5 must-read DIY guides for your home

We’ve featured a number of DIY guides that covered everything from preparing your home for the market, to spending Valentine's Day at home, to crafting holiday wreaths, to family-proofing countertops, to decorating your winter balcony, to prepping the home for winter. Whether fresh decor or easy home improvement was the goal, we had you covered.

Now that the new year approaches, some of us might be getting ready to make a few changes in the home. For those of you getting the itch to redecorate, rearrange, or revamp your living space, we’ve rounded up the top five DIY guides that will help you turn your house into a healthy and happy home.

1) How to make environmentally-friendly cleaning products

Before you start moving around furniture, painting rooms, or redecorating, it’s best to give your living space a good scrub. Avoid cleaning your home with harsh chemicals and petroleum-based products. These eco-friendly cleaning recipes are fast, safe for pets and kids, and effective at removing dirt and scum.

The guide walks you through several all-natural recipes and solutions for all-purpose cleaners, glass and mirror sprays, floor cleaners, polishes, laundry soap, stain removal, and dishwashing soap. There’s also a quick guide to upcycling bottles and jars to store your new concoctions so you can have eco-friendly cleaners on-hand throughout the year.

2) How to get organized

Once you’ve cleaned the home, it’s time to get rid of that extra clutter. If you have a family, the kitchen can quickly become one of the messiest spaces in the home (and even if you live by yourself). This guide breaks down the massive task of organizing the kitchen into three easy steps so you can create a space where you’ll want to cook and entertain. We’ve also included a few “kitchen hacks” to help you keep your kitchen running efficiently.

Though the guide is specifically for the kitchen, you can apply the three basic steps (declutter, organize, and keep it efficient) to any room in your home.

3) How to harmonize the home with Feng Shui

Though Feng Shui is often mistaken for a form of mysticism, it is actually a response to a number of biological and psychological processes that dictate the way we interact with our environment. This ancient Asian art of placement is a holistic approach to improving the flow of energy in a space and maximizing the positive potential in your life.

This guide serves as a quick introduction to Feng Shui so you can begin thinking about how the arrangement of furniture in your home dictates your mood and mental state. Learn how decluttering can clear your mind, colour can improve your mood, and furniture placement can relax your body.

via apartmenttherapy.com

4) How to avoid DIY disasters

Sometimes knowing what not to do is almost as valuable as knowing what to do. There are a ton of design blogs out there offering tips and tricks to help you redecorate your home. But what happens when a project doesn’t go as planned? How do you prepare for a DIY disaster?

This guide walks you through some poor paint colours, unsettling patterns, and strange decor decisions so you know what works and what doesn’t when it comes to DIY home projects. Ideally this guide will help you navigate through all of the qualified and not-so-qualified advice floating around the web.

Green is the colour of balance

5) How to choose the right colour scheme

Standing in the paint aisle in front of thousands of colours can be a little overwhelming. It’s almost impossible to choose a colour, let alone a specific shade, when confronted with so many options. How do you narrow down the field and make a decision? How do you know what colour scheme will work with the atmosphere you’re trying to create?

Our guide to choosing the right colour scheme aims to help you find a colour that suits your personality, current decor choices, and headspace. Browse through the images and tips for inspiration and find a style that works for your home.

Now that you’ve learned how to cook up some eco-friendly cleaners, organize the home, thoughtfully arrange furniture, find the right paint colour, and avoid DIY disasters, you’re ready for the New Year!