My husband and I are no strangers to DIY renovations. We’ve renovated 3 homes during our 20 years together and are now working on our fourth! It was in our third renovation (a full gut remodel of an 1800’s house) that we learned lots of tips and tricks. It took us 12 years to complete (we did it ourselves while working other jobs full-time) BUT we did it and now would like to pass on some of our knowledge to you!

As we enter 2021, you’ve likely got a lot of plans laid out for the year ahead. Perhaps you want to pick up a new hobby, or (if possible) travel to someplace new. However, it's also the perfect time to start planning home renovations! Why not make 2021 the year you get your dream home?

Here’s how you can do it! 

1- Start Small

When it comes to home renovations, even the smallest of changes can make a huge difference. Thankfully, this means you don’t need to break the bank and spend all of your money in order to get your dream home. Instead, begin by noting down all of the small changes you can make that will make your home cozier or more stylish. For example, you can decide to give the walls a fresh coat of paint or hang up some artwork in a room that is looking a little bare. 

Additionally, small accessories can once again make a big difference. Think rugs, blankets, and throws - the more, the merrier! This is especially true in areas such as the bedroom and sitting room, where you want to create a cozy, warm space. In the kitchen, think about small, stylish trinkets that will make your life easier AND look great when doing so - such as a coffee machine and hand mixer. 

I recently ordered these mini cute artificial plants to add a pop of color to our black and white bathroom:

I love shopping on Amazon, at Hobby Lobby, Target, World Market or on Etsy for inexpensive home decor. I also like Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie. In the photo (above) of my entryway table, I made it simple yet organized and I love it! I bought the tray, bottle, beaded vase and the dried flower decor via Hobby Lobby. I purchased the quote sign via Etsy and the driftwood mirror via Target.

2- Focus On Comfort

Although it is important that your home looks good, you also need to ensure that everything is in good working order and that your comfort is prioritized. For example, there would be no point in your home looking perfect if it is absolutely freezing all year round. There’s nothing worse than having to peel yourself out of bed on a cold, dark morning.

One way in which you can make your home warmer through DIY is by installing NEW adjustable vent covers over your vents. It’s something that is often overlooked, but I notice them! Especially when they are dingy, dirty and outdated. They are easy to install, inexpensive and can help keep you warm no matter what. Even better, in the summer, they can even be used to keep you cool! 

My husband and I are working on updating our vent covers. We’ve started with our return air vents.

Our new home has some very large return air vents. Two of them are on the wall our bed leans against. They are also high up on the wall and unsightly. Knowing we couldn’t just cover them up (they HAVE to be able to have air flow through them), we looked for some that were prettier.

It’s hard to find decorative covers for them so we had someone on Etsy (LaserLizard) custom make us some laser cut wood panels to fit over the vent covers. The vent covers themselves were in great shape but they just needed a little style. Each wood panel is thin and full of decorative gaps so air can still flow smoothly to them. We paid about $30 a piece for them, but they are beautiful and fit perfectly. We glued magnets to them (and to the vent cover as ours is aluminum and magnets don’t stick to them) so we could easily remove them when needing to change filters. We glued (using Gorilla Glue) 6 button sized magnets to the wood cover and 6 to the frame of the vent cover. We started with 4 magnets, but we didn’t feel that was enough to hold it securely.

As for our other vents throughout the house, we’ll be updating them as we renovate each room. Some of our current ones are newer, but they are plain and I’d love to replace them with some that have a little more style. I guess that’s from living with really cool decorative ones in our previous 1800’s home.

3- Deep Clean Your Home

Another easy way you can transform your home is to complete a thorough, deep clean. This does not mean merely grabbing your hoover and hoping for the best; you need to clean every corner of the home from top to bottom in order to see a real difference. Think about the areas you don’t clean as often - such as the dreaded cupboard under the stairs or the skirting board, and ensure they look shiny and new. This might take some time, but it is definitely worth it in the long run!

