DIY Projects: Tips and Hacks for a Budget Home Makeover

Whether you own your home or rent, there always seems to be a project that needs doing. Too many projects can leave you wondering how you'll be able to afford them all. But guess what? If you are willing to learn some basic hacks and fix-it strategies, you can do your own home makeover on a budget.

Home DIY projects were all the rage back in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Then, for some unknown reason, we got out of the habit of fixing and upgrading. Well, it is time to get back to it. Home DIY projects can save you money while also helping you turn your home into the perfect place you've always dreamed of.

We have a bunch of DIY tips and hacks for you to try. Some of them involve our amazing Sugru Mouldable Glue, others don't. It's all good. The important thing is that you find ways to do your own budget home makeover.

Projects for the Kitchen

Moving on to the kitchen, there are lots of tips and hacks out there. It is quite possible that the kitchen is the most talked about room when it comes to home DIY projects. Maybe that's because the kitchen tends to be the most used room in the house.

Install a Water Filter

Buying bottled water can get expensive. Then there is the issue of dealing with the bottles themselves. We have a better idea: install a water filter under the sink. It's not as hard as it looks.

Water filters run the gamut in terms of price. In all likelihood, you can find one for under £150. When you consider how much bottled water you will not be buying, a water filter will end up paying for itself in no time at all.

To do this home DIY project, you will need a basic set of hand tools and at least some knowledge about simple plumbing. It is a job that should be easy enough to complete in less than an hour.


Paint the Kitchen Cabinets

Have your kitchen cabinets seen better days? Is the wood looking old and worn out? Don't spend thousands on replacements. Instead, clean them up and give them a couple of coats of white paint. You'll be amazed at the difference it makes!

Kitchen cabinets that have been finished with a wood stain or varnish should be lightly sanded and cleaned before you paint. If you are working with cabinets that already have paint on them, be sure to scrape away any loose paint. Wipe down the cabinets and doors to remove dirt and debris.

It is always wise to put a coat of primer on first. Primer seals the wood and creates the perfect surface for paint. Plan on two coats of paint. If you can get away with one, bonus.

Projects for the Rest of the House

Once you get the kitchen and bathroom where you want them, it's time to start looking around at the rest of the house. We have plenty of tips and hacks to get you started. Just remember this: whatever makes you happy is worth doing.

Install Open Shelving

You can never go wrong with too many shelves. Whether it's in the bedrooms, the loft, or the living room, open shelves offer a combination of extra storage space and decorative space.

Larger shelves will come with their own hardware. A power drill and a basic set of hand tools should be all you need. For smaller shelves, you might be able to use Sugru. You can check out some of the ideas here to determine if Sugru is the right material for the job.


Refinish Old Furniture

People looking at a complete home makeover are sometimes tempted to replace their furniture. All the old stuff goes to the dump to make room for new. But here's a hack that can transform any old piece of furniture into something that's new to you: refinish it.

Refinishing old furniture is one of the most popular home DIY projects right now. It is fairly easy to do and pretty affordable. And with each piece you refinish, you get a sense of having accomplished something valuable.

Worry not if you don't know how to do it. There are plenty of free tutorials online. Also remember that you are refinishing these pieces for you. There is no right or wrong way to do it. Just do whatever makes you happy.

Turn Old Photos into Artwork

No home makeover is truly complete without new artwork. You could invest in some new pieces, or you can save money by digging out that box of old photos and creating your own custom pieces.

A picture frame and a piece of heavy, white paper are all you need to get started. Just find some old family photos you like, lay them on the paper in whatever way suits you, then trim and stick them in place. Put the whole thing inside the frame and you have a piece of art ready for the wall.

Sugru works well for holding small and medium-sized picture frames firmly to the wall. If you have something large and heavy though, consider fastening it to the wall with the appropriate fixings.


Repurpose Plastic Buckets As Planters

Home DIY projects that make use of the reuse and repurpose concept not only save money, but they also keep stuff out of the bin. So consider this one: repurpose plastic buckets as planters.

Maybe you have old plastic paint buckets from your last DIY binge. Or perhaps it's plastic rubbish bins that have been sitting in the loft for years. Either way, get yourself a can of spray paint in whatever colour pleases you. Clean out the buckets, let them dry, and paint away.

After several coats of paint and plenty of drying time, your buckets are ready to fill with potting soil and plants. Just be sure to drill a few small holes in each one to allow excess water to drain.

Turn Those Bath Towels Into Napkins

A lot of us turn old bath towels into cleaning rags rather than throwing them away. But what if you already have enough rags? Make cloth napkins out of the old towels. It is pretty simple. Just cut the towels into squares, then use needle and thread to finish the exposed edges. You can probably do the whole thing in about 10 minutes per piece.

Be Honest about Your Skill Level

One of the main points of this post is to give you ideas for home DIY projects that save money. Just remember one thing: you might actually spend more if your skill level doesn't match the project you're trying to tackle. Don't overdo it. Be honest about your skill level and only tackle projects you know you can handle.

For more tips and hacks to complete the home makeover of your dreams, spend an evening scouring the internet. There are tons of ideas that space wouldn't allow us to include in this post. If you can dream it, there is probably a way to make it happen.