50+ things to do at home without spending any money

Angela Ellis

Having time on your hands this Summer might enable you to finish some of those DIY projects you’ve not got around to yet. If you’re looking for jobs to do at home without spending any money, this list should come in handy, especially if you’re trying to make your home look its best before it comes on the market. 

For some of these projects, you’d need some materials but they may be things you already have at homes such as leftover paint/varnish and cleaning materials. Please ensure you take any necessary precautions to stay safe undertaking these projects.  

Let’s start with a list of outdoor jobs you could do to help with kerb appeal. Then work around the home to present it at its best.

Outdoors

  • Clean the outside of your windows, doors and frames
  • Repaint the front door (if it’s appropriate to)
  • Sweep the front garden path and driveway
  • Clean the path and drive with a powerwasher
  • Wash the outside (and inside if you’re feeling like it) of your wheelie bins
  • Weed the front garden flower beds 
  • Weed, tidy and wipe down any flower pots 
  • Clear out the debris inside the gutters
  • Wipe down the outside of guttering to remove the green algae/mould
  • Replace any non-working lightbulbs in any outdoor lighting
  • Clean garden furniture (and paint/varnish, if appropriate)

Other rooms

  • Clean the inside of your windows, doors and frames
  • If the floor is carpeted, vacuum and clean, including underneath all furniture. If it’s tiled, wash, polish and clean. If vinyl/laminate flooring, clean. And if it’s wood, consider washing and varnishing.
  • Wash the skirting boards
  • Re-paint the skirting boards
  • Takedown and wash the curtains (if you can) – great to do in the Summer (if we get any nice weather this year!)
  • Wash the upholstery, or covers, where possible. For leather upholstery, wipe with a clean damp cloth and treat using leather nourishing cream.
  • Cushion covers might be removable and washable to freshen them up. 
  • Replace any non-working lightbulbs on the ceiling, wall lights, under cupboard lighting, and lamps. Clean all lights, including shades. 
  • Clean sockets & light switches to remove dirt, scuffs, and finger marks.
  • Clean and polish furniture, including the inside of drawers and cabinets.
  • Remove cobwebs from coving and ceilings.
  • Clean and dust: skirting boards, architraves, picture rails, dado rails, sills, wall mirrors, wall clocks and pictures.
  • Have a good clearout of the airing cupboard. If you’ve not done this since you moved in, you may find some items you’d forgotten you have! 
  • If you haven’t turned or rotated your mattresses in the last 3 months, this is a quick and easy job!
  • If you have space under your bed, a great time to clear it out/tidy it up/use it more effectively.

Kitchen

  • Deep clean any limescale affected areas
  • Units: Clean inside and out, including drawers and cupboards. 
  • Work surfaces: Clean and polish. 
  • Remove all limescale and watermarks. 
  • Cooker/stove/microwave: Clean and degrease including any grill pan & oven racks. 
  • Fridge & freezer: Defrost, clean inside and out, and deodorise. Switch off at mains and leave the door(s) ajar. When defrosting, be mindful of the water excess
  • Dishwasher/washing machine: Clean inside and out including soap and fabric softener drawer, filters and rubber seal. Run a cleaning cycle to remove any limescale deposits
  • Tumble dryer: Clean inside and out ensuring filters/ hoses are cleaned thoroughly
  • Extractor fans & cooker hoods: Clean, degrease, replace filters.
  • Replace the bulb on the cooker hood, if required
  • Check through your recipe books and see if there are any books you could get rid of
  • Check through the larder/spice rack for out of date food! 
  • Check the dates on items in your medicine cabinet /first aid box
  • Crockery cupboards – have a clearout and a cleanup.
  • Explore that unique drawer in your kitchen and see what you can get rid of – you know, the one that has random objects in (old keys, instruction manuals for items you no longer have etc!)
  • Sort out your carrier bags! This little video clip shows you how to turn that pile of plastic into neat little triangles. Click here!

Bathroom

  • Deep clean any limescale affected areas in the bath and shower
  • Re-seal bath/shower edges
  • Visible pipes: Clean, dust and polish where accessible
  • Shower screens & tiles: Remove all limescale, mould and watermarks, then polish. mirrors & glass: Clean and polish. Extractor fans: Vacuum and wipe

Decluttering

  • We have 2 separate blogs on decluttering – read them here and here
  • Worth checking through paperwork and see if there are papers you can shred

Changearound

  • You may have some ideas of how to move items around to better effect. Perhaps a room would benefit from a different layout or you could move items into different rooms around to maximise space?
  • Do all your rooms have a purpose? Maybe you have a junk room that could be turned into a more functional room?
  • Experiment with moving lamps into different parts of the room/different rooms. 


If you’re thinking of moving and want to know what your options are, we’re here to help.


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