From House to Home: Easy DIY Family Projects

Having and creating a welcoming home environment that is completely yours can be both fulfilling and fun when the whole family gets involved. Unless you’re like me and prefer aesthetics a certain way. All jokes aside, this is truly my favorite part about re-doing our home.

DIY home décor projects offer a creative outlet and the opportunity to work together. These projects build a cohesive aesthetic for your home and strengthen family bonds.

From designing a family command center to adding a personal touch to each family member's bedroom, the possibilities are truly endless. The best is when we see our oldest light up with his room being 100% tailored to him and his personalities.

What's more is that DIY projects can be pivoted to fit any budget, making beautiful home décor accessible to everyone. All you need is a little bit of time and patience. Check out our post about planning your months!

One of the key aspects in being successful with our DIY home décor was…planning! I am a jumbled mess when on the fly, so planning out what we are going to work on has been key for us.

Tip: Selecting projects that align with everyone's interests can definitely help keep the kids excited and invested in the process.

Scheduling time for these projects can turn them into treasured family rituals, providing regular opportunities for collaboration and learning new skills.

Whether it's crafting seasonal decorations or organizing the living space to make it more functional and inviting, these projects allow families to leave a unique stamp on their home.

Planning Your DIY Home Décor Projects

DIY home décor projects are rewarding and cost effective, but remember - they always end up costing a little more or taking more time then you originally plan for.

First Things First: Setting a Budget

In the beginning, we usually tally up the materials and tools we’ll need, considering the scope and scale of our projects.

For our numbers and visual people, here is a simple table to organize your budget:

Laying out the costs helps me stay on track and avoid overspending. Try not to guess here either - getting a realistic idea before you start can save a lot of headache!

Choosing a Theme

Aesthetic, aesthetic, aesthetic! We definitely want the theme to flow with our family's style and definitely think function of the space.

For example, for a reading nook for me(Taylor)! I prefer a cozy, literary vibe with soft lighting and warm colors. Think retro/vintage/boho aesthetics. Our goal is for it to look as good as possible but also allow us to enjoy the space more than we did before. Some rooms and projects can be bold and still tie into other muted, shared spaces. So don’t be shy from fun projects like these!

When the theme aligns with your tastes, every project becomes a building block toward that final goal of how you want your home to look. We look for pops and attention pieces/places, but want a unified style throughout the home.

Involving the Family

Kids can be kids but we try to find ways to involve our family in every DIY project. Whether it's picking paint colors or crafting wall decor, their input is always important to us but we definitely always make the final decision or else we would end up with Baby Shark chairs in our living room.

After some frustration and a few “are we done yet?”, it makes the end result more special- knowing we created something together as a family.

Creating a Work Schedule

When we take on DIY home décor projects, we've found that creating a structured schedule helps keep us on track, but also sets a realistic time when you are working on the project. This might be the hardest part. That quick 20 minute task always turns into an hour.

We begin by getting all the tasks involved in our DIY project together. Then, allocate specific tasks to different days, considering time, other commitments or if we know we will just be too tired to tackle.

Again, we have different approaches to tasks as such. My wife is the kind to just buy and go, while my approach involves using a chart, with tasks clearly listed out:

• Monday: Select paint colors and purchase supplies.

• Tuesday: Prep the walls for painting.

• Wednesday: Begin first coat of paint.

• Thursday: Apply second coat and clean brushes.

• Friday: Touch-ups and reassemble the room.

We like to break up a simpler task like painting a room over several days. It’s easy to say we’ll knock it out in a day, but with kids and a busy family is that actually possible? For us, not really. So kudos to you if you do!

The key: a realistic timeline for completion, giving us a deadline but also enough wiggle room in case something unexpected comes up.

Tip: Remain flexible. DIY projects often have surprises in store. However, with a clear work schedule, we can stay somewhat on track. Often in our projects, we have to push things back - it’s always about finding balance, but still getting what we want done, done.

Decorating Shared Spaces

When we think about creating family space its all about functionality and coziness. We want spaces that invite us to spend time together.

Living Room

Furniture Placement: we start by considering the furniture layout. It's not just about aesthetics, but comfort and being able to utilize the space.

• Multi-functional Furniture: Consider pieces that serve dual purposes. For instance, an ottoman with storage can hide away kids’ toys, while providing extra seating for guests. We found some great ideas for family-friendly spaces that offer both style and substance.

In Kitchen

Durable Materials: My kitchen countertops are all about resilience.

I opted for quartz over marble, and let me tell you, it's a game-changer. It resists stains, scratches, and is easy to clean – perfect for when we're all cooking together.

• Open Shelves vs. Cabinets: We’re a fan of open shelving. We love the look- so versatile no matter the esthetic you’d like to achieve.

• It keeps everyday items within reach and allows us to display colorful and unique dinnerware, which adds a decorative element.

Personalizing Bedrooms

My wife places importance on creating bedrooms that reflect each of our personality and needs. This is absolutely possible in studio apartments and for kids who share rooms!

Children's Rooms

When we were designing daughter’s room, we aimed to make it a vibrant and practical space. And definitely one she could grow into.

