Does your home need a makeover, but you don’t want to shell out tons of cash for a professional remodeling service? Then break out your tool kit and get started on a DIY home project that will both increase your family’s enjoyment of that recreational area, but also add value to your home. Even if you don’t really need to spruce up your home, a DIY project is a fun and satisfying way to pass the time and perhaps even teach your children some valuable labor skills.

Not sure what kind of project to get started on? Here are 5 ideas for you.

1.      Restore Antique Furniture

“They don’t quite make ‘em like that anymore.” No furniture is quite as dazzling as antique furniture. Place an old writing desk, bookshelf, table, or chair in your home as either a functional piece of furniture or a decorative piece. Most high-quality antiques in mint condition are going to cost you quite a bit of money. But you can always buy a shabbier antique for a much better price and fix it up at home.

You can fix up an antique with only the most basic house tools. Use screws, nails, or paste to reattach or tighten any parts of the antique that have loosened or have broken off. Assuming you’ve bought a wooden antique, there’s a chance that the wood may be scratched or that it has lost its varnish and feels rough. Unfortunately, there’s not a whole lot you can do to repair wood. If there are only minor scratches, you can fill them in with wood filler. Otherwise, you might achieve a nicer aesthetic by just repainting the antique—and this can be a really great way to tie-in the furniture with your existing décor. Cap off your restoration by adding a few coats of varnish to your furniture piece so it’ll be glossy, smooth, and well-protected from minor bumps and scrapes.

If you’re restoring a chair or sofa, you might need to have the cushions reupholstered. This is undoubtedly the costliest kind of restorative work, so you might opt to buy your own upholstery fabric and do the upholstering yourself. There are lots of online tutorials that will walk you through the process.

2.      Resurface Things

There are lots of things in your home that could benefit from resurfacing: floors, countertops, tables, and more. However, if your pool deck's concrete is starting to look tired and shows signs of wear and tear, then you may consider a pool deck renovation, just ensure you consult with a professional beforehand. Resurfacing is a great way to give your home a smoother and more comfortable feel and to give your surfaces better protection from damage.

Epoxy resin is arguably the best material for doing indoor resurfacing. Just sand down whatever you want to resurface, mix the epoxy resin in a bucket, and pour or brush the epoxy resin onto your surface. Make sure to cover up your floors or nearby furniture with a tarp so that the epoxy resin won’t get all over the place.

If you’re going to be doing resurfacing for outdoor materials—like a deck or patio table—you might want to avoid using epoxy resin because epoxy resin turns yellow after constant exposure to the sun. Use casting resin instead, which is more suitable for the outdoors.

3.      Give Your Yard a Makeover

There are so many ways you can give your yard a makeover, and that’s why it’s a fun home project. First, start out with your lawn (or lack thereof). If you want to grow the best green grass in the neighborhood, use a core aerator to punch holes in the soil, then apply fertilizer, and then water your grass every day to watch it grow.

The tough part about maintaining a lawn, however, is that mowing can be time-consuming and watering is expensive. Think about installing an artificial lawn—but if you don’t like the texture, install desert landscaping, instead. Buy sand, dirt, desert shrubs, and decorative boulders from your local home and garden department store, and create a lovely desert-inspired yard that’s equipped with shady umbrellas and patio furniture.

Some other ways you can revamp your yard include:

●        Sanding your deck and refinishing it

●        Building a play structure for your kids

●        Reflooring your patio with smooth stone or tile

●        Planting a garden and growing fruits and vegetables (who says that the man of the house can’t do some gardening?)

Hopefully, these 3 ideas will jog your creativity. Whatever project you choose to do, don’t forget to have fun with it!