DIY – Creative Home Spaces for Quarantine

In this time of COVID, we have been advised time and again to stay home when it is not necessary to go out. It is wise to self quarantine ourselves so that other people will not transmit the virus to us and we ourselves will not inflict COVID on our loved ones (who live in our home).

COVID has also made us realize that in our busy-ness prior to the pandemic, we have forgotten to take care of one precious aspect of our life. And this aspect, in this time of quarantine, deserves all our time in the world right now particularly if you find yourself less busy. This aspect is very accessible and right under our noses. It also gives us the chance to exercise our creative juices to make life more colorful during quarantine.

I am talking about our creative HOME SPACE, both outdoors and indoors.

1.

CLEAN YOUR OUTDOOR FURNITURE

You will be surprised at the accumulated dirt on your outdoor furniture. This is especially true if several seasons have gone by and you haven’t had the time to visit your front lawn or backyard and checked the state of your surroundings.

For wood and wicker furniture, use mild oil based soap mixed with warm water.

Other types of furniture can be sanitized well with dishwashing liquid mixed in with warm water in a large bucket.

Terrace cushions can be wiped down or simply washed in the washing machine. But do the mandatory spanking down of the cushions to dust off accumulated dust and dirt.

2.

REPAINT OR REUPHOLSTER YOUR CLEANED OUTDOOR FURNITURE.

After sanitizing your outdoor furniture, they might be spanking clean, but they might look dull or discolored because of years of being exposed to the elements outside. Whether its patio chairs, or garden tables, show some love to this precious furniture.

The materials you will need depend on the outdoor DIY project you want to upgrade. Purchase a can of your preferred paint color and a paintbrush for those discolored patio chairs. Spray paint works great on metal and plastic outdoor furniture (after a good clean down of course). Depending on how much exposure they get, you should play to replace your cushions every 1-2 years. One of my favorite brand of cushions is Sunbrella, they come in a variety of colors to add “pop” to your outdoor space and they’re made out of quality materials.

Buy a stapler and some nice fabric for upholstery projects. Or sandpaper, wood oil or stain, and a mechanical sander to refurbish outdoor hardwood furniture that have become dull in appearance.

3.

START YOUR OWN VEGETABLE AND HERB GARDEN

In this time of the pandemic, it is quite helpful if you have your own patch of garden which is planted with a variety of vegetables and herbs. Of course, you select those which are your favorites and pleasing to your palate.

Think about this: you don’t have to mix in with the crowd at the supermarket or the outdoor markets to buy these healthy foods. You just simply go to your garden and pick what you need for the meal of the moment. You know they will always be fresh and organic because you know you didn’t use chemicals and pesticides in their growth.

Start off with easy to grow herbs like cilantro, oregano, basil and parsley. Before you know it, you already have an Italian themed dinner!

Materials you need:

– Pots

– Soil: Buy quality organic potting soil and mix with compost from your backyard.

– Seeds: The seed sachets or packets include directions for use. They are actually user friendly. But you could also buy seedlings from actual gardens and ask the gardeners about the planting procedure.

Check out our previous post, Gardening – The Perfect Social Distancing Hobby, for additional tips for your creative home ideas.

4.

EVALUATE YOUR WALL HANGINGS

You might not have noticed them before quarantine, because you were just simply passing through your home everyday. You wake up, have breakfast, go to work. Then, in the early evening, you go home, have dinner, and go straight to the bedroom to rest.

You simply didn’t have the time to notice that many of your wall hangings and decorations have become crooked or misaligned. They could be photos or paintings or hangings of your accomplishments.

You can just simply straighten them or, being more drastic, take them all down when you are suddenly inspired to be creative. On a budget? Move them into new locations; you’ll see them again from a new perspective. Or if you have budget, replace them with something completely different. Make a new arrangement on the walls with something that represents you (like my display shown here in my half bath..something fun and whimsical with bobble heads that look like my dogs), or replace them with hangings that you have kept in storage. Have fun with your wall space, knowing that you will see it more often during quarantine.

5.

WORK ON YOUR CREATIVE HOME LIGHTING

You might have more time now to realize that there are quite several bulbs around the house that have burnt out and need replacement. Or you just might simply change some working lights that have hues of formal looking white light into bulbs that shine with a softer yellow light. Doing these simple light remodeling steps might just change your home space from stark and dull into cozy and welcoming.

Or sometimes, the culprit is simply not bad lighting but dirty lighting. Unplug the electricity and spend some time wiping off the accumulated dirt off your lamps and bulbs with a dry microfiber cloth.

And don’t forget how simple it is to replace recessed lighting. When I bought my home the ceiling lights were dirty and dingy and didn’t match the white ceiling color. It was super simple to buy pop-in recessed lighting and replace them, without having to replace the entire fixture. I did it myself without any tools.

There are countless other creative projects that you can do around your creative home space in this time of quarantine. You simply have more time to do them now. Make these activities more meaningful by doing them with your loved ones. They are opportunities for bonding.