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It is safe to say that 2020 was an unpredictable and challenging year, with COVID-19 causing restrictions worldwide that saw people spending more time at home with reduced access to the outdoors, shops, as well as family and friends. This being said, there has definitely been a positive effect from living a more simplistic lifestyle – there is a newfound appreciation for the basic day-to-day freedoms we have taken for granted most of the time. Having less choice of activities and less outlets available to buy from, more and more people are choosing to save money and challenge themselves by tackling DIY projects around the house. You may be surprised by the list of benefits DIY home improvement has to offer – physically, mentally, and financially.

 

1. Reduce stress

Having a project to focus on and watching it gradually come together from hard work and commitment can reduce stress levels and boost your mind. There is a sense of accomplishment that comes with progressing a project and eventually completing it, and it’s also an enjoyable journey which will do wonders for your mental health. Hands-on work with the freedom to truly make the project your own will make you feel good, with some saying it can even be meditative! DIY projects can reduce restlessness and boredom, especially beneficial in 2020, giving you a rewarding activity to pass the time at home.

 

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2. Teach yourself something new

Learning new skills can boost confidence and further improve your mood. You may even find that it becomes a new-found passion and your go-to activity at home, perhaps even sharing the skills you learn with others. These hands-on projects can help keep your brain engaged and focused on the task at hand, especially important during the current climate. 

 

3. Family time

Getting the family involved is a fun way to spend some quality time together communicating and teaching each other new skills. This should also speed the project along too, reducing stress levels and providing a better end result. You can also sit back and relax with your new DIY project displayed in your home as something the whole family can be proud of, with a great back story for visitors too.

 

4. Improve your activity 

Some projects may involve more manual labour than others, but DIY projects are definitely a great way to move your body when at home. Remember, DIY doesn’t just involve building, it could be something as simple as painting your skirting board or a wall. You would be surprised how much these projects can move those muscles!

 

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5. Save yourself time and money

During 2020, ongoing restrictions can mean some people are unable to have tradesmen working in their home. If you are unable to hire professionals, why not try and complete the project yourself and potentially save time and money? It may be difficult to arrange suitable times and dates if demand is high, so by doing the job yourself you can reduce waiting time and complete the project to suit your own schedule.

 

6. Add value to your home

Do you ever browse online and find some unique, one-of-a-kind pieces and wonder where they came from? Updating your interiors or building new bespoke furniture pieces can help you get creative whilst making some extra money. Home repairs and updates will not only add value to your home for future selling, but also save you money if these are practical changes, such as reducing heating bills by improving your current insulation. Alternatively, if your projects are smaller (like restoring some old furniture into something new and modern), you can then sell them online and make a profit. 

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7. Use your new skills day-to-day

If you have an office-based job or work in an industry that is unrelated to construction, you may wonder how learning practical, hands-on skills can be of any benefit. But DIY is not all about getting your hands dirty, it also involves some mental skills too that may go unnoticed. Through home improvement projects, you may develop a strong ability to time-manage, starting a task and seeing it through until the very end. You may also find that you are able to think on your feet during unexpected situations and have a new-found confidence when taking on new challenges, either alone or with help from others.


8. Make connections

Whether you are DIYing mostly for your own pleasure, or expanding out within your community, there is a great opportunity to meet new people and make connections. By venturing online and joining communities on social media, you can build friendships and meet like-minded people to share tips and tricks with to improve your DIY projects. Of course, it can also give you ideas to think outside the box and make your project even more creative!

 

Have you taken on a new DIY challenge this year? Was it a large-scale project or something simple to freshen up your space and keep you busy? No matter the project size, we hope you have reaped some of these benefits and more. If you are updating your skirting board, you can take a look at our SAM Zero fully finished MDF mouldings for a quick and convenient fix, or check out our blog post: How to paint skirting board for some useful tips and tricks.