Weekend Home Improvement Projects: 9 Summer Upgrades to Tackle On Your Own

After any Minnesota winter, it's easy to get excited about summer do-it-yourself projects. And with our seasons, we don't have all that long before we have to think about snow and cold again—so it's important to start early and prioritize quickly.

We've got a short list of summer upgrades you can tackle whether you're a seasoned expert or a beginner at DIY. These projects can increase the value of your home, make it more comfortable (and attractive), and give you a sense of accomplishment. The best part about these projects? They're all easy on the budget!

1. Spray Paint Hardware

Let’s start off easy. Spray painting the doorknobs and other hardware in your home is a great way to update the interior. Not to mention it’s affordable and easy. Consider going for a metal finish, like bronze or gold, or a simple color like black.

2. Make a Mud Room

While creating a whole new room in your home probably isn’t a weekend project, you can create an area in your entryway that can act as a mud room. Adding a bit of molding, some paint, and a few hooks to an empty wall in your foyer can create the look and usefulness of an actual mud room without a full renovation in your home.

3. Try a Fresh Coat of Paint

Paint can truly fix just about anything and is one of the easiest summer upgrades. Painting the exterior of your home can make it look brand new and increase its curb appeal. If you don’t feel like painting your entire home, or the weather doesn’t want to cooperate, you can paint your front door for a quick, simple refresh.

Of course, don’t forget about the inside of your home. You can give any room a whole new look with a coat of paint in a different color. If you plan on selling your home in the future (or think you might sell soon) stick with light neutral colors like tan, gray and beige. Prospective buyers prefer neutral colors to bold, bright ones like red.

4. Update Your Laundry Room

No one likes to do laundry (admit it, you put it off too!), but updating your laundry room can make doing laundry a little less mundane while adding incentive for future homebuyers. You can add a folding table, wood shelving for laundry essentials, and even artwork to make the room more inviting.

You can also create a “lost and found” for those orphaned socks. All you need is some lumber, letter stencils, and clothespins to make a creative place to put those missing socks. Use stencils and paint to add your phrase on lumber (or freehand it), attach clothespins, and then hang up solo socks. This will also keep them out in the open so you can easily see which matching socks need to be found.

5. Renovate Your Closet

Closets are a major selling point for home buyers, and renovating your closet can seal the deal if you plan to sell in the future. Painting or adding wallpaper can give your closet a warm, inviting feel. Add shelves for extra storage if you have the space or change up the lighting. If you have a full-length mirror, you can turn it into a decorative one with a coat of paint or a new frame, making it both beautiful and functional.

6. Weekend Landscaping

When it comes to summer upgrades, landscaping is always at the top of the list. Changing the plants around your home can be like a fresh coat of paint, giving your home curb appeal and a new look. You can simply manicure your lawn, or you can plant a tree. If it's well-placed, it could even decrease your energy bill by providing extra shade. You can also line the walkway to your front door with solar lights or colorful flowers for an eye-popping accent.

7. Update Interior Doors

Interior doors are often forgotten when doing home renovations. You can replace them all with new doors, but that can be expensive. A cheaper way of getting the same effect is to use paint and trimming to create the illusion of a new door. As mentioned before, you can change or spray paint the hardware to match the updated look.

8. Frame Your Bathroom Mirrors

You can turn a dull, boring bathroom mirror into a decorative piece of art by framing it. Adding simple wood trim around a rectangular mirror is a safe and easy way to update your entire bathroom. You can also replace the mirror, but be careful. A broken mirror can easily end up as a trip to the emergency room.

9. Install New Door Hardware

It's all about the details. Whether it’s for added safety or just to freshen up your doors, adding a new doorknob and deadbolt is an easy way to update your home - and it doesn’t take very long, either! Update the hardware on your exterior or interior doors for a simple upgrade.

Start Your Summer DIY with ReStore

You can find everything you need for these summer upgrades at the Twin Cities Habitat ReStore. Stop by our convenient metro locations today to pick up supplies for your next DIY project—or find inspiration for future projects!