SolidGuides.com may get an affiliate commission when you buy through links on our website. Read More.

26 DIY Home Improvement Ideas

I love DIY home improvement because it saves money and gives you a feeling of satisfaction after you have completed a project.

DIY home improvement is an excellent way to improve your living conditions and to give your home a makeover. I will teach you how you can improve your home without resorting to hiring contractors and needlessly spending money.

#1 New Paint Livens Your Living Space

If your walls have been looking the same way for ages, the time has come to make a change.

You only need a couple of items: paint, primer, paint tray, paint roller, painter’s tape, and a ladder. 

After you have gathered all of the items, use a sponge and water to clean your walls. Make sure that, when you finish, your walls are dust and dirt-free.

Use the painter’s tape to protect window and door frames, doorknobs, trim, and everything else you wouldn’t want to paint.

Apply the primer first, wait for it to dry, and then roll the paint onto the wall. Soon enough, your walls will look brand new, and your living space will seem refreshed and inviting. If you don’t have any experience, you can learn how to paint with a roller.

#2 Make Your Kitchen Cabinets Look Gorgeous With a New Finish

Tired of your old kitchen cabinets that look like a hand-me-down from your grandparents? Don’t go purchasing new ones yet!

My advice is to pick up a brush, sandpaper, and a can of bright-colored paint. Bright colors will make your kitchen appear sunnier than it is. Bright colors will also make your kitchen more inviting, so you won’t dread the time you spend on it.

blank

Painting your kitchen cabinets won’t take you a lot of time, and the results are worth it.

#3 Save Money You Spend on Water – Install Water Filters

Millions of people in the US are exposed to unsafe drinking water.

blank

I used to spend a small fortune on bottled drinking water. It got to a point where I was sacrificing food to purchase water. Fortunately, I decided to solve the root of the problem by installing a water filter under my sink.

You don’t have to be a plumber to install water filters. The whole process shouldn’t take you long, and it isn’t hard if you follow instructions.

#4 Spice Up Your Stairs With Stair Brackets

I have noticed that most of the sides on staircases look bland.

You can easily add character to your stairs by installing stair brackets. It is an easy DIY task, and it makes your stairs eye-catching.

You can choose between wooden and metal stair brackets, but I’ve noticed that wooden ones tend to be less expensive. If you’ve never installed stair brackets, you can do it without any hassle.

#5 Install a Bathroom Fan & Prevent Mold Growth

Mold can grow even if there is little moisture.

If you want to prevent mold from forming and reproducing, you need to keep your bathroom moisture-free.

The best way to ensure that your bathroom doesn’t become a breeding ground for mold is to install a ventilating fan. Ventilation is also essential if you want to avoid steamy mirrors and stale odors.

blank

Installing a bathroom fan isn’t easy, but it is a DIY project worthy of completing. 

#6 DIY Newbie? Start by Making a Workbench

I remember my first DIY project; it was a total mess that almost made me give up on home improvement. I wish I had someone tell me that I should start with a simple project.

Workbenches are a great way to wet your feet in the DIY sea.

You should make a workbench that can fit all of your tools, but it can also function as a work surface. There are many types of DIY workbenches out there. You only need to choose one and get working. It might be hard at the start, but I promise that, by the time you finish, you will be aching to start a new DIY project.

#7 Organize Your Kitchen With Wall-mounted Hooks

I hate opening kitchen counters in search of dish towels and measuring cups. That’s why I installed wall-mounted hooks that don’t allow me to misplace items.

blank

Installing wall-mounted hooks is easy once you know how to install drywall anchors. The best part is that there are many hooks on the market. You can use colorful hooks, white hooks, polished chrome hooks, or any other type that suits the look and feel of your kitchen.

#8 Old Kitchen Cabinets are Awesome Shelves

blank

I loathed my old kitchen cabinets because of their squeaking doors. The third time I bumped my head on one of the kitchen cabinet doors was the time when I decided I need new shelves.

I didn’t want to spend time and resources on removing the old cabinets, which is why I decided to turn them into shelves.

You won’t have to put a lot of effort into it. You only need to remove the doors of the cabinets and paint the interiors. Make sure to check whether there are any metal parts left inside before you finalize this project.

#9 Ditch Your Rugs – Use Eco-Friendly Insulation

I hated making coffee in the morning because I had to stand on the cold floor. Everything changed when I decided to lay a cork floor.

Cork is resilient and durable, and it looks gorgeous in any room. Moreover, it gives you a comfortable floor on which you can walk barefooted. Best of all, cork sits well on concrete, plywood, and you can even use it on your existing flooring.

Installing a cork floor is easy, and you won’t need any special equipment to do it. If you want to replace your old tile floor, search for a cork floor, and start working.

#10 Beautify Your Bathroom With Fresh Caulk

Now that you know how to protect your bathroom from mold, you should look for a way to protect the walls in your bathroom.

