(Submitted by Lisa Roberts.)
Home improvements do not necessarily have to be a stressful experience. Even when you have children running around the house, some work can be done. The best way to do anything is to include them and make it a nice family activity. Here are some budget-friendly home improvements your kids will love.
Many hands make light work
There are many reasons why you should include your children in home improvement and maintenance activities. First of all – why would you do it all by yourself? Their help can really be valuable and they will feel more accomplished when they learn some new things. Secondly, such errands are great for family bonding. And finally, your kids will learn some skills that can be useful when they grow up.
Doing everything as a whole is what keeps a family together. When errands are distributed to all family members, then all of them can enjoy themselves at the same time. This is great if you are living in Oregon or some other state that has such a nice nature people like to spend time in. Speaking of the state, bear in mind that you can move anywhere in Oregon with ease knowing that your kids will attend the best schools and you will be able to start a business of your choice.
Start by decluttering your home
Whether you are improving a home for yourself or for a sale, there are many things your kids will enjoy doing. It is important to teach your kids how to keep their rooms clean and tidy. From an early age, they should have their responsibilities such as putting their toys back where they belong after they have finished playing. That way, you can include them in some smaller home improvement projects even when they are very young.
When the time comes for some rearrangements or for spring cleaning, give your kids some errands to keep them occupied. You might be surprised to see how they take their tasks seriously and how much they can really help you. You will agree that decluttering their room is already a big thing, right? Make a deal that they need to throw away any broken toy and decide what to do with the stuff they no longer need or use. Here are some examples:
- give the toys that they no longer need to younger relatives, friends or neighbors,
- donate them to a charity of your choice – you will help the less fortunate children and do some budget-friendly home improvements your kids will love,
- organize a yard sale and use the money that your kids earn to take them to the cinema, ice cream or a fun park of their choice.
Saying goodbye to some toys can be stressful for your kids, be prepared for that. Award their mature decisions and help them realize why some things just have to go.
Painting the walls can be one of the best budget-friendly home improvements your kids will love
Naturally, you cannot hope that your three-year-old will take this task seriously, but pupils should be mature enough to help you and not try to eat the paint while at it. Never let them climb the ladder since that can be dangerous. Instead, you should leave the bottom part of the wall for them to paint. They might even do it better than us since they usually have better attention to details and their tiny fingers are more flexible and can reach anywhere. If you let them choose the wall colors for their room, there is no doubt they will enjoy the task.
It is important to maintain your house for yourself and for selling purposes, because – who knows what the home prices will look like over the next years?
Repainting the old cabinets
Do you have some old cabinets that can still be used but would benefit from a coat of fresh paint? That can be one of the budget-friendly home improvements your kids will love. Take the cabinet doors off, buy non-toxic paint, a few brushes, dress your kids in some old clothes and arm yourself with patience. They will enjoy this activity and you will probably be satisfied with the results.
Once the cabinet doors are dry and ready to be put back, you can give your older children the screwdriver and show them how to put the handles back on or how to tighten the hinges. This sort of practical knowledge can be useful – and when they gain it at an early age, they will be more confident about house repairs when they grow up.
Your kids will love to join you in some gardening
Kids just love getting their hands dirty. You should use that to your advantage and ask them to help you with your gardening activities. The great thing about these errands is that they are rather safe and even toddlers can participate. Plant some flowers or let them choose which vegetables they would like to grow. Teach them how to water their plants regularly and they will be very pleased with the results of their labor.
If you live in an apartment and don’t have a backyard or a garden, you can opt for some house plants. They will improve the quality and aesthetics of your living space. Remind your children to water them regularly and show them how to repot the plants as they grow.
Refreshing the fence
Nice weather is a great opportunity to do some outdoor budget-friendly home improvements your kids will love. Does your fence need a new coat of paint? Luckily, you will not have to clean a lot after this activity. This can be a nice way to upgrade your curb appeal if you are planning to list your house this holiday season.
While at it, ask your kids to repaint your mailbox. To make it more fun, you can let them mix the colors as they like. Or they can express their artistic side here.
Polishing your wooden furniture is also one of the budget-friendly home improvements your kids will love
This is one of the tasks that many adults find boring, while kids like to participate. The best way you can get them engaged is to model the activity yourself. Once they join you, your work will be done in no time and your wooden furniture will be clean and shiny.
