Make your home inspiration board come to life with these projects that can be executed for cheap!

By Anna Bailey

Looking for ways to breathe new life into your home can feel overwhelming! I get it! 

I’d like to share with you some great ideas to make good use of items you may already have, as well as simple home decor ideas and easy DIY projects that can be accomplished with a simple trip to your local hardware store. 

Sometimes a whole new look can be accomplished without the need for a big home renovation.

With each season, I find myself in the mood for change throughout my home as well. 

Simple changes are a great way to bring about a sense of renewal. DIY home projects can breathe fresh life into your space, and it doesn’t take professional experience, or an interior design degree to do it.

One of the most trafficked rooms in our home is our mudroom. 

This is the place the entire family trucks in and out of multiple times a day. This is the spot where muddy shoes get flopped off. This is where our pet washing station is. This is where our laundry room lives. I know what you’re thinking: That’s a lot of stuff happening in one place. 

It sure is! The only way this becomes manageable is through thoughtful and organized use of our space, which brings me to my first DIY Home project: Organize your mudroom.

Organizing your entryway and mudroom space can feel so daunting. One of the top areas that become a disarray or there is never enough of is storage space. The key is to find ways to create ample storage space, while still enjoying the aesthetics of the room.

I have found that I need to limit the amount of space that can be sat on or that stuff can be set on. During our busy schedule, it becomes so easy to set things down, with the best of intentions to come back later and put it away. Before you know it, you walk into that space with piles of clothing and misplaced items wherever there is a flat surface. If that sounds familiar, then eliminating as many flat surfaces as possible is essential.

Once you eliminate the excess spots that tend to accumulate your belongings, it’s time to replace them with useful ways to stay organized. 

It doesn’t need to require a lot of money to keep things in their place. You just need a system that works for you. If you have a closet or another place for off-season storage, keep the items that are not used on a daily or weekly basis there. Pair down to only the jackets and shoes that are used every day. 

It’s amazing how doing that one step can greatly eliminate the amount of clutter in your space. Every so often I have all the kids come to the mudroom to retrieve the extra sweatshirts and shoes they have left that aren’t being used. 

Get the whole family involved in prioritizing what stays and what goes.  Once you’ve achieved this step, you will have a better idea of how much hanging space you will need. Determine whether you can get away with hooks, or whether you will need space for hangers.

The next step is to pair down all those items that can’t be stored on hooks. This tends to be the bulk of items that pile up in a multipurpose room. This is another great opportunity to get the whole family involved.  Keep the everyday gloves and hats where they are easily accessible, and store the less often used items in places that can be concealed. If you need to have a seating area, this is a great opportunity for a dual-use option, such as a bench with storage space.

Creating a wall of storage is a brilliant idea for minimizing the chaos while maximizing the space.

This can be as easy as creating a shelving unit with a wood board for shelving, with wall hooks underneath for your everyday jackets. Below that could be a storage bench for seating and concealed storage space. If you already have a bench that is open, you could use milk crates or other containers to store shoes underneath for quick yet contained access.

We are actually tackling our mudroom as I type this up. We just recently filled the wall with some gorgeous black cabinets. I added some flair to the space by creating a wood installation that replicates my work as a full-time wood artist. There will be a bench for seating and storage at the bottom of the wall and the cabinets have so much space, perfect for both long-term storage and hiding the daily clutter of kids coming in and out.

I love combining my artwork with DIY projects around the house. Let me know if you would like a full tutorial on how I made this accent wall.

Having a well run, organized mudroom adds value to your home for two reasons. 

It both makes life easier on a daily basis and looks good visually when it comes to putting your house on the market. It makes such a difference when that first impression space is user-friendly and organized.

Pairing down and having a place for everything to live makes it much easier to maintain. And when you have a rushed day and things become out of place, the best part is that it is quick to put things back in their place.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The next living space that I find is the main gathering area of our home is the living room. 

This often becomes another catch-all space where several activities are going on at once. 

For many of us, it is the entertainment room where kids settle in after a long day of school. It may also act as a home office. With many homes having open floor plans, this space often blends into the dining room as well, and perhaps even the kitchen. 

Let’s face it- this space is the heart of our home. This is the area that identifies with our family as a whole and sets the stage for the flow of our style and home decor. When choosing a space that can add value to your home, this is a huge one. 

As such, the living room is my next easy DIY home project to tackle.

Because our main living room space has to juggle so many tasks, this is another place in our home that requires the intentional use of organization. 

It also has the dual job of being a place that we truly enjoy, and that fills us up to face the next busy day.  If you’re not working with a whole lot of real estate, balancing function and style can feel like an intimidating task.

There are simple steps you can take to get on top of the chaos, and ways to freshen up your living room and multi purpose area. 

Starting with the nitty gritty business of organization is the best place to begin. 

Clear off those bookshelves and go through the same pairing down process you did in the mudroom. Take a look at all those books and decide which ones should stay and which ones need to get passed on. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve picked up a book and then let it collect dust over the years, never feeling inspired enough to pull it off the shelf and actually read it. These are the ones you pass on. 

