Do-it-Yourself “Cure to Cabin Fever” Projects!

The Holidays are over, the New Year’s ball has dropped and kiddos are officially back in the swing of things at school. Yes, it’s official: the winter break festivities are finally over. For some of you, that means your “break” is just getting started!

We’ve got some simple (and not-so-simple), inexpensive (and not-so-inexpensive) ways to help cure the cabin fever, keep you productive and make your house sparkle again! Plus, some of these home improvement projects will help increase your property value, save money on utility bills, and potentially prevent larger, more expensive issues from developing.

Give it a new coat.

We’re not talking about the furry kind with pockets! Your walls! You’ve been staring at those neutral-colored walls for a long time now. Why not liven things up a bit? Maybe even try a bright, cheery color. A new coat of paint can dramatically lift your mood and the mood of an entire room. And, it doesn’t have to be the whole room—you can paint an accent wall, or the bottom third of the walls and add a chair rail to break things up. Of course, we recommend using Low-VOC paints! They’re better for you and the environment.

Untangle the Holiday mess.

It’s time to finally get rid of the Holiday mess that may still be lingering. Especially if you have young kids, their new toys can wreak havoc on a once clean and tidy bedroom or game room. Why not spend some time with your little one and make piles? Who doesn’t love piles? (And you’ll love it once some of those piles disappear!) Organize toys into three categories: Keep, Donate and Throw Away. Get them involved so it doesn’t seem like Mom or Dad is just throwing away all of their treasures! Make decisions about what they actually play with, and donate those gently used toys to a non-profit organization or a local church. Throw away broken or destroyed toys, and keep the good stuff! You can do the same thing with teenagers and their clothes. As for around the house, de-clutter that, too. Devote 10 minutes a day to one area and organize, purge or toss items you haven’t used or don’t need anymore. Remember, start small and go slow! Focus on one area at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed.

Have a look at the bathroom.

Maybe not the most exciting home improvement project, but we all need to do it every once-in-a-while! Is your grout looking sad with unsightly mildew? Are you over the pale green paint you put on the walls three years ago? Are your towels discolored and ragged?

Bathrooms make great winter projects because once they’re complete, you can appreciate your handiwork every single day. And, there are plenty of ways to inexpensively remodel your bathroom. Updates like painting, cleaning or re-grouting tile are relatively easy for the overachieving-do-it-yourselfer!

Add insulation.

Okay, so adding insulation isn’t exactly the most interesting home improvement project and probably doesn’t make your heart pound with excitement. But, it can help to lower your energy bills, and make your home more energy-efficient. Start by crawling into your attic. A good rule of thumb is if you can see floor joists, then you could use some more insulation. Since heat rises, it can help save on energy usage by adding another layer of insulation up there. And, for those of you with basements, adding insulation in your basement and in crawlspaces will help prevent heat loss there as well.

There you have a few home improvement projects to get you through the rest of the winter months and ready for Spring!