We focus on interactive elements like a chalkboard walls that allow kids to express their creativity, or a simple, thematic DIY tent that can be a fort by day and a reading nook by night.

We found that providing ample storage was a necessity. You could do this with baskets and shelves to keep everything tidy with all their toys and books.

Parents' Bedroom

In our bedroom, which is my wife’s sanctuary, we opted for a modern and more simple setup.

Incorporating our DIY two-toned nightstands added an understated masculine vibe, then paired with plants and vinyl records on the wall for a personal touch.

We like to engage in crafting unique pieces of décor, such as framed photos we took, adding a sense of history and meaning to our space- even if we co-sleep with the younger ones at some point.

DIY Décor Techniques

From adding some paint to give old furniture a new lease on life, these methods and ideas are definitely save worthy.

Painting, Stenciling, and Wall Paper

Painting is a simple and cost-effective way to freshen up a room.

We recommend using a satin or semi-gloss finish for walls since they are easier to clean and more durable than flat finishes. We used an eggshell finish throughout our first home and had zero qualms with it.

When it comes to stenciling, you can create intricate designs without the need for advanced artistic skills.

Tip: Try using adhesive stencils since they prevent paint from bleeding under the edges. Always remove the stencil before the paint dries completely to avoid peeling.

Up-cycling Furniture

Up-cycling furniture is not only eco-friendly but it also gives us a chance to customize pieces to match our home's décor and bring a unique, vintage touch that not everyone would have anymore.

We start by getting solid wood furniture from thrift stores or garage sales. Sand the piece lightly for a clean surface for painting or staining. For a modern twist, using chalk paint can give a smooth matte finish that doesn't require priming. Can’t find your paint color in chalkboard paint? A fun DIY hack is to add baking soda!

Another small thing you can do but will make a huge difference, is replacing hardware such as knobs and handles, and even light switch covers!

Remember, a little effort can go a long way in up-cycling. Try selling or giving away your old stuff in hopes someone else can do the same thing!

Organizational DIYs

Storage Solutions

Our kitchen used to be a cluttered space (and at times still is on lazier days), but we've transformed it using a handy organizer for under your sink on Amazon. Now, every item has its place which makes it easier to find things and keep the counters clear.

• Kitchen:

  • Under sink organizer for cleaning supplies

  • Hooks for hanging lids inside cabinets

  • Spice rack to organize spices neatly

• Living Room:

  • Floating shelves for books and décor

  • Rope baskets for miscellaneous items

For the living room, we've utilized floating shelves for books, framed photos and decorations - not only does this give a lot of style, but super easy to clean and organize. The addition of no-sew rope baskets makes organizing blankets or toys so simple.

Labeling Systems

This is a no-brainer and we’re sure about 90% of us do this but we utilize a simple yet effective labeling system throughout the home. For instance, in our storage areas, each box is marked with a tag noting its contents. This tip doesn't just save time when searching for things, but it also keeps our home looking organized.

• Storage Area:

  • Tags on boxes

  • Color coding for quick identification

• Pantry:

  • Labeled reusable produce bags for staples

  • Chalkboard labels for jars and containers

For the pantry, we use baskets that we can see through and loop all similar items together. Plus, chalkboard labels for jars mean I can always know what's inside without guesswork. Remember, the key to a good labeling system is consistency—keeping a uniform look makes it easy on the eyes as well as practical.

You can use chalkboard labels or an actual label maker, super affordable on Amazon!

Seasonal Decorations

Decorating our home is always an event. All major holidays, the new decoration comes out! We find that these decorations not only add to the festive spirit but also create memories for my family. Our kids love our Spooky Town and lawn blow ups for Halloween and don’t even get us started on the 8 storage totes of Christmas decorations…

Changing Décor with Seasons

As the seasons change, we enjoy refreshing the look of our home to match. In spring, floral arrangements and pastel colors come out. I love creating DIY floral foam wreaths with a lot of great colors to give any space a little refresh. When fall arrives, we bring in warm, earthy tones with handcrafted garlands featuring fall leaves and pumpkins. Each season presents an opportunity for us to get creative with our décor and talk about which ones are our favorites and how we forgot we had them- it’s the best.

We don’t need to do it all in one year, but adding piece by piece we eventually get to where we want to be!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some simple DIY projects for home décor that the whole family can enjoy?

Creating hand-painted coasters can be a fun activity for everyone. Choosing vibrant paints or designing with markers allows each family member to express their creativity.

How can I make my living room look better with DIY décor?

Updating your living room can be as simple as adding throw pillows, repainting or arranging a selection of family photos in unique, hand-decorated frames. We don’t always need to go big.

What are some budget-friendly DIY decorating ideas for walls?

One idea is to create a gallery wall with homemade art or prints that all follow a similar color scheme or theme. We love the black and white photos on the wall to stand out.

How can I start decorating my house from scratch in an affordable way?

We recommend beginning with one room and focusing on painting, adding curtains, and thrifting for unique furniture pieces. You can upcycle these pieces with your own personal touch. The goal is to start small with a plan.