Or pop your name in them and start a book-share with your friends. They may make their way back to you at just the right time.

If you’re anything like me, then you probably have those problem areas that tend to collect the miscellaneous items of your life. Maybe you can blame some of it on your kids, but nevertheless need a solution to the problem. 

I have this focal point in my home where I like to purposefully place things that spark joy in my life, like beautiful rocks from the beach, hand carved items, a favorite picture, etc. It is not where the tv remote or video game controller is supposed to live, yet I find items like these there almost daily, crashing the zen I’ve tried to create for myself. I’ve learned that this is probably not likely to change anytime soon, so my best bet is to have a 3 second solution to solve the problem. 

Enter an earthy basket to the rescue!

Baskets are awesome! They can conceal the miscellaneous mess with style, and add another element of texture to your visual space. They are a great element to emphasize your decor style, while quickly concealing the mess. Your kids will quickly discover where to look for their belongings and might even start utilizing that spot to begin with.

As much as we all love the open feel of today’s modern style, sometimes having the ability to completely hide things is the best option, especially when it comes to the uncontrollable clutter that we feel we need quick access to. 

This is when the use of bookcase doors can be our saving grace. Maybe it’s time to invest in a new enclosed cabinet for your space.  Or, if you are handy with tools, it’s quite doable to add doors to your existing boxed shelving. You can get creative with the materials you use, such as recycling pallet boards. Your local hardware store will usually sell wooden board sheets sized for craft projects, making it easier to trim down to the correct size.

I love what Lisa over at Shine Your Light Blog did with her built in bookshelves. By adding doors to the bottom shelves she was able to hide some of the clutter that can’t be displayed as cutely as many of us would like. Check out how she went about it here.

After you’ve done a rehaul on the utilitarian aspects of your space, reward yourself with some fresh decor to inspire and breathe new life into your room. It’s amazing what some new pillows and a cozy throw can do to revive a room that’s lost its luster. 

If you’re handy with sewing, you can pick up some fabric that you like and sew some simple slipcovers for your existing pillows. 

If you want to really make a change, consider switching out your wall art.  Wall art is another great way to add dimension and texture to your space.  Consider including multiple items that can complement each other. This can be combinations of updated photographs, canvas prints, a woven wall hanging, wood art, hanging planters, and more. Try different arrangements until you find a combination that you love.

Before you jump to these simple DIY home decor projects, take a moment to consider whether or not your space would benefit from some deeper home improvement projects.

My third project to add value to your home would be general maintenance and updating of your most trafficked living spaces. Look around you and take note of what might be the most impactful changes you can make, that align with your budget and ability.

I have a few ideas for you that are both accessible and reasonable for the DIY enthusiast.

A fresh coat of paint can do wonders for any space. Changing up or freshening up your walls and even ceilings can make your home feel brand new. There are so many beautiful acrylic latex paint options that are made for easy application and beautiful saturation of color. 

After you grab yourself that much deserved latte, head over to your local paint department and pick up a few swatches to take into your space. If you fall in love with a color, most paint departments offer reasonable sample sizes to try out. 

If you’re geared for the neutral pallet, grab several to compare. There are so many white paint options, and each one has its subtle nuances. It’s important to make sure you love the color in your space, as it will render itself differently with your personal lighting.

Here are a few of my favorite colors from Benjamin Moore this year.

Look down. How are those floors faring? 

If you have wood floors, maybe it’s time to give them a good clean and polish. It might also be time to clean the floor rug, or replace it altogether, which is another great way to transform your space.

Look up. Are you still running that ceiling fan from a couple decades ago?

Ceiling fans and light fixtures are another great way to update your space while adding value to your home. You might even find a huge improvement in the ambiance of the room with updated lighting. And the air might just feel a little more circulated as well. Lighting and fans have come a long way, and you might just see an improvement in your utility bill.

You can make a statement with your ceiling fan or go simple. I am loving the look of these modern fans.

Does your space still feel dark and heavy with that old brick fireplace? 

I know it can feel risky, but consider painting it. A fresh coat of paint on an old fireplace can completely transform the look of your room. This update, though reasonable to accomplish, can add a lot of value to your home in the presentation of the space.

Carrie over at Lovely Etc. has a great blog all about the right way to go about painting a brick fireplace.

If you could only pick a couple things to add value to the curb appeal of your home, it would be your front door and light fixture. Even if you are not able to replace the door, a fresh coat of paint will give you a whole new look. Your local hardware store will have several application options for you to choose from. It can be as easy as purchasing a can of spray paint designed for this purpose.

Alright! Now that you’ve been given some ideas, hopefully, you feel a little more inspired to take the plunge and start refreshing your space. 

You can do this! Take it step by step, and reward yourself along the way!

Start small, and each little transformation will inspire you to take on the next project. And most importantly, have fun and make it feel like home!

Keep up with all of my latest home projects by following along on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.