Whether working, taking care of young ones, recovering from a cold or cooped inside for one reason or another, there are times when we’re stuck at home for days with no end in sight.

As we are currently In the face of a global pandemic, stay-at-home orders are now enforced. For the most part, many enjoy spending extended hours at home, but of course, there are only so many hours of television and movies one can watch before things start to drag on.

Thus, if you’re spending an extended period of time indoors, you may consider ways to upgrade, declutter, or rearrange your interior spaces. 

From restyling to repurposing, there are plenty of ways to liven up a dull space so that it will be more comfortable for day to day life. Obviously, now is not the time to head to the store to buy non-essential items. Instead, we’re going to offer some inspiration for DIY projects that can be carried out without leaving the home. 

Here are the best DIY projects to tackle at home

Rearrange what you already have

Let’s start with the basics, and this means rearranging the furniture, decor and accessories already present in your home. Since a complete transformation isn’t in the cards at this time, rearranging things can lead to a fresh perspective and a new appreciation for your interior space.

Change up the layout

It’s easy to feel like the rooms of your home appear lacklustre when you’re spending all hours of the day looking around at the same layout. One of the easiest ways to instantly drag yourself out of that rut is to rearrange.

In the living room, consider moving the couch or love seats to a different wall or area. This way, you’ll have a completely new view when sitting in the space. Lighting is another key area that has a huge effect on the ambience and feel of a room. Try moving lamps to new spots or even new rooms to create a completely different atmosphere.

Repurpose your home office!

Working from home is a serious luxury in one sense, but tiring in another. Some may feel that moving their laptop into bed counts as a home office, but we’re here to suggest otherwise! It’s important to create a dedicated workspace within your home since this will be conducive to productivity.

Already have a dedicated office space? Check out our home office inspiration article for additional ideas on how you can take your office to the next level!

• Home office design: 10 inspiring examples

Restyle with accessories and plants

If you’re not in the mood to move furniture, there are plenty of ways to restyle a room that avoids this task. Working with a wide variety of plants in the home?

Offer them a new spot to collect light. As long as they continue to get an adequate amount, you can move plants to new spaces around the home as this will create the illusion that your plant collection has grown. Also, if there are any that are overgrown, you could even snip off a few clones and propagate some baby plants!

If your rooms are styled with accessories, consider taking an item or two away, such as moving a rug from one room to the next, changing up the art or photos on display and so on.

Declutter your belongings

There are plenty of day-to-day cleaning tasks that take place in the home, and these include dishes, wiping down surfaces, dusting and vacuuming. Of course, with a lot of time on your hands you may consider focusing on more involved cleaning and declutter projects, here are some suggestions to that end:

Bedroom closets and drawers

Spring cleaning or otherwise, it’s nice to take stock of what you have in your closets and try your best to pair down, get rid of things you don’t need and make room for the new. 

Completely empty your closet and any drawers in the bedrooms of your home. Clean these out and remove the small items that may have collected, such as hair clips and ties, loose buttons and other things that don’t belong.

Then, slowly go through your clothing and really think about what you still wear or need. Consider organizing your clothing by category and by season. Keep items you wear often the most accessible and those you won’t need until next winter further to the back. 

Kitchen and bathroom purge

Other rooms of the home that often collect miscellaneous items over the years are the kitchen and the bathroom. It’s common for kitchen pantries to become overcrowded with spices and ingredients purchased.

Again, a great way to remedy this is to remove everything from your cupboards and drawers and give them a good wipe down. Then, consider labelling each pantry item and organizing them into easily accessible categories. This will simplify future cooking tasks while making them exceedingly more enjoyable. 

In the bathroom, the same rules apply. Over time, hair products and accessories, old tubes of toothpaste, hand towels and toilet rolls build up. Empty out bathroom drawers, nooks and crannies. Go through what you have and diligently get rid of things you don’t use or need. 

Clean up and take care

There are plenty of small to large deep cleaning jobs that get overlooked while life is running its course. When you’re presented with plenty of time on your hands, here are some cleaning tasks around your home you can address:

• Take apart and deep clean small kitchen appliances: coffee maker, toaster, instant pot, and so on ;

• Moisturizer wooden cutting boards and spoons ;

• Clean lamps, curtains and walls in the rooms of your home ;

• Replace lightbulbs ;

• Touch up paint or fill holes and cracks ;

• Fill empty frames with artwork or photos.

Large renovation project idea: consider contacting an expert

All of the small projects mentioned above can be taken on by yourself and with the help of a loved one. But what if you have an idea for a bigger project while stuck at home, such as replacing your backsplash, kitchen cabinets, or something bigger like a wall removal or a basement overhaul?

Projects of this scale will always require an expert who can assist you. Wondering whether your project should be carried out by an expert? Check out our article "7 renovation projects that should always be left to professionals". 

Luckily, we’re here to connect you with the right contractor for the job. Even while in quarantine, you can still get in touch with contractors and get quotes remotely for now!

This way, as soon as things start up again, you will be first in line to get your project underway.