During these highly uncertain and unprecedented times, if you are trying your best to stay responsible and protect the health and well-being of your family, friends and co-workers, then you are continuing to respect the “Stay-at-Home” mandate and “Shelter-in-Place” as much as possible in order to reduce the spread of Covid-19. Other than our fearless and incredibly generous essential front line workers, most of us have some extra time on our hands and we all have amassed a list of home improvement projects that we have stored away in our mental Rolodexes… if only be had the opportunity to get to them. Well folks, that time is now, and what better way to turn lemons into lemonade and check some of those projects off the list! So, here are five home improvement projects to consider.
1- Build a Raised Bed Organic Vegetable Garden
I had an urban herb and vegetable garden on the roof of my Downtown Los Angeles loft building for several years and it was so incredibly fulfilling to watch the seedlings I planted grow into food. I grew strawberries, heirloom tomatoes, purple, red, orange, yellow and green bell peppers, jalapenos, lettuce, artichokes, basil, rosemary, fennel, dill and more. It was much easier to manage than you would think, and took up very minimal space, so this can easily be accomplished in your backyard, on your building’s roof or even on your fire escape, as long as it does not impede access.
I personally like a raised bed, as it is self contained, and you can build it out to your preferred dimensions. There are a plethora of garden supply sites like Gardens Alive! that will ship you beds, organic seeds, soil, fertilizer, pest repellents gardening tools, etc., but if you are looking to have your own personal Bob Vila moment, build it from scratch yourself!
Taking care of your garden and landscape can take a lot of tools and a lot of space. Garden sheds nz has the shed that is perfect to take of your tools or to make an extra space for your regardless of the size of your backyard.
Here is a video, provided by Lowe’s Home Improvement, that teaches you, step by step, how to build your own wooden raised bed. So, turn off the Netflix and get your gardening ON!
2- Convert a Closet into a Home Office or “CLOFFICE”
With so many of us working from home these days, why not consider converting an extra hallway or bedroom closet into a functional home office. All you have to do to prep is take the doors off, remove any hanging rods or built-in shelving, paint the space to color of choice and VOILA… your closet is ready to be transformed into your very own “cloffice”. ” The Container Store has several prefab options for a chic and effective closet conversion, and they can send an instillation team to build it out for you. But if you wish to go full DYI, make sure to take precise measurements of the space before going to your local home improvement store and having the wood cut for your shelving and desk.
Here’s a short video I found to help you transform your closet into a cute yet functional workspace oasis.
3- Get Rid of the Pesky Critters Living Rent Free in your Walls
Since you have been quarantining at home, have you begun to notice the seemingly endless sound of scratching and squeaking in your walls and attic? Several media outlets have recently written about a significant increase in residential rodent infestation, primarily due to their lack of normally abundant food sources IE- the restaurant closures. As rodents can carry a germ pool of harmful bacteria and disease, and Pest Control is deemed an essential business in the U.S during the “Stay-at-Home” mandate, the time to finally get rid of them for good is now.
SoCal rodent control and clean up company Rodents Stop uses a highly effective five step treatment to permanently eradicate those pesky critters from your home. They sanitize and neutralize all affected areas using their proprietary Pheromone Neutralizer Spray, eliminating scent trails that attract future rodents to your residence. And, they offer a 100% lifetime rodent free guarantee, so what do you have to lose but a nest of pests eating through the electrical wires in your walls!
4- Build a Man Cave or She Shed in your backyard
Have you dreamed of hiding away in your very own Man Cave or She Shed, elsewhere from the barking dogs, screaming kids and the everyday chaos of life? Well, there is no better time than the present to make that fantasy a reality. This is a definitely a bigger project, and unless you have a construction background, I’m not sure I would attempt this on your own. But if you have a vision, you do your research, plan it out and hire the right team to help you, it’s not an impossible task for those who are not exceptionally handy.
If you are attracted to a boho chic look, consider building a yurt. Pacific Yurts Inc. allows you to custom design a yurt to fit your personal design aesthetic, and will ship you all of the components necessary to build, and then live out, your very own backyard Burning Man glamping fantasy. Sizes range from a cozy 12′ diameter or 115 sq. ft., with a base price of $5,655, to a whopping 30′ diameter or 706 sq. ft. at $11,895 to start.
5- Paint a Bathroom Accent Wall
Painting a bathroom accent wall is a quick and inexpensive way to spruce up your loo. Choose your favorite color, make sure and take the time necessary to perfectly tape the border of the wall to prevent painting outside the lines and compliment your choice with coordinating towels, bathroom set and artwork. If you wish to add a bit more dimension, consider a peel and stick wall decal. It is a super easy and user friendly solution to personalize the look.
Wayfair carries a plethora of peel-and-stick wall decal options on their site.
We all complain about not having the time to accomplish the many projects we wish we could, so take advantage of your extended time at home and get to them!
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