8 Christmas DIY projects to make your home feel festive

While many of us are preparing to take some well-earned time off after a particularly trying year, others see the Christmas holidays as the perfect opportunity to get around to a few home improvement projects.

OK, so you’ve already got your plate full with Christmas prep and you’re going to have to wrap up warm for any outside work… but making your house as homely as possible is well worth the effort.

Here’s a little inspiration for those of you that are itching to get their toolbox out for a spot of DIY this Christmas…

Build a mantelpiece for the family stockings

Christmas isn’t Christmas without a stocking for each member of the family above the fireplace; but for those without a chimney, it might be necessary to get a bit creative.

You can, of course, find other places in the house to hang your stockings, such as along the bannister or over the knobs on a chest of drawers, but that might not quite create the desired effect…

If your fireplace is simply lacking the mantel to ready your giant socks for the big guy, you can install one yourself with a simple DIY guide.

But if you have no fireplace at all, why not build a mock fireplace that will also provide you with a space to keep your books!

Paint the living room

A fresh coat of paint in the living room is a pretty straightforward Christmas DIY project that’ll really transform how the space feels. Plus, in keeping with the festive theme, the whole family can get involved too (as long as you’re prepared to go over some of the areas where the less experienced have tried their hands…)

If the room doesn’t get much light, you’re probably better off choosing lighter colours. But if the lighting isn’t an issue, you’re free to go for something a bit bolder or warmer to boost your family’s festive spirits.

And while you’ve got the paintbrushes out…

Give the hallway furniture a Christmas makeover

When friends and family come round for the festive season, that initial greeting in the hall as soon as the door flies open makes a huge impression.

Give the entrance to your home the TLC it deserves this Christmas with a tin of chalk paint and some wax to create a welcoming feel.

You can transform boring flat-pack furniture into something unique or turn older pieces that have seen better days into something fresh and funky.

To make the piece feel really special, you might like to invest in some new handles for the drawers: super easy to screw in and the perfect finishing touch to make the furniture look brand new!

Declutter the spare room

With family coming to stay over the festive season for the first time in a while, it might be worth having a look in the spare room to check how much stuff you’ve accumulated.

Many turned to online shopping during the pandemic, with gym equipment and other bits and pieces getting snapped up before quietly making their way into storage to gather dust.

Of course, if you need to get rid of perfectly good items, it’s best to try to find a home for them by donating or selling. At Christmas, regifting is the perfect way to reduce the amount of waste you create – and it’ll save you money on buying new presents too!

MORE: The five Rs of waste management: Refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, recycle

But if you do find yourself with more rubbish than you know what to do with, hire a skip from SunSkips so you can throw it all outside and marvel as it’s cleared away as if by magic!

Insulate the attic

Toastiness is key at Christmas time, so making sure none of that warmth escapes through the roof is critical for your family’s comfort. And with all the Christmas decorations out of the way, this is the perfect time to get up into the attic and improve the insulation.

A professional job might involve spray insulation, which is a bit more involved, but you can buy large packs of insulation fairly cheaply and roll it out yourself.

Just be careful you don’t accidentally step between the ceiling joists and create a brand new DIY project that you didn’t ask for.

Light it up!

Nothing kills the Christmas mood like a gloomy home.

Festive lighting around the tree looks lovely, but it tends not to do a great job of helping you see what you’re doing – especially as the nights draw in and there’s less daylight.

A little strategically placed illumination goes a long way. The simplest way to light up your home is to pop a few lamps around areas where people tend to gather, but you might find that larger rooms need additional ceiling fixtures installed.

Before you get started, it’s important to make sure any lighting outlet you’re working on is turned off at the mains and that you’re confident you know what you’re doing.

Check the bulbs are the right wattage to light up the area, which might involve a bit of trial and error, but there are plenty of guides online for finding the right one for your room.

And if it all seems a bit much, don’t hesitate to hire a professional electrician.

Refurbish the kitchen

The kitchen is the main hub of Christmas cheer in most family homes, so giving it the DIY treatment can really lift your spirits if you plan on spending a lot of time slaving over the hob.

While a kitchen refurb isn’t necessarily a DIY job if you have no carpentry experience, you can give it an impactful makeover simply by sprucing up the cabinets.

 

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For a complete refit, you’re probably going to need some help. Check out this warm, cosy kitchen project recently completed by our Cambridge neighbours CB1 Building and Carpentry for some inspiration.

DIY Christmas decorations

You don’t have to spend hours in the shed to scratch that DIY itch at Christmas when there’s plenty you can do with a bit of tinsel and some glitter.

Making your own Christmas decorations is not only a fun family activity that should leave you with at least a few things that you’ll really treasure forever – it’ll also save you money on the typical IKEA stuff, which is infinitely less charming.

Even a few twigs can be used to make a cute ornament and some scrap coloured paper can become a festive garland to hang up in practically no time at all.

And when you reuse things that might otherwise end up in the bin, you get that extra warm feeling that you’re doing your bit for the world at Christmas, as well as for your family.

Ready to get started on that Christmas DIY project? Before you begin, book your skip online so the clear-up is simple, quick and doesn’t roll on into the new year…