Expert Tips for Quicker DIY Makeovers

**Collaborative Post**

AD: Spring is on the way and that's means longer days, more sunshine, and for many a good old spring clean and perhaps even a change-up with your décor? Are you in the mood for some updating at home but want to get the job done as soon as possible? We all know that DIY jobs sound like a good idea until you start them, but not all DIY tasks have to take forever.

We’ve gathered a few tips together to help whether you’re planning a decorating spree, or you just want to change things around in super-fast time. 

Get Materials Organised 

Having to stop mid-way through a task because you’ve run out of something or forgotten to buy a vital piece of kit is so annoying. It can really slow down the process. 

Avoid it by embracing lists and making sure you’ve gathered everything before you start. You’re not likely to forget your wallpaper or paste, but have you got a suitable bucket and pasting brush? What about the masking tape to help prevent smudges and keep your corners crisp? 

Lists are invaluable when you’re planning a bigger future project, too. If you’re worried about cluttering up the house with paint pots and tools, consider a storage room near you to help keep everything together. Investigate current self-storage costs if it’s been a while, as that extra space can really help with managing things. It also gives you a sense of achievement when you can tick things off your list as you plan.  

Get Yourself and Others Organised 

Even the smallest jobs can take longer than you think they will, especially if you’re tackling DIY around work and family obligations. It can be a challenge just to find time as it’s hard to motivate yourself to start again in the evening after a busy day. Make time management part of your planning process can help you conserve energy and blast through the work quicker. 

• See if you can get family or friends to help with childcare.  
• Maybe book a day or two of annual leave so you can devote all your daytime energy to decorating.  
• If you have small children at school, ask a friend to collect them so you can focus on the task for a little longer. 

When you’re planning a bigger job that needs electricians or plumbers, you’ll possibly be bound by their availability. The further into the future you can book their expertise, the easier it’ll be to coordinate your own time to match. 

Try and stagger the stages of a job so you don’t over-commit. Telling yourself you’ll get the ceiling and walls done in a day is easy, but very challenging and tiring in practice. 

Work in Order 

The job will go quicker when you tackle the various steps in the right order. Generally, work logically so you don’t accidentally undo previous work. Paint the ceilings first to avoid paint splashes or dribbles down new wallpaper, for instance.  

 

Once the ceilings are done, move to skirting boards, then door and window frames. You might want to paint walls before skirting boards, but if you’re wallpapering then leave that until last. It’s easier to wipe wallpaper paste off paintwork than it is to clean paint smudges off the wallpaper. 

Quick Non-Decorating Makeovers 

But supposing you don’t want to redecorate the whole room? You can get a whole new look and feel just by creating or changing a feature wall, but if that’s also too much right now, consider a few non-decorating ideas, such as: 

 

• Move the furniture - it’s surprising how just flitting the furniture around refreshes a room. You could make more space by storing some pieces in local self storage, or swapping around which items are in which rooms. 

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• Add new rugs or cushions – bring in a different accent colour with a few new accessories. If you’re crafty, try sewing new cushion covers, or invest in a totally different style of rug. 

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• Change the wall art - what you hang on the walls can totally change the look and structural feel of the room. If you’re used to larger pictures, try creating a gallery of smaller ones on a given theme instead – and vice versa. 

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• Bring in a bookcase - choose a style that matches your décor and experiment with ways to display books. Organise them by subject, colour, author, or even size. And if you don’t like books, use the unit as place to display collectibles or craft items. 

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• Declutter your space - go for a clean sweep and try more a more minimalist lifestyle for a while. Keep surfaces clear and polished and display just one or two related ornaments. Make sure everything on show works for its space. You might need more storage furnishings or to be more ruthless about what’s in your self storage to make it work. 

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• Create a home art gallery - it can work well in a long hallway or an alcove in the living room or bedroom. Have a range of smallish photos in identical frames and either line them up or place them randomly. It’s easy to swap them around and update them whenever the fancy strikes you. 

 

Changing things at home refreshes your space but it refreshes your mind too. It can wake up your senses and even give you a new zest for life. Have fun with it, experiment a little, and see what a big difference just a small makeover can have. 

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