Don’t like to clean? Neither do I BUT when I do clean, I like to make it fun. I like to buy cute cleaning supplies via Amazon and then I put on some good music and dance while I do it. Cleaning ends up becoming a fun little workout too!

I keep these toilet brushes next to each toilet in our house for easy and quick cleaning. They are stylish as well.

4- Declutter

Another simple way in which you can transform your home is by decluttering the space. This doesn’t necessarily mean throwing things away, just ensuring that items are properly stored or displayed. For example, if your office space is overflowing with files and papers, putting up some shelves, wire baskets or buying a filing cabinet will not only make the room appear cleaner and more professional, it will look much better, too. 

If you want to buy new items for your ‘new’ home, it may be time to throw away some of your old belongings. Take a look around the space, and pick up items that you no longer use. Try to remember the last time you needed it. If you can’t, it probably means it’s time to throw it away. If it is in good condition, you can donate the item to charity. If not, ensure it is correctly disposed of or recycled when possible. 

My kitchen is where my husband and I keep our bill pay list and planner so we always see it. I use a bamboo cookbook stand (from Amazon) to display the planner and a wall mounted basket to organize journals, post-it pads and pens and pencils.

My cookbook stand:

I love using baskets to organized things. Here are some that I’ve ordered from Amazon and hang throughout my home:

I used this one to organize towels, washcloths and products in our guest bathroom and ordered some more to organize produce for our pantry:

5- Transform the staircase

When it comes to decorating and DIY, the staircase is often neglected. We don’t really think about it as being something we can change, but that is simply not true! In fact, there are plenty of things you can do to transform your staircase, and doing so can breathe new life into your home. For example, you could repaint the area, going for a bright, bold color, or, if you prefer something more chic and traditional, opt for white or brown paint. You could also add new carpet or polish the existing wood. Another great way to transform your staircase is to add stair lights! 

When my husband and I renovated our 1800’s house, we had two staircases right next to each other. It didn’t make sense to have two, so we transformed one into a pantry. See how we did that by clicking here.

6- Give Old Furniture a Second Chance

Do you have a chair in your home that has seen better days? Is it comfortable, but tired? Is the fabric ripped or stained? Well, this does not mean you have to throw it away - you can give it a second lease for life by simply reupholstering it. To do this, you simply need to get your hands on some new fabric - either online or from a local store and get started! Be sure to follow a tutorial on how to reupholster furniture to make the process easier!

See how my husband and I transformed an old vanity by clicking here!

7- Create a Photo Wall

A statement photograph wall can add the perfect finishing touch to a room, especially if you have opted for a rather simplistic design. To create one, you must first choose your photographs. Opt for a variety of different photos that you love - in various sizes and formats. For example, you can use polaroid pics, printed pictures, or even canvases. Don’t worry about them looking uniformal - as photo walls look better when the design is varied. You may want to get your hands on frames too - and don’t be afraid to go for bright colors.

Once you have framed the photographs, take some time arranging them on the floor to figure out the best configuration or shape. Then, grab your hammer and attach them to the wall! 

See how I made a photo wall under our staircase by clicking here!

8- Paint the Doors

Much like the stairs, we often do not touch our doors when decorating (interior and exterior). However, a fresh coat of paint can really transform the way they look and how the room feels. For example, your front door is one of the first things a guest will see - so why should it not be painted a bright, inviting color? Try not to worry too much about what other people think - this is your home, and you get to decide how it looks!

After we organize and decorate our current new home, painting is next. It really makes everything look cleaner, especially when you paint the trim and the baseboards along with the walls. New doorknobs can also freshen up doors after you paint them.

BONUS IDEA: MAKE YOUR OWN QUILTS

Lastly, it could be time to shop quilt kits. These make it super simple to create beautiful bed covers that go way beyond regular duvets. With quilts, you can transform your room into a space that guests will absolutely love and where you will want to spend more time. When using a quilt kit, be sure to follow the guide’s instructions. 

This is a sponsored article. All opinions and ideas expressed in this post are based on my personal point of view.