Home Improvement: 3 Things to Remember Before You Tackle a DIY Room Makeover by Stephanie Mallory

Home DIY
5 years ago

Home Improvement: 3 Things to Remember Before You Tackle a DIY Room Makeover

I’ve wanted to paint and freshen our bedroom for about a year. It seemed simple enough: a new coat of paint and pull up the old carpet to let the wood floor show through. But what was a three-day project (at most!) in my head took my husband and me over a week. As we worked through the project, I gathered some insight I thought I would share for the weekend DIY warriors out there:

  • HGTV is a television station that airs shows, not real life. In an hour show, you rarely see the 10th run to the hardware store, the hunt for the hammer or the discussion if the rug should be vertical or horizontal. Make sure you have a realistic view of your project.
  • Things always take longer than you want them to. While I would just throw some Spackle at a crack, my husband wanted to fix it correctly so we wouldn’t have to do it again in three years. That took two trips to the home improvement store and 24 hours to dry the patches. Schedule enough time to get things done.
  • Have some wiggle room in your budget. Now that the trim is a nice bright white, the ivory window treatments need an update. And, my bedside lamps look a little outdated. Keep some cash aside for these types of fun updates.

We love our new warm gray room and cozy wood floor. I hope these tips will help you enjoy your next DIY project!

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Donna John
No truer words have been spoken. Great tips! Welcome to the tribe, Stephanie Mallory !
Stephanie Mallory
I didn't get to add the long discussion between my husband and I about taping vs not taping before painting! LOL
Elisa Schmitz
YES! Been there, done that. Sage words for newbie DIYers. Thank you for sharing your experience, Stephanie Mallory . So happy to have you with us at 30Seconds, and look forward to reading more from you!
Stephanie Mallory
Thank you for including me. I've got a summer recipe in the hopper....
Terri Kendrick
Welcome, fellow RVA copywriter! Love the part about the spackle. That definitely could've been a scene out of my own marriage. ;)
Ann Marie Patitucci
YES to all of this! So true about HGTV shows being SHOWS. :) Welcome, Stephanie Mallory !
Michael Kennedy
Nailed it...literally. We are heading in this weekend to flip our 8YO's room.
Thanks for the reminders!
Heaven help us...
Stephanie Mallory
good luck! I'm still putting our bedroom back together....
Dawn Taylor
I stripped wallpaper and painted with the help of my adult son and it was a great learning experience and I wold do it again but it took a month LOL I really did get a ton of great DIY tips on YouTube when we got stuck a few times. Definitely better than paying someone. And I found it oddly relaxing from my usual chaotic life.
WadeDowell
When it comes to renovating a room or home, one of the important thing people forget to think about is proper maintenance and repair of the heating and cooling system installed in the home. It is of extreme importance to consider these things as it always helps in making the inner environment of the home clean and comfortable. This can be done if you contact some of the expert contractors like commercial heating service NJ team for the proper maintenance of the system. Also, professionals can guide a person with their best suggestions and can make their home look more amazing than before.

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