DIY Together – Home Projects You Can Tackle as a Family

Families are suddenly spending a lot more time together at home. If you are running out of things to keep your kids busy, consider doing some of these DIY projects! Doing small home renovations together will create a bonding moment, can be great lessons in project management for people of all ages, and a chance to improve communication and patience with one another.

Venture Into The Great Outdoors

Your yard is a great place to keep the kids busy and cross projects off the list. Give your kids some gardening gloves and a spade and encourage them to dig up any weeds (incentives may also be utilized!). Lay down new mulch and allow them to spread the mulch with you. Put in garden bed edging with their help, allow them to use a mallet to secure the edging in place. Take the time to freshen up your mailbox by giving it a fresh coat of paint. All of these projects will get your kids out of the house and give your curb appeal a fresh look.

Tackle Small Maintenance Items

Little hands love to keep busy. Given them a magic eraser and encourage them to go around the house and clean anything that looks smudged and dingy. Pull out the heating vents and give the kids a cleaning sponge to clean off all of the dust, be sure to include lots of bubbles in this project. After giving things a good cleaning, go throughout the house with a screwdriver and tighten the hardware on the cabinets and various furniture pieces. This is sure to engage their minds and make them feel accomplished.

Fix Squeaky Door Hinges

This small task can become a source of entertainment and fun. Go around the house with your kids and identify which doors are squeaky. Make it fun by opening and closing the doors to make silly sounds. Incorporate math by counting home many doors were or weren’t squeaky and see which category had more. Allow them to use the trusty can of WD-40 to oil the hinges and observe its magic of eliminating the noise.  

Click this image

To read a previous blog I have published for more info about smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Test the Smoke Detectors

Go around the home and test all of the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Take the opportunity to discuss fire safety with the kids and even address your home emergency plan. Allow them to change the batteries. Mark your calendar to change the batteries regularly during Daylight Savings twice a year. Click the image above to read more about recommended placement of these life saving devices.

Create a New Gallery Wall

Encourage some creativity by arranging a new gallery wall together. Pick a room that needs a little refresh. Brainstorm together as a family what you want to space to look like. Go on a scavenger hunt throughout the house to pull items that can be used and set it up together. Take the time to create some new art projects with materials you have around the house, in years to come it will be the memorable piece of art that was created during the pandemic.

With a little creativity and some parental supervision, you can cross all of those pesky tasks off your to-do list while engaging your children. And remember! Home maintenance pays off when it is time to sell. What home projects have you been tackling around the house?

Jennifer Suemnicht - Jen’s Realty, RE/MAX Metro Realty, Inc.

206-550-1676 / jen@jensrealty.com / www.JensRealty.com