Aging caulk is brittle and riddled with cracks. It allows for water to seep through, which has a detrimental effect on your bathroom walls.

blank

Caulk is not expensive, and anyone can apply it. It is one of the best upgrades you can do in your bathroom. You only need a few standard tools and an hour to spare. If you have never applied caulk before, don’t worry, it is easy.

#11 Make Your Home Inviting With a New Doorbell

I remember the doorbell in the old apartment I used to live in. It was an ugly, half-broken switch that looked like it might shock you if you press it. Eventually, I got tired of it and decided to install a gorgeous new one.

blank
Finger of a man’s hand ringing a gold and black door bell on a brick red house.

New doorbells are cheap, and you can modify their look in many ways. You only have to let your imagination run wild. Even the plainest white doorbells can look lovely with a little bit of paint.

Installing a new doorbell won’t take you a long time. If you follow the instructions on how to install a doorbell, you won’t have any problems. Furthermore, your guests will surely notice your new home addition and want to talk about it.

#12 Give Your Brass an Antique Look

I was impressed when I visited my friend and saw that his hinges and doorknobs look amazing. I was curious about how he managed to achieve that rustic look of his doorknobs, and his answer was “darkening solution.”

I bought a low-price darkening solution, and after some sweat-free work, all of my doorknobs got that gorgeous, antique look.

I wholeheartedly recommend you to try it. You won’t spend a lot of money, but your home will have a brand new look. The whole process is easy, and it won’t take you a lot of time.

#13 Sort Your Mail in an Old Louvered Shutter

blank

Out of all the home improvement ideas, this one has got to be my favorite. It is simple, yet it produces excellent results.

If you have old louvered shutters lying around and rotting away, put them to good use. Clean it, remove all of the metal parts, and paint it in any way you want. Mount your new creation somewhere on the wall, and use the slots to store letters and bills.

#14 Save Energy and Set the Mood With a Dimmer Switch

My girlfriend thought that I struggle at being romantic, so I got a simple home improvement idea that is easy to pull off. I installed a dimmer switch in the kitchen so that we can have romantic dinners. She still thinks I am not romantic, but she appreciates the effort.

Dimmer switches are not expensive, and they come in different shapes and colors. After you find a dimmer switch that matches your wall, you only have to install it. Dimmer switches will improve your home, but remember to install them safely.

#15 Give Your Bathroom a Rustic Feel With a Ladder

blank

I have noticed that many home improvement ideas tend to be complicated and require a lot of effort, but not this one! Furthermore, this DIY home project is cool, and nowadays, I can’t imagine how it would be to live without it.

The only thing you will need is a wooden or metal ladder. My advice is to check the ladder for any imperfections before you take it into your bathroom. If you notice imperfections, polish the ladder as you would anything wooden, and that’s it! You have a rustic-looking towel rack.

Lean your new towel rack against a wall in your bathroom, and be amazed at how well it functions.

#16 Prevent Slips on Your Stairs – Install a Stair Runner

blank

An estimated 12,000 people die from falling down the stairs in the US each year. Slippery stairs are a problem, which is why I decided to make my stairs safer with a DIY runner.

Adding a DIY runner to your stairs is one of the most straightforward home improvement tasks.

You can find a wide variety of carpets and runners that can fit the aesthetics of your home. It is an easy DIY task, so you don’t have to spend any money on professional contractors. 

#17 Add Shade to Your Room With Interior Shutters

One thing that I have hated the most in my old apartment was the lack of shutters. The sunlight would wake me up earlier than I intended to wake up, and the lack of privacy was driving me up the wall.

I decided to find a couple of old shutters that I could attach to the interior side of my windows. The whole process took me only a day to complete, and it didn’t cost a lot.

Interior shutters are an excellent way to add a rustic feel to your room, but they are also excellent at keeping the sun rays out. Moreover, interior shutters are fantastic if you like to let in some air during winter. They will allow for the air to come in, but you won’t feel the chill that accompanies cold air.

If you have never installed interior shutters, you will be glad to know that it is one of the home improvement ideas that are easy to bring to life.

#18 Make Your Kitchen Walls Last Longer With a Backsplash

I have installed traditional tile backsplash only once, but I am grateful for that experience. Not to mention the fact that my kitchen walls are now protected from mold.

If you have never installed a backsplash, my advice is to go for tiled backsplash. Tiled backsplash allows you more freedom than a single-sheet backsplash. Placing tile backsplash is as easy as completing a simple puzzle. All of the pieces fit together without any problems. In the end, you will be left with a sense of accomplishment after this easy upgrade.

If you are looking for easy home improvement ideas, I think that this one is not only easy but also one of the best kitchen upgrades. Don’t worry if this is one of your first DIY upgrades; it is simple.

