The summer is a great time to get your DIY on and make the most of your free time. And while it may seem like there’s not much “DIY” you can do outside in the hotter months, these projects will help you get more out of your home this season:
Build a bird feeder.
If you’re looking for a summer project that’s easy and fun, building a bird feeder from a recycled soda bottle is just the thing. All you need is some string or wire, scissors or pliers and–if you want to hang it outside–a hammer and nail.
To make the feeder:
- Cut off the top third of your empty soda bottle with either scissors or pliers (depending on how thick your plastic is).
- Make holes in both sides of the cap using small nails or thumbtacks (as many as needed depending on how much seed you’re going to put inside). Hang this piece through one of its holes so that it can swing freely when filled with seeds; then fill up your new creation with whatever kind of birdseed strikes your fancy!
Make your own flag.
You may not have thought of it before, but Flags are a perfect summer project. They’re easy to make and can be used for all sorts of things–from decorating your home to creating an impressive wave at an outdoor concert.
If you’ve ever wanted to fly your own country’s flag with pride but didn’t have time or money for a trip abroad, now is your chance.
Do some decorating.
If you’re feeling bored, or if the heat is getting to you, take on a decorating DIY project. You can do a lot of things around the house that will make it look better and more comfortable for everyone. Better, yet decorating projects often allow you to get the best bang for your buck. Using a 3% cash back credit card is just one method on how you can earn money as you spend more on decorating and craft supplies.
Doing some decorating might be just what you need to get through the summer months. But if you’ve never done any DIY projects before, don’t worry–it doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated! Opening a bank account with SoFi is a great way to build up savings to prepare for projects like these, or for larger home improvement projects you plan to take on in the near future.
Here are some ideas for decorating your home on a budget:
- Use what you already have–You probably won’t need any new furniture or decorations if all of these items are already in your home somewhere (or at least close by). Just find them and put them together in different ways until they look good enough for everyone’s tastes. This way there’s no need for spending money unless someone really wants something specific like curtains or rugs that match each other perfectly.
Make your own tomato sauce.
- Use fresh tomatoes. Fresh, in-season tomatoes are the key to a tasty sauce.
- Add garlic and onion. Garlic and onion add flavour without overwhelming your taste buds, so be sure to include them in your sauce.
- Add basil and oregano for some extra pizzazz! These herbs are both easy to grow at home (or even in your garden), so don’t worry if you don’t have any growing in your yard right now–you can always buy some instead!
- Season with salt, pepper, olive oil and simmer for 30 minutes before serving over pasta or using as a dipping sauce for breadsticks.
Pickle your own vegetables.
Pickling is a great way to preserve vegetables. It’s easy to do, and you can adapt it to fit your own tastes. Pickles are also a good way to use up vegetables that are about to spoil and save money on groceries by making your own pickles at home!
Painting your porch, fence or deck can make it feel like a new space.
- Use a paint color that matches your home’s exterior. If you’re going for a bold look, try painting the entire exterior of your house in one colour. If you want something less dramatic, choose two complementary colours for the front door and shutters.u
- Choose a paint with easy cleanup properties for outdoor spaces such as decks and fences (or even inside). Look for paints with low VOC levels so you don’t have to worry about strong fumes when painting outside; also consider whether your chosen finish will be able to withstand moisture from rain or snow without chipping off over time!
- Paints with high gloss finishes work well on porches because they reflect light beautifully while also providing UV protection against fading due to sunlight exposure during those hot summer months ahead.
Make paper lanterns to hang in your home during the summer months and throughout the year, too!
These paper lanterns are a great project for kids, and they’re also a nice way to dress up your home.
You’ll need:
- Paper plates, in any colour or pattern you like! Consider using a sturdy paper plate that won’t tear easily when you cut it.
- String or yarn, long enough to hang your lantern where you want it in your house or outside on the patio. You can use whatever thickness of string works best for hanging things–Using thick twine works well because it doesn’t break as easily as thinner strings do when pulled tight around the top hole punched into each plate. You might also be able to find some decorative cord somewhere if this is what appeals most!
Make a planter from an old wine barrel.
What you’ll need:
- An old wine barrel, if you’re lucky enough to have one lying around. If not, ask your local winery or liquor store if they have any extra ones they’d like to get rid of. They’re often happy to give them away rather than pay to dispose of them–and you’ll be doing them a favour by taking one off their hands.
- A hammer and chisel (or some other tools) for carving out the staves (the wooden slats that make up the sides). You can use these tools even if your barrel isn’t full yet; just be careful not to cut into anything important like metal bands or hoops for holding in pressure builds up inside during fermentation processes.
Add some extra seating to your outdoor space with DIY pallet chairs.
Pallets are an inexpensive and easy-to-find material that can be used for a variety of DIY projects. You can use the same pallet for multiple projects, paint it to fit your style or even make a chair, bench or table out of them!
The best part about this project is that it doesn’t require any fancy tools; all you need is some wood glue (which comes in tubes), clamps (to hold pieces together while the glue dries), sandpaper and paint if desired.
Make a wire flower basket for hanging plants or flowers in your yard.
When summer rolls around, what better way to enjoy the warm weather than with a flower-inspired DIY project? Here are some ideas for making your own wire flower basket:
- Cut strips of wire about 2 feet long and bend them into circles. You’ll need about six or seven circles total for this project, depending on how large you want your finished basket to be.
- Twist two pieces of wire together at one end until they form a closed loop (make sure that the ends are flush). Repeat until all loops are connected by their ends, then twist another piece onto each end so they form hooks that can hang from things like trees or posts in your yard.
- Now you’re ready to add greenery! Bend small branches into shape with pliers if necessary; once they’re secure in place, use them as supports for whatever flowers/plants suit your fancy–violets would work well here because they grow easily in shade but also look great against green leaves!
Paint furniture with chalkboard paint so it’s easier to write on and update every week (or day).
Chalkboard paint is easy to use, and it’s perfect for updating your home decor on a weekly or daily basis. You can write on it with chalk, and then erase it easily when you’re done. If you want to make this project even easier, find some chalkboard stickers at your local craft store–they will make writing in the kitchen easy as pie!
If you have kids’ rooms that need some sprucing up during summer break (or even if you don’t), try painting one wall in each room with chalkboard paint so they can hang their artwork on it. The best part about doing this project is that if they get bored of their creations after a few days or weeks go by (or even months!), simply wipe off all traces of them from the wall surface again!
Repurpose an old dresser into an entertainment centre or desk in your home office.
In your home office, repurpose an old dresser into an entertainment centre or desk.
If you have a large surface area to work with, try using an old dresser to create a desk. This can be done by mounting the piece of furniture to the wall so it doesn’t move around when being used and adding light fixtures above it if needed. You could also just leave it on its feet and make sure to use strong adhesive when attaching any cords or wires that may come loose over time from frequent usage of this type of furniture in this location (or simply use velcro straps).
If you don’t have much space for creating an entire room for yourself in your apartment but still want something more than just having all your stuff piled up on top of each other on the floor, then consider using one large drawer from an old chest of drawers set inside each room where people tend to spend most time relaxing.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the projects that you can take on this summer. DIY projects are fun, typically not expensive, and are a great way to improve the look of your home area. We hope that this article has inspired you with some new DIY ideas that you can try with your friends and family soon.
