4 popular DIY home projects you can do in a day or less

While there are some projects around the house better suited for the pros (looking squarely at you, hardwood floors and indoor fireplaces), some can actually be great DIYs. With no expert needed, you can make the project exactly what you want with just a little time, patience, and elbow grease.

We took a look at the professional cost of a few home projects and decided that where there’s a will there’s a DIY way. While you'll likely need some tools on hand, like a cordless drill or wood cutting saw, your handiwork will save you tons of money and make the space exactly what you want.

Here are four DIY home projects that can vamp up your living space.

1. Build a headboard

Professional upholstering of a headboard hovers around $1,000 for a deep buttoned queen-sized headboard, so it’s no wonder so many people are searching for DIY tutorials. According to Living Cozy’s 2022 Do It Yourself Index, there have been 350,600 Google searches for ‘DIY headboard’ over the last 12 months, with results ranging from plywood boards to vintage screens and upcycled picture frames.

While having a headboard isn’t always necessary, it can tie together your bedroom décor and protect your walls. If you want to give your new mattress a beautiful bedfellow, you can easily transform your sleeping space by constructing a new headboard.

Cover your choice sized piece of wood purchased from a home improvement store in fabric or paint it for a truly customized look. To keep things even more casual, install a curtain rod on the wall, like these one-inch black curtain rods, a few feet above the bed and drape a nice complementary fabric (or go with gauze for a more romantic vibe) over it.

$17 at Amazon

2. Build a fire pit

A fire pit is an ultimate crowd-pleaser, but also a huge outdoor expense that can cost thousands.

Because they’re the perfect addition to your garden décor that offers warmth, light, and even a cooking alternative, you may want to consider building a fire pit as one of your next DIY home projects. Most DIY kits are ready-to-assemble, like the best fire pit we’ve tested, the Tiki Patio Fire Pit, and just require a little arm strength and some sand underneath the set up. Or, you can read up on how to build a fire pit from bricks in your backyard.

Check with your town or city on regulations for where and how to create a safe fire pit.

$359 at Amazon

3. Build shelves

Stylish shelves allow your items to become display pieces, rather than storing them in closed cabinets. But this comes at a price—having shelving professionally installed in your home can cost hundreds. Why not shelf the idea of spending all that money and instead do it yourself?

Simple shelves made from sheets of plywood can easily be created with a sanded painted/stained piece of wood (be sure to find ones that are level and don’t include knots or warping) and shelf brackets. Get funky by changing up the hardware, or putting a piece of removable wallpaper on the bottoms for an unexpected pop of color.

$23 at The Home Depot Shop at Home Depot

4. Hang wallpaper

Gone are the days of buckets of glue for hanging up wallpaper. If you still want to go with the glue-back versions, hiring a professional is advised, and it could cost you hundreds, even thousands, if you count the cost of the rolls.

Alternatively, there are now peel and stick wallpaper options galore. These allow you to wallpaper a room much more easily than before, but the job still requires leveling, measuring, and matching patterns. And, if you're in an older home, chances are your walls aren't perfectly straight. We do recommend you proceed with this trick, because gorgeous wallpaper can really boost a room's vibe, just prepare to roll up your sleeves for a few hours work.

Most peel and stick wallpapers are even removable, which is perfect for renters. We personally like the quality and patterns from Rifle Paper, like the Garden Party print.

$65 at Rifle Paper Co.

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