#19 Add Character to Your Home – Install New House Numbers

blank

Not all of the home improvement ideas have to be time-consuming. Installing new house numbers is one of the most straightforward DIY projects out there, but it adds a lot of character to your home.

You should replace your old house numbers with new ones if you want to make a statement that everyone can see. The best part is that you will need only one tool.

You can find intricate house numbers online, but you can also go for traditional ones if that’s your cup of tea. Installing a new house number is a quick way to improve your home and make it look cool and inviting.

#20 Add Some Flair With a Painted Ceiling

blank

Plenty of people out there forget that ceiling is a wall too. It isn’t the most often noticed part of a home, but it is a sign of how much attention you pay to your living space.

White color is always the safest choice when it comes to ceiling upgrades. Light colors make your ceiling seem higher than it is, while dark colors make it feel lower. You can go for blush pink if you want to make a room seem romantic. You can also go sky blue if you’re going to make your room feel spacious.

Think about how you would like to feel in a room, and then choose a color accordingly.

#21 Give Character to Your Home With Wallpaper

I used to hate wallpapers until I figured out that they are one of the best home upgrade ideas. Wallpapers give your home character, and they are easy to hang. Some wallpaper walls look better than painted ones, in my opinion.

blank

The last time I’ve been to a wallpaper store, I was blown away. There are so many choices that the chances of you leaving the store empty-handed are almost non-existent. 

Be sure to check the dimensions of your room before you make a purchase. Note that some wallpaper is hard to hang, so be sure to ask for help if you need it. 

Before you hang your new wallpaper, make sure that there are no holes in your walls. Smoothen the walls before you start hanging the wallpaper, then seal the wall with an acrylic primer. Finally, hang the wallpaper like a pro and enjoy the result of your labor.

#22 Improve Your Closet With Wire Shelves

I had no idea that wire shelves can save so much space before trying them out. Nowadays, I can’t live in a home that doesn’t have wire shelves (yes, the wire shelves have spoiled me). Wire shelves are a cool and quick DIY home improvement project because a beginner can do it.

As is the case with most of our DIY projects, this one won’t take you a lot of time. Furthermore, it will add plenty of space to your closet. 

If you want to replace your old closet shelves, I recommend you to take on this simple home improvement project. It won’t take you more than an hour from start to finish.

#23 Fall in Love With Your Bathroom – Add a Pullout Mirror

I love DIY home projects that add character to a room, which is why I think that adding a pullout mirror is a quick way to fall in love with your bathroom. I might sound like a hopeless romantic, but I think that mirrors speak more about a bathroom than a sink or cabinets.

Pullout mirrors are great because they come to you, you don’t have to lean over to go close to them. They allow you to see everything without the risk of getting wet.

I have bought one in a thrift store for a low price, so I advise you to search high and low until you find a pullout mirror that you can fall in love with.

#24 Add Value to Your Home With Crown Molding

It is no secret that crown molding adds value to your home. It is also no secret that adding crown molding is one of the easiest DIY projects.

blank

You can add crown molding to cabinets, windows, and walls, but feel free to let your imagination run wild.

The first time I have added crown molding to the kitchen cabinets, I had no idea what I was doing. I had to search online for a tutorial, and I had to check whether my home needed some upgrades before I could start with the project. Fortunately, crown molding projects are simple, yet they add plenty of character to your home.

#25 Add Charm to Your Old Deck With Fresh Paint

If your home has an old deck, you should think about making it beautiful by using affordable paint.

Search for the best way to clean your deck before you start painting it. My advice is to rent a pressure washer if you want to clean it thoroughly.

Think about the color that would improve the look of your deck. My advice is to go for chestnut, rustic gold, or walnut. If you have a spruce deck, then white could be the right choice.

All in all, a painted deck looks more inviting than an old, dirty deck. Furthermore, you can paint your deck in one afternoon, which is why it is one of my favorite DIY ideas.

#26 Improve Your Front Door With Cool Accessories

Not all of the home improvement tips have to focus on useful upgrades. Sometimes neat accessories do more than fancy upgrades that cost a lot of money.

I love door knockers, and I think that they are the best accessories for a plain, old, white door. You can find ones shaped like animals and insects, as well as ones shaped like mythical creatures.

If door knockers are not what you think about when someone mentions door upgrades, then you might want to think about mailboxes. You can add custom decals like your family name or an American flag. You can also find seasonal decals for Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and many other holidays.

Don’t be afraid to be creative while thinking about the accessories you can add to your front door. Your front door should speak a bit about your personality, so think about new address plaques, wreaths, doormats, and flags.

blank

I hope that you liked my home improvement ideas and tips. I also hope that you can see how much money you can save with a little bit of can-do spirit.

The projects I have mentioned are a neat way to learn a useful skill. If your home needs upgrades, the tips mentioned above will help you upgrade it hassle-free.

If you have enjoyed this article and you find it useful, please share it with your friends.