Today I’m sharing some DIY tips to get the job done faster. Are you planning some spring redecorating to freshen things up for the summer? During the dreary January weather, it’s a good time cheer yourself up with some home revamping plans. Keep reading for some DIY tips to get the job done faster.

We’ve rounded up a few tips to help you prepare, get organised, and make painting winter out of the corners much faster and easier.

Firm Up Your Ideas

Try and get beyond a vague notion of wanting a brighter living room or a more efficient kitchen. That’s your absolute starting place but dig deeper before you go shopping.

Try and figure out exactly what you’re dissatisfied with and why, along with how you’d like to change it. Building a library of looks and styles, colour schemes, lighting and furnishings can help you draw up a detailed plan.

You could either do this with a physical mood board where you pin scraps of desired fabrics, swatch paint colours and save wallpaper samples. Easier is an online version, where you can do exactly the same but with photos. The benefits of having a design log in your phone is it’s always with you, and you can snap pictures of items that catch your eye as soon as you see them.

Working out the small details can stop you making costly mistakes, especially when you’re buying things. Whenever something grabs your attention, you can consult your style plan and make sure the item fits in before committing to a purchase.

Buying and Storing Items You Need to Get the Job Done Faster

When you’re just doing a quick refresh of the paintwork, you don’t have to think too long and hard about where you’ll keep stuff, so you can get the job done faster. If you’re really on the clock, you could consider hiring help to prep the room.

But if the job’s a bit bigger, maybe with renovation involved or even just a change of furnishing style, it’s more important to have a system where you can do something just once and it stays done.

Try and gather everything you’ll need before you start, including tools, as it’s very annoying to run out of sandpaper or brush cleaner just when you need it. Making lists can help, even if you’re not normally a list person.

Making a materials list helps jogs your memory as you’re delving deeper and visualising doing the work. Thinking about paint colours and how many pots, for instance, can remind you to buy some masking tape, which helps you get the job done faster.

When buying and storing for bigger jobs, you can benefit from having a self storage unit as a holding room. It lets you keep everything for the project in good condition and all together, especially if you’re also replacing fittings and accessories or buying specialised power tools.

You can also spread the cost of materials by buying gradually over a few months, taking advantage of sales or offers, and ticking things off the list as you acquire and store them for future use. This may not help you get the job done faster, but it’ll mean you can do it without breaking the bank. Additionally, it can add value to your home.

Getting the Time and Motion Right

Whether it’s a big job or a quick one, doing things in the right order will help you move smoothly from start to finish.

The first thing may be organising your time. If you have kids, roping in family or friends to babysit while you work can save frustration and your temper. Also, be realistic about how much you can do after a day at work if you plan on working in the evening. It’s not that easy to motivate yourself to start again when you’ve been hard at work all day.

Having found your time though, work logically through the process to make it as easy as possible. When you’re painting, start at the top. Do the ceiling first, then the walls followed by skirtings. Move on to window frames and doors last.

Create Space Where You’re Working

If it’s at all possible, consider completely clearing the room you’re working on. You might have to camp in another room for a while or block out larger stretches of time to help get the work done quickly. 

If you can, pack up your valuables and move the furniture and everything out so you have a blank canvas to work on. It’s much easier than constantly stopping to shift things around and make space. Finding a storage room can help here too and as they’re normally in handy locations, so moving precious items out of the work area is quick and easy.

With spring just round the corner, now is a great time to start gathering ideas and stocking up on what you’ll need. You’ll breeze through any DIY project like a pro and be ready for the next one in no time.