7 HOME PROJECTS TO TACKLE IN WINTER
Winter may traditionally be a time for nesting at home, but it’s also a time to do some worthwhile projects around the house. Small fixes can have a big impact on how your house functions. Most of these winter projects don’t require any particular skill and all are affordable.
1. Caulk around the tub and in the shower
After a while, caulk ages and gets moldy, turning brown and brittle. There’s no real skill involved in recaulking, but you do want to be neat and careful, especially when removing old caulk with a razor blade. Use silicone caulk, which is waterproof.
2. Take care of interior painting
Why wait for the scorching hot days of summer to pull out the paint cans and rollers? Winter is a better time. The paint will dry faster since there’s less humidity in the air. If you want to hire a pro, you may pay a reduced rate if the business is slow, and they want their bid to win. 3. Touch up the trim and baseboards If you don’t want to do a major paint job and the walls still look good, just do the trim and baseboards throughout the house. A fresh coat of paint will instantly spruce up each room and takes little time.
4. Organize the basement
Call it what you want – “organizing,” “decluttering,” or “cleaning out” the basement – but it’s a worthwhile, satisfying chore to tackle during the winter. Take inventory of what’s down there, what’s worth keeping, items you’ll donate, things that you’ll put in the trash; make separate piles for each category. Don’t try to do it all in one afternoon – you’ll make smarter decisions if you give yourself enough time to do it all without rushing.
5. Add a tile backsplash
This job requires a steady hand, a good eye, and a lot of patience, making it more intermediate level than beginner. Whether you take it on yourself or hire a pro, putting up a colorful tile backsplash will add some fun and personality to a plain wall behind the stove and countertop.
6. Plug up door drafts throughout the home
If cold air is entering the house from some of your doors and windows, you’ve got to stop the flow. One simple solution is to make “draft dodgers,” cylindrical tubes you make from fabric and fiberfill; they should be the same length of the door bottom or window ledge and fit snugly at the point where the cold air is seeping into the house. Use leftover fabric, if you have any, to make it a cost-free project.
7. Change the hardware on kitchen cabinets
If you’re tired of the pulls or handles on your kitchen cabinets and drawers, or they look dated, it’s worth replacing them with up-to-date “jewelry” such as square bar pulls or matte hardware with a black finish. While it may be a small job, it will change the look of the kitchen in a big way.