Most of the country has been in lockdown for the last several months in an effort to minimize community spread of COVID-19. But now, there’s another pandemic hitting: the quarantine doldrums.

While time moves slower in the quarantine doldrums, there are plenty of DIY apartment projects that can take up a day or two and give you a fresh, new space that makes staying at home a pleasure.

8 One-Day DIY Apartment Projects

Next time you’re stuck at home for a day, try out one of these apartment projects. They’ll keep you busy without getting in over your head!

  1. Rearrange:  In terms of bang for your buck, it doesn’t get much better than rearranging your space. (It’s free!) Try moving the couch to a different wall, switch chairs into different rooms, maybe even swap the dining room and the living room all together. Another free apartment project that packs a punch is to rearrange the items in your kitchen cabinets or pantry. As you rearrange your belongings, keep functionality in mind. Move the spices closer to the prep area, place your favorite chair where you’ll have the best view,  create a productive workspace in an unused corner. The possibilities are endless!
  2. Scrub it down: Beyond the regular basic apartment cleaning, now is a perfect time to undertake those long-neglected deep-cleaning projects—things like dusting the tops of tall furniture, washing windows, and wiping down baseboards. Vacuum ductwork, under the bed, and under appliances. Don’t stop there, give your appliances a deep and thorough cleaning as well. Chances are that there are loads of little spaces in your apartment that could use some TLC. Now’s the perfect time to make it happen!
  3. Refurbish some furniture: While it may sound daunting, you don’t have to be a particularly experienced apartment DIY-er to refinish, paint or polish a hand-me-down.  Visit your old friend Google, read through tips from those who’ve done it before, and head to the hardware store! Just make sure to do any sanding, painting or staining outside while wearing protective gear, including a face mask and eye protection.
  4. Declutter your space: Channel your inner Marie Kondo and use a day for the ultimate apartment project: tackling storage spaces in your bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. Take everything out and divide items into “Keep,” “Donate” and “Trash” piles. Then get the donations and trash out of the house, even if only to the trunk of your car or apartment storage facility for now. Group items you want to keep and put them in matching containers. If you really want to up your apartment DIY credentials and make Marie proud, break out the label maker.
  5. Organize your collections: Rearrange your books or any other collectibles like albums, DVDs, or video games. Give your collections (as well as the shelves you display them on) a good dusting. Then organize your collection in some way.  By genre or alphabetically will work, or if you really want to create a focal point in the room, by color. If your collection has outgrown its current home, you can always tackle another afternoon apartment project: add some more open shelving.
  6. Create an accent wall: From textured linen to bold prints, there are tons of removable wallpaper options available. This will update a room with just an afternoon’s worth of effort (and without the work of real wallpaper or the risk of losing your security deposit.) You could also create a gallery wall with photos and frames you already have on hand. Honestly, just going through your old photos can be a satisfying afternoon apartment project.
  7. Restyle your bedroom: Your bedroom is your sanctuary, but you might be sick of it after three months of quarantine. There are numerous simple, fun DIY apartment projects for refreshing your bedroom. It could be as easy as swapping the covers on your throw pillows. Pillow covers are easy to sew (or put together with no-stitch fabric glue or fusing tape) and you can order some exciting fabric online to change the whole look of a room. Another easy bedroom upgrade: attach the foam and heavy-duty fabric to an inexpensive door with a staple gun or upholstery tacks. Hang on the wall above your bed for a one-of-a-kind headboard.
  8. Spruce up your outdoor space: Summer is here! If you are lucky enough to have a patio or balcony, think of it as a place to escape during this quarantine period. Make it a retreat by adding some seating, an outdoor rug, and some string lights for ambiance. Now’s the time to put your green thumb to use, too. Bring your favorite low maintenance plants outside and give them a trim or pruning. Re-plant any that need a larger home into decorative pots. You could also buy plain terracotta pots and spend the afternoon painting them with your own unique patterns and designs.

Start Your DIY Apartment Projects With Southern Management

Staying home during this pandemic has all of us rethinking our living spaces. But a few simple apartment DIY activities like those mentioned here can give you a fresh perspective as well as a hands-on apartment project to occupy your time.

At Southern Management, we want you to make your apartment feel like home. With 75 apartment communities, our team is confident that we can find the perfect location and floor plan to make you feel right at home throughout this quarantine period.

Our helpful team members would love to answer any questions you have about specific apartment communities, pricing, decorating, etc. We’d love for you to start incorporating your personal tastes in your new rental space!

Contact our team to learn more today.