Millions of home improvement projects are carried out each year in the UK. Brits love to potter around their homes and find little things to restyle and renovate. Do It Yourself projects are a great way to reconnect with your creativity and save a little money on buying something new. You can repurpose items or make them look brand new again with a fresh lick of paint and sand down. Get the whole family involved in your DIY projects so your home can feel a little more personal and like your own.
MyJobQuote surveyed 2000 Brits in lockdown and found that a whopping 71% were doing DIY projects in lockdown. There were over 62,000 monthly searches for ‘DIY table’, making tables the number one item to DIY in lockdown. Reupholstering closely followed with nearly 50,000 monthly searches in 2020.
The beauty of DIY is that anyone can do it. You just need a few tools, a little skill, and a lot of patience. DIY doesn’t always turn out the way envisioned, but the process is part of the fun. Before you venture onto the larger items, start with a few smaller projects, like painting a wall or repurposing a kitchen bowl. It’s best to work on more affordable things that can be replaced if need be. Stay away from your reclaimed wood TV stand until you know what you’re doing.
Once you have found your DIY groove, you can start investing in a few essential power tools, like a cordless circular saw. Research the projects you want to start and which materials you need to do them. The more complex projects, like reupholstering a headboard, will require more skill and materials.
If you’re keen to learn more about DIY, you could take a class in your local area to advance your skills. Learn how to work with materials and use power tools safely to avoid injuring yourself. You should also familiarise yourself with the appropriate PPE and how to operate a safe workspace. Health and safety are paramount when working with power tools.
The most popular DIY projects include tables, desks, and cabinets. Wooden furniture is easy to work with and can be repainted time and time. If you mess up the first time around, you can sand down the paint and have another go. You could try a worn look and paint a wooden piece before sanding down the corners and edges. Finish with a few mismatched accessories, like cabinet handles, to give it a vintage look. You could also extend the distressed look to the walls of your home to achieve a more industrial style.
If you are looking for a new hobby, have a go at some DIY projects and learn a few skills.