If you find yourself with a little extra time on your hands, but tearing out a kitchen sounds too overwhelming, then a project that can be completed in an afternoon or over a weekend might sound just about right. Freshen up rooms, clear out some clutter, and fall in love with your home all over again with these home projects.
Put Up Some Peel and Stick Wallpaper
Modern designs and modern applications have revolutionized the wallpaper industry. No longer limited to fusty cabbage roses, trendy wallpaper designs run the gamut from grasscloth to tribal designs to herringbone. Local retailers like Target, Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Lowe’s carry peel and stick wallpaper, but if you’re looking for a more unique pattern, Etsy shops are a great place to shop from.
Instead of messy glue, peel and stick wallpaper works like contact paper, and can easily be pulled off and repositioned. It’s perfect to brighten up small areas like the laundry room, an entryway wall, or a bathroom. If you’ll need to match a pattern up, you’ll want to buy a few extra rolls so that the design is seamless. This tutorial from Thrifty Decor Chick has some great tips for a beautiful application.
Clean Out the Mudroom
As we move from one season to the next, it’s a great time to put away last season’s gear. Go through the children’s shoes and throw away worn out or outgrown shoes. Pull everything out and give everything a good scrub down. Install some new hooks to keep keys, bags, or hats up off of the floor. Take some time to see if you need some new organization.
Over time, the mudroom or back entryway can become a dumping ground for backpacks, shoes, coats, hats, balls of every kind, dog leashes, and nearly everything else your family drops on the ground the minute they walk in the door. Do you need some new storage containers, or to move the sporting goods into the garage? Is it time to replace the rug with something more current?
Get the Bikes Ready to Hit the Greenbelt Trail
Whether you’re the kind of Boisean who bikes through the winter, or you prefer to dust off your wheels in the spring, an afternoon spent readying the family’s bikes is a great way to get ready for some gorgeous weather. Before you know it, goathead season will be here, so reinforcing your wheels with slime is a great precautionary measure for those noxious thorns. Only in Boise will you enjoy the weird, the wonderful, the completely original Boise Goathead Fest.
Local bike shops have you covered if you need more than just a new inner tube. Let’s Go Boise has a list of great neighborhood bicycle shops that can help you get the whole family ready to hit the trail.
Clean Out the Garage Before It Gets Too Hot
Every year it seems like summer goes by faster and faster. Before you know it, the August heat will be here, and you’ll have spent the summer digging through your messy garage. Again. Before the heat becomes unbearable, spend some time organizing the holiday decorations, tools, and garden pots so that you can find what you need when you actually need it.
A Marie Kondo-like decluttering can be cathartic. Do you really need 20 buckets of paint? Or those snowboards you never use? Throw out the trash, donate or sell the good stuff, and maybe find a way to squeeze your car into the garage again. Clearing out some space in the garage can clear out some of your mental clutter as you let go and embrace your home as a place to serve you.
Buy Some Indoor Plants for Better Air Quality
Studies have proven that indoor plants can remove harmful toxins from the air, improve concentration and productivity, and reduce your stress levels. If you’re spending more time at home, why not make it a more peaceful, restful experience?
The current popularity for succulents is a great trend for the dry Boise climate. But if you need a little help choosing just the right indoor plant that will thrive in the high desert, then these local nurseries can help you.
North End Nursery
Far West Garden Center
Draggin’ Wing High Desert Nursery
Edwards Greenhouse
Whether you have a black thumb or an affinity with garden gnomes, local nurseries are your best resource for unique plants that will help you breathe easily in your own home.
We’re committed to supporting the Boise community as homeowners embrace their homes. Sometimes it just takes a little paint, some decluttering, and new houseplants to relax at home again.