3 Expert Tips For Nailing Long Weekend Renovations and DIY Projects

For DIY enthusiasts and active relaxers, the upcoming Easter long weekend is an ideal time to tackle small to mid-sized renovation projects that will add value to the home, such as replacing flooring and updating soft furnishings, among the most common and time-efficient projects.

As many people prepare to turn their attention to their homes this public holiday, expert renovator and host of The Block, Shelley Craft, shares her top tips for a successful renovation project as well as Easter long weekend renovation ideas.

We all come up with fabulous ideas when our brains have a chance to switch off and a lot of people tend to find they feel particularly creative after the Christmas break. The post-Christmas months still tend to be very busy though, whereas Easter provides a welcome and calmer block of time to actually get those creative solutions in motion.

How to Prepare

• Don’t be too ambitious – Unless you’re planning on recruiting a gang of friends and families to help you out, set realistic targets.
• Have a clear plan – Pre-order everything you possibly can to arrive before you want to actually start work so you don’t waste time traveling to pick up supplies.
• Lock in your  tradesperson – If you’re planning a project that isn’t necessarily DIY, start speaking to tradesperson now to find out their availability, as it can be a busy time of year.

What to Renovate

I’d suggest you’re best to try and tackle areas that can be easily blocked off if you have visitors over the break. Bedrooms or home offices can be a good place to start. 

Leave the main rooms and entertainment areas for another time, as they’re likely to be used even more than usual over the four days. Installing new flooring is an ideal project to undertake over a long weekend.

There are so many options out there nowadays that simply click together without any need for glue or nails, so there’s very little upheaval involved. Some can even be laid right over the top of your existing flooring, meaning you’re able to dramatically change the look and feel of your room and still have time to enjoy relaxing over the weekend.

Also, you could try freshening up specific rooms of the home with a new coat of paint. With the ample amount of time you’ll have over the long weekend, you’ll be able to let each coat dry fully.

Update Your Decor Too

Instead of a large-scale renovation, you could also try smaller revamps of specific places, like creating your very own study nook with some floating shelves and benches in an unused corner of your home. If you aren’t keen on picking up the tools, the long weekend is also a perfect opportunity to refresh your home decor or tackle a fun DIY project.

Easter is always when the change in seasons becomes most apparent, so make the most of your time and start tucking away your winter decor, while also unfurling your homewares for the warmer months.

Get Everyone Involved

Tackling a renovation together can actually be a great way to spend quality time as a family. Perhaps plan to decorate the grandkids’ rooms, so they can feel part of the action and act as your assistant, handing you tools and using the dust pan and brush. Or, if you’d prefer to get a little messy, the long weekend is the perfect opportunity to get down and dirty in the garden, so why not try growing your own vegetable garden? Growing your own produce is a great way to get the kids involved, while also inspiring them to be more active in the garden.

This article originally appeared on our sister site, Woman’s World.