4 Quick Little Home DIY Jobs To Do This Summer

There is no better feeling than those days when you’ve ticked everything off your list, the sun is shining, everyone is seen to, and you can chill out in the garden to lap up the summer sunshine for a few hours. Oh, how blissful it sounds. Except, of course, if you’re the kind of person who would find themselves a little fidgety or unsure of what to do with themselves with some spare time at home.

There’s always something that needs sorted out, right? Well, yes!

While I do love relaxing as much as the next person, I also like the idea that when I do sit down in the sunshine (possibly with a little bit of fizz), the house is impeccable from top to bottom. And when I say the house, I mean everything. The summer holidays are the ideal time to tackle some of the little tasks around the home that you may have put off or not even thought to address, and I want to highlight a handful for you with some quick home DIY jobs.

The idea is that you can complete these jobs at any time throughout the summer without needing to invest more than a day (in some cases, an hour) in the task, without encountering any obstacles. Trust me; if you or some family members blurt out they’re feeling bored during the summer holidays, there will be something here to do.

Hoovering behind things

We are all guilty of being lazy with the old vacuum. Whether it’s trying to drag Henry Hoover up the stairs, or getting under the sofa with a Dyson, on those days where the sun is splitting the sky, and you know the windows and doors will be open, it’s time to hoover.

Get everyone involved to help move sofas, beds, cabinets, and everything that the Hoover never reaches. You know, those spots where you find out what the carpet initially looked like. Hoovering every square inch doesn’t just help your rooms feel a little lighter. It also helps remove a significant amount of dust and allergens from the air, making it ideal if you have family members prone to hay fever.

Checking (and replacing) radiator valves

Quick, the central heating doesn’t need to be on all the time. Go and check the radiators before they notice! With the heating off, some radiator valves tend to get stuck, and this is not noticeable without a good look.

Go around each radiator, pop up the lid of your valves, and use a screwdriver to press down on the pin. If it sticks a little but pops back up again, you’ve just fixed a radiator valve you didn’t even know was broken. If the pin doesn’t budge, it’s time to order some new straight radiator valves now (remember, radiator parts are the cheapest in the summer!).

Cleaning the front door properly

Isn’t it a bit odd that the front door is the first thing people will take notice of when coming to your home, and yet it’s something that hardly ever gets a good cleaning? You might be the kind of person to give it a quick once-over when pottering around the house with a cloth and some Mr Sheen, but when was the last time you gave the front door a proper clean?

Open it up, lay a towel underneath, and give it a thorough wash with soapy water. After dipping a barnacle in the bucket a few times, you’ll be shocked at how much dirt gathers on your door. Make sure to use a sponge or cloth, not one with a scouring side. They can easily lift paint off the door.

Oh, and make sure it is a towel you put down. If you’re tempted to use old newspaper, all that water dripping down will make things mushy. You also want the front door open, so you can clean around the frame and trim.

Deep Clean Your Cutlery

This last tip is one I call the McDonald’s trick. On those days when you really aren’t bothered cooking dinner or having a barbecue, grab all your cutlery and pop it in the sink. Fill the sink with hot water and a few drops of baking soda, and let the science work its magic. After half an hour, rinse everything with cold water, and your cutlery will look good as new.

And why is it called the McDonald’s trick? Well, with the cutlery steeping, you can make an excuse that you can’t cook, and the family will have to settle for McDonald’s instead. A win-win all around in my books!

Still looking for things to do?

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