Here are 16 small DIY home projects to consider this winter. We’re all busy with life, but if you can carve out a couple of hours each weekend to tackle a few projects, your house will thank you. Plus, you’ll feel great about accomplishing updates in the next month or two. On Monday, I shared our major 2021 DIY home improvement goals, but today’s roundup is an ongoing checklist that anyone can tackle. If you have more ideas after reading this, please drop a comment below!

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Small DIY Home Projects to Keep Things Running Smoothly

1 – Organize your charging station and streamline your cords. If you have multiple tablets, phones, and other devices to charge regularly, the cord situation can quickly get out of hand. We used to plug everything into a power strip, but I finally got around to organizing that hot mess and bought this charging station. It’s decent for the price; I’d give it 3.5 out of 5 stars overall, but I wish it was a tad bigger.

2 – Check the batteries in your smoke alarms and CO detectors. Ours are hard-wired in, but either way, you should check to make sure they are working.

3 – Change your furnace filter, if you haven’t in the past month or two. This is critical to help your furnace run more efficiently. Someone wrote the size of our filter right on the furnace cover panel, which was pretty helpful when we moved in. If you’re trying to figure it out, look at the existing filter and or even take it with you to the store in order to buy the right size.

4 – Update your light bulbs with energy-efficient LED bulbs. Your electric bill and the environment will thank you. I’m dying to try these LED light bulbs that change color temperature via Bluetooth! How cool is that?

Kitchen Chores to Tackle This Month

5 – Organize your spices so cooking runs smoothly. I used to keep spices in a box, because I’m lazy and didn’t want to unpack after multiple moves. Eventually, it drove me nuts to pick through the bottles in search of specific spices. If you have cabinet space, a lazy susan like this one is a great way to organize spices. If you prefer drawers, I recommend these affordable trays from IKEA. There are plenty of options for drawer organizers on Amazon and Etsy, but the IKEA trays are the best deal I found.

6 – Descale your coffee maker with a vinegar solution (defer to your product manual, in case this is not recommended!). If you’re comfortable with an off-brand method, this vinegar wash does the trick with my Keurig. First, remove all coffee grounds. If your reservoir is removable, wash it to remove the scale inside. Then fill the reservoir with 50% white vinegar and 50% water; brew + dump cups of the solution until you get the refill warning. Rinse the reservoir and repeat brewing with a tank full of clean water. You might want to check to make sure that the vinegar taste has been washed away by the last cycle of water. Unless you like tangy coffee.

7 – Wipe down your cabinets. You can use a vinegar/water mix to scrub off greasy residue or just warm water and rags. Here are more ideas for natural and DIY cleaners to try around the house. While you’re at it, tighten any lose screws on door knobs and pulls.

Super Simple Small DIY Updates

Here are ideas for easy, small DIY home projects to update and organize your home.

8 – If you have dated light switches and outlets, you can just change the cover plates for a fresh look. (If you’re handy enough to tackle changing switches and outlets, go for it!) Basic cover plates are about $1 each or buy a bulk pack for less.

9 – Block your drafty doors with an attachable draft stopper or weighted fabric tube. Make your own by sewing a tube and filling it with rice or dried beans. Or just buy one here.

10 – Organize your cleaning tools. This is not the greatest photo but it’s real; here is where our broom and dustpans live in our laundry space, next to the kitchen. I swear by Command hooks for easily hanging anything on walls without holes or damage. (I like the velcro strips better than regular adhesive strips.) This broom and mop gripper is awesome, by the way!

11 – Try to fix a sticking door. I say “try” because sometimes this is easy, but not always. Start by using a drill to screw the hinges more tightly to the frame and door. Sometimes this will allow more clearance and solve the problem. Here are more ideas if tightening the screws doesn’t do the trick.

12 – If you have old, stained grout lines in a bathroom or elsewhere, did you know you can paint them? Once they’ve been cleaned to remove any dirt and grime, paint over the grout carefully with a toothbrush and a product like this. You’ll be amazed at how fresh grout lines brighten the entire look of your space.

Small DIY Projects for Handy Homeowners

You’ll need a few tools for these small DIY home projects, but they are still relatively easy.

13 – Switch out old registers and grates for new ones. We have these baseboard registers, and they are fairly simple to replace. Pull off the front plate, unscrew the frame, and attach the replacement in reverse order. The front snaps back onto the frame. Floor registers are even easier to swap out.

14 – Install a video doorbell if you’re concerned about front door security. Get directions on installing a Ring doorbell here. We recently replaced our doorbell when we installed the new front door, but I opted for this simple black bell over one with a camera. Either way, it’s a nice upgrade if your doorbell is dated.

> Tips to Install and Stain a New Front Door <

15 – Update your window blinds. We have light-filtering wood shades (similar in golden poppy) in our kitchen and dining area, which provide a little privacy without blocking the light. Also, I like the visual texture. I measured carefully before ordering and then just screwed the blind frame into the header above the window. They were pretty easy for me to install.

We also have these cordless blackout shades in our bedrooms, because my husband is a vampire. Kidding! The best part of these shades is the upgrade to open the shade from the top, if you want privacy but also daylight in the room.

16 – Change out your door hardware for a more modern look. I love these black door levers that we installed in our current house, and I bought a front door entry handleset to match. Here are simple directions to replace a doorknob.

> 12 Modern Black Door Hardware Ideas <

What is on Your DIY Home Project List This Winter?

Please share any additional ideas below! I would love to hear from you, and I can add to this list as more ideas come in. Good luck with your projects and home improvement as 2021 gets started.

More DIY Inspo From List in Progress

1 – 8 Upcycled DIY Craft Projects to Try
2 – Favorite Behr White Paint Colors
3 – Our New White Smart Thermostat
4 – How to Apply Gold Leaf to Glass Decor

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