4 simple ways to get more done for less
Raise your hand if you thought we’d still be in the middle of a pandemic almost nine months later. Yeah, me neither. Most of us are trying to keep a sense of normalcy at home for our kids and families while having to do it on a stricter budget. I’ve built my brand, Crazy Life with Littles, around the idea that you can still do more for less.
More time at home during the crisis has brought about a surge in DIY projects; as well as finding ways to cut costs and save a little money while you’re at it. You can still get that home project done and gift meaningful gifts with a little bit of creativity!
Below are some ideas to get you thinking: Here are ways we’ve managed to do more at home for less money.
Room makeovers
Making a room feel brand new can be done quickly and with very little expense. I don’t know about you, but a refreshed space can give me a whole new outlook and boost my spirits.
Grab a can of paint and get creative with a fun accent wall and some scrap wood. One of my favorite projects was creating this color block wall in my son’s room. Since this was a smaller scale project I was able to use color samples to save money.
See that pendant light? We totally hacked it! No need for wiring. Just add a battery and remote operated puck light to your favorite pendant light or wall sconce and save yourself a call to the electrician.
We power our puck lights with Rayovac batteries. Not only are they economic but they perform just as well, making them the obvious choice for lights, flameless candles in holiday displays — or even our LED work lights we use as we DIY well into the night.
Refinish or build new
Search your local listings for a tired piece of furniture or toys that could use a face lift.
This kid’s outdoor playhouse used to be beige and red. With a little paint (and sweat) you have yourself a brand new toy that your kids will spend hours in. We all know how precious that is right now.
Have you ever seen a beautiful piece of furniture that would fit perfectly in that empty space in your home? But then sticker shock set in.
My favorite DIY hack is to search online for assembly instructions to get an idea on what materials were used in an item, and the best way to put it together.
For example, I found a beautiful black console table made out of wood that would complete our outdoor patio dining space. We shopped our own garage for materials and built a similar style piece of furniture that cost a mere fraction of the retail price.
Light it up
Feeling like you need a little more holiday magic in your life? I totally get it. This has been one heck of a year that requires all the sparkly magic we can manage.
Create an interactive village scene using your children’s toys, simple DIY wood houses and a strand of battery operated twinkle lights.
Shop your home
The BEST tip I could ever give anyone looking to update their home while managing a strict budget? SHOP YOUR HOME!
What do I mean by that? The concept is to look through your house or storage boxes for decor items that you can use to style a new space. Chances are you have an extra knick-knack, plant or vase that can be used instead of going out — or shopping online — for something brand new.
These pegboard shelves were another DIY project for my newly-remote position at work, which were completely styled with items I had in other rooms of our home.
The internet is full of hacks and resourceful tips to help you achieve your goal of DIY’ing a project. You just have to be willing to think outside the box sometimes. If you ever need any help brainstorming, be sure to reach to me over at Crazy Life with Littles!
When planning your next DIY and trying to stay on budget, make sure that you don’t overspend on batteries. Bringing you the performance you want at the price you need, you can feel confident that you are making a smart choice for your family with RAYOVAC? batteries. They’re just as good, only better.*
*Duracell Coppertop power in most AA devices based on ANSI runtime, at a better price based on scan data.
