or broken tiles.
Other repair jobs might include fixing dripping faucets or changing door handles. Most of these jobs don’t take long, but you might need to buy some parts in order to get the job done. If you have excess parts, keep them around in case you need them again and put them with or near your tools.
Doors and Windows
Speaking of door handles, you can do some repairs on your interior doors yourself. It’s quite simple to swap out door handles and locks, and doing so can change how your home looks with little effort. You can easily install and remove a door by unscrewing it at the hinge, and the main thing to look out for is not putting a door in upside down.
However, when it comes to exterior doors or windows, things can get more complicated. One quick trick you can do with any door is to strengthen it by adding longer screws in the hinge. This can make your home more secure, especially if you live in an apartment block. You can also do this with interior doors.
Otherwise, make sure that you hire a professional for door and window installation and removal. New doors and windows can give your property a whole new lease of life. They can make your home more secure and, even better, can even save you money.
Older doors and windows might let drafts into your home, or even water from rain or pests that can get in through gaps. This makes it harder to heat your home and can result in other issues, such as the need for pest control. Once you get new windows and doors, you can enjoy a better insulated and protected home.
Hiring a Contractor
Speaking of jobs that need a professional touch, it’s always good to have different contractors on hand for different jobs. If you can find one you can trust, make sure you can easily contact them when you need to.
For general jobs around the house, a handyman is a great option. A handyman is simply someone who can do a bit of everything, especially things that don’t need specialized training or skills. Most handymen are experienced and have different qualifications, as well as the tools for each job around the house. They can paint, hang up paintings, do basic plumbing jobs, and most other things.
However, a handyman isn’t ideal for every job around the house. If you have an issue with your pipes, for example, a cast iron pipe plumber will be better for the job at hand, because they can properly repair your pipes without causing any other problems.
You will also need to hire a specialist for electrical work, as many electricians need specific qualifications to be able to work safely and without causing potential damage to your home.
When it comes to plumbing and electrical work, floods and fires can do a lot more damage than the initial small problem, so don’t be tempted to just try it yourself. Electrical work is especially dangerous, because an electrocution can kill or cause major health problems. Don’t risk it, hire a professional to get it done properly. In the end, this will save you a lot of time, stress, and money compared to trying to do it yourself.
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