Productive Home Projects When the Weather Is Bad

Summer is almost in full-swing, which means you have weeks and weeks of gorgeous blue skies and warm weather to look forward to. The next few months will be filled with outdoor projects, like painting your home, planting your garden, and preparing for dozens of backyard parties. However, not every day of the spring and summer months is filled with sunshine. In fact, many places around the world think of summer as an exceedingly wet time of year, much better for sulking indoors than outdoor play. Fortunately, whether you endure a season of rain or merely the occasional cloudy day, there are plenty of inside projects to improve your home.

Organize Storage Spaces | Your house might look spotless – but you know the truth. All the mess that would be cluttering your end tables and kitchen counters has been shoved into drawers, closets, and cupboards. Your storage spaces are in shambles, and you should take this rainy day to sort them out. You should have a few goals for each storage space you tackle. First and foremost, you should get rid of anything you don’t use, need, or want. Next, you should strive to store your belongings in ways that make finding and using items exceedingly easy. Finally, you should try to create a system that will keep you organized for years to come.

Cupboards and Drawers | Cupboards and drawers offer on-hand storage where you need it. Unfortunately, that means they quickly become jumbled messes, so your third organization goal is particularly important here. The best plan of action is to take advantage of organization tools, like drawer dividers, hangers, and labels. You should also spend an hour or so teaching the rest of your household how to properly put things away, unless you like reorganizing your small storage spaces every month.

Closets | If you aren’t diligent with your wardrobe replacement, your closet is probably packed full of clothes and accoutrements. Yet, the likelihood of you wearing everything in your closet is low. If it doesn’t fit, isn’t in style, or hasn’t been worn in a year, it is time to get rid of it. Once you have less to contend with, you can use closet organizers, like shoe racks, hanging shelves, and more to make sense of your space.

Garage | Undoubtedly, your garage is your biggest and messiest storage space. However, it also tends to be a graveyard for unwanted junk, which means that if you are diligent, you might be able to power through this project in a day or less. Large items, like old cars and boats, can go to charities , which typically process and remove your junk faster than typical buyers do. Once your first goal is accomplished, you should be sure to label any storage boxes and hang garage organizers, like pegboard or shelving, to keep the space clean and clear.

Minimize Décor | For years, the in-vogue decorating style has been “less is more.” Using the same strategies you employed in clearing and cleaning your storage spaces, you can create arranged and appealing living spaces. Typically, all you need to do for this project is cut down on your decorations – though this is often easier said than done.

Furniture | You might have too many couches and tables packed into a too-small space, or what few pieces you do have might be garishly mismatched. You should either choose a focal piece to design around (replacing or eliminating the furniture that doesn’t fit), or get rid of it all and buy an entirely new, chic set.

Wall Décor | Covering your walls with too much stuff is distracting – but so too is an utter lack of decoration. You must create balance by properly utilizing negative space. On your rainy day in, you should take a look at your walls and reassess where paintings, pictures, and other hangings are placed. Wall decoration is an art and a science , but with a day dedicated to the task, you should be able to find a beautiful balance.

Knick-knacks | Similarly, it is easy to get overzealous with table decorations. It is human nature to display trinkets and trophies, but too much decoration can hamper use of horizontal surfaces and make spaces look cluttered. Each table or shelf should be limited to one knick-knack; the rest of the space should be clear and available for use.

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