7 Quick Fixes to make your home even lovelier
As you might already know, this has been a hectic week for us having moved house, and I’ve already blogged on our cunning plans to clear up our garden. However, even though we have only been in the new place for a couple of days, I’ve already got my sights set on some DIY work for the weekend. Nothing major, but there are numerous quick and easy jobs that I know will really help to make the new place into a home we love.
So, inspired by my new weekend to-do list, I thought I’d shareseven of the most straightforward home improvements, and some advice for executing them. Perhaps some or all of them apply to you? Then hopefully they’ll help your cause…
1) Get on those door hinges
Even if your hinges aren’t particularly squeaky, it’s good practice to get some WD-40 on them on a semi-regular basis. Alternatives to WD-40 are Petroleum Jelly, or if yours are giving you considerable problems, you may want to lift your hinge pins, and lubricate with 3 in 1 oil. Don’t forget to catch the drips with a rag though!
2) Wallpaper woes
Peeling wallpaper is such a bugbear, but there’s an easy cure. Simply grab a knife and smear wallpaper paste onto a piece of paper. Rub this on the underside of the offending wallpaper, and then apply pressure on it against the wall. Then just slide out the paper you used, and flatten any residual bubbles with a clean cloth.
3) Cleaning up the tub
There’s nothing like a stained tub to put your young kids off maintaining their personal hygiene. To get rid of it, just rub an equal mix of baking soda and cream of tartar (with a bit of lemon juice) onto the stain – either with your fingers or a cloth – and let it sit for half an hour. Give it a good rinse afterwards, and it should look as good as new.
4) Put the ‘slide’ in sliding windows
There are few things worse than sliding doors or windows that stick. But all it takes is a little silicone spray to grease the skids. Whether the tracks are made of wood, metal or plastic, wipe it on there with a rag to your heart’s content.
5) Un-slam your doors
If your doors slam loudly when a draft comes through the house (or when one of your kids get upset!), then just put a few pieces of peel-and-stick foam weather stripping in the area around the doorstop. You could even wrap elastic bands on both sides of the doorknob, and stretch them right across the edge of the door. Keep the latch uncovered if you do thisthough!
6) Those pesky lightbulbs
Lightbulbs that don’t work are bad enough, but when they are also hard to remove too, it really can make the blood boil. But keep your cool! Just grab some duct tape, lay a long strip across the middle of the bulb, and then fold each end in half so that it sticks to itself. Hold either end with your thumb and index finger, and twist anti-clockwise to loosen the bulb.
7) Identify bigger jobs
As we are renting, there is only so much we can do in terms of fixes. But for those lucky enough to own, or thriftily build a house themselves, why not have a real think about any serious jobs that will not only improve your home, but add value too? Perhaps there could be potential to re-do a kitchen or bathroom, add a conservatory or even convert your loft. It may even be worth looking into a home improvement loan if you think it will add great value to your property. Just ensure that any undertakings are carefully planned, and that they really are going to be worth the effort.
