6 Day-Long Projects to Do While At Home

During a time where social distancing is encouraged and most of us are working from home every day, this is a great time to work on any home projects you have put off. As we go through this difficult time, it’s oftentimes helpful to take the time to turn inward, spend time with family, and complete home projects. Working on home projects you have been putting off will add some distraction and accomplishment to your days!

Declutter Your Home

Clutter adds stress and anxiety to our lives and that is the last thing we need right now. Your home is your sanctuary. By keeping it clutter free and organized, you will start to feel more at ease, and happier knowing your home has a light and airy feel.

1. Make a list of every room in your home
2. Create a subdivision under each room of each space that needs decluttering
   Example: Bedroom
   – Nightstand #1
   – Nightstand #2
   – Master closet
   – Jewelry
   – Armoire
   – Dresser Drawers (6 of them)
3. Depending on your personality and what feels right for you, you can start with:
   A. The easiest room that you can check off quickly
   B. The room that is causing the most stress so your biggest hurdle is complete

As you declutter, throw out the garbage, and if possible donate items someone else can use. If you are looking to make some extra money, sell your unused items.

Clean Out Your Pantry and Fridge

Another great project to tackle is cleaning out and organizing your pantry. Okay, so this is still in the “decluttering” category, but we’re talking day-long projects, right?  Your pantry and fridge alone deserve an entire day of focus.  Follow these steps to streamline the process and make it easy:

1. Empty out everything in your pantry.
2. Categorize the food items.
   For example: chips, protein bars, pasta, juice boxes
3. Throw out any expired food
4. Write a list of anything you need to restock
5. Use specific storage accordingly:
   – Use a lazy Susan for any items you need to access often and want easier access to
   – Use bins to keep the categorized items organized
   – Use a tiered shelving unit for soup cans
6. Put categorized food groups back in the pantry
7. Label all the categories

Hang Up the “I Will Do It Later Pile”

Picture frames, shelves, hooks, awards, art, and mirrors all fall into a category that often gets put on the back burner for when there is more time. Time passes and before you know it, a year has passed and you still have not hung that beautiful family photo. Dedicate one day to hang everything you have been putting off.  It’s such a simple project to do, but one that will take a big “to do” weight off your shoulders.

Touch Up Furniture

Over time, furniture is scratched or chipped. Now that you’re home, well, a lot, you’ve probably started noticing things you were able to ignore before.  This is a great time to touch up any furniture that looks a little worn.

1. Wooden pieces of furniture can be brought to life with furniture wood polish or finishing wax. They also have touch up pens for little nicks and scratches.
2. Consider adding a fresh coat of paint to any furniture that looks weathered or old. A fresh coat of paint can do wonders!

Organize Your Greeting Cards, Notes, and Papers

Writing a hand written card will always be one of the simplest ways to make someone’s day! It is important to have all your greeting cards organized so when you need one, you can find it quickly.

1. Lay out all your greetings cards (Keep any boxes of cards separate)
2. Categorize your cards by holiday and special occasions
3. Put each category into a plastic bag
4. Create a title sheet by writing the holiday / special occasion on a piece of computer paper
5. Put the title sheet on the inside of the bag in front of the cards

This keeps all your cards organized and easy to find when it is time to send out a card.

Prepare For Spring Time

Springtime is upon us and this is a great opportunity to prepare your home for the new season. Here are some of the best ways to get started:

1. Change your bed sheets: Pack away your winter sheets and remake all the beds with lighter spring sheets.
2. Wash your windows: Often times during the winter, dirt accumulates in the window sill. Clean out the dirt so your windows are ready to open on those upcoming beautiful days.
3. Change small accents and decor: It is the small, special touches that make a home feel cozy and warm. For the new spring season, swap your winter candles for colorful and sweet scented flower ones. Change your bathroom hand towels from dark colors to light colors. Prepare vases throughout the house so you can fill them with fresh picked flowers as spring arrives.

Ah, now doesn’t that feel better?

—
Photo Credit:  VH-studio / Shutterstock.com