10 Small Things to Do at Home This Summer

You are in your holiday home or you decided to have ‘staycations’ ('stay at home + vacations') this summer? there is no such moment like holidays to make all this decoration handiwork you don’t have time to do during the rest of the year. Here you’ll find 10 ideas to add to your checklist of the summer! Your house will get better looking and you can start the year on the right foot. 

1. (Re)Paint a wall, a door or a piece of furniture

You have been thinking about painting your bedroom walls for months? You keep saying the dining room table needs to be modernised? Stop waiting and start painting! You have all you need: time, good weather (or almost), and you’ll be able to aerate all day long. Summer is a good time for creativity…

2.      Hang  your frames, ceiling lights and wall lamps which have been lying around for months

Bare bulbs, empty walls... Take the time to hang your frames, your wall lamps and change the position of your furniture. You’ll feel like you live in a new home.

3.  Let’s fix it! Replace the bulbs, level your leaning shelves

Miss DIY Kit

Every morning you wake up with this shelf leaning. It’s been a year now since your wardrobe is jammed? Take 5 minutes to lubricate the wheels, replace the kitchen spotlight and fix all those things which don’t work right. 

4.  Find a sewing machine to make cushions, curtains, household linen and more!

@vintagerevivals

You have meters of nice fabric sleeping in the deepest shelf of your house? Find a sewing machine and make cushions or curtains to adorn your sofa or your windows. How to do it yourself? Nothing easier, you can watch this tutorial for cushions or this one for curtains. 

5. Give your furniture a new life

Tutorial here

Sometimes, changing the fabric or repainting some furniture is enough to give it a new life. This old chair for example, became in a few moves a unique designer piece, so stop hesitating!

6. Transform or redesign a room

Your attic or your storeroom is abandoned? Take time to reorganize the space better by tidying it. Your attic might become a guest room and you might even want to turn yourcloset into an office.

7. Put your things into order and tidy your home

You don’t know where to begin? Start with the 5s methods of our Japanese friends:

1. SORT: Get rid of what you don’t use anymore and throw what’s useless. Donate what cannot be sold (Emmaus, Popular Assistance…) and sell what’s left (ebay, yard sales…)
2. STABILIZE: Tidy and organize your space, use pieces of furniture and tidy tips (see this article full of good ideas).
3. SHINE: Take advantage of this time to clean the room entirely
4. STANDARDIZE or organize your things by creating an intuitive system: e.g., keep at hand the things you use daily. Put in another room what you don’t use every day and place the rest in height or in your garage…
5. SUSTAIN: Keep up with it! Pile up your T-Shirts, keep your hats in your shelf and your socks in the drawer.

8. Look for Second-Hand & Garage Sales

Passing by a yard sale? Go and have a look at it. You might find golden opportunity at a bargain. So-called "garage sales" are usually way more interesting in the summer than during the rest of the year.

9. Customize old/cheap pieces

A customized camping chair by Mat & Jewski

Once you found some interesting objects, try to customize their look to give them a fresh start.

10. Do your major purchases (take advantage of summer sales)

Last but not least, take advantage of summer sales and discounts to make your major purchases of decoration before the beginning of the year.

Have a nice summer J