5 DIY Winter Home Projects
Certain home projects that require a specific skillset or specialized equipment are best left to professionals, but there are many others that can be accomplished on your own, and you’ll save money doing them, too. Here’s a short list to get you started.
Interior Repainting
Giving your home’s interior walls a fresh coat of paint is a high-ROI project that you can easily knock out in a day or two. Start by laying down drop cloths and moving all the furniture out of the room you’re painting. If space is limited, you can push all your furniture into a pile in the center, cover everything with a drop cloth or plastic sheeting, and work around it. Next, fill in any cracks or chips in the walls with putty and sand them down. Then, remove all light switch plates, covers, and switch knobs. Apply painter’s tape to the trim, get out your rollers, and have fun!
Bathroom Upgrades
It’s common to think of a bathroom remodel as a major overhaul with all new fixtures, but smaller DIY tasks can make just as much of an impact. Start your bathroom makeover by refinishing your tub. Fill in any cracks or holes with epoxy, then sand it smooth. Apply multiple layers of primer and topcoat, buff the entire surface, and your bathtub will feel brand new. Pick out new hardware for your cabinets or vanity, a new shower curtain and rod, and a new showerhead. Match these pieces to tie the room together and your DIY bathroom makeover will be complete.
Create an Indoor winter garden
Bring the outdoors in this winter by creating an indoor winter garden. Plot out your garden before purchasing any plants so you can strategize for potting and placement. Research which plants require grow lights to stay healthy indoors. Monsteras, or swiss cheese plants, work well in open spaces, such as the living room, due to their natural inclination to climb. Spider or jade plants are a fitting choice for a home office, breakfast nook, or anywhere you’re looking to fill shelving space. Houseplants that work well in the bathroom include ferns, bamboo, and Devil’s Ivy.
Full Winter Cleaning
Whether you’re preparing for hosting guests over the holidays or just looking to tidy up before the new year, your home deserves a thorough cleaning. Work top-to-bottom so that dust and debris fall to floor as you work. This avoids having to clean the same areas multiple times. Declutter and organize each room as you clean. Separate items by which ones you’re able to donate, which ones can go into storage, and which need to be thrown away. Group seasonal items together so they can be easily accessed.
Liven up the laundry room
It’s easy to overlook the laundry room when thinking about home projects, but with a little love, you can completely change the look and feel of the room. Who says that doing laundry can’t be fun? Adding wallpaper or repainting the walls will help to bring new energy into the space. Take a more functional approach by adding shelving and storage to help you stay organized while doing laundry. Keep your detergent, dryer sheets, and other laundry supplies within reach while making room for your baskets and larger items like blankets and sheets.
These are just some of the ways you can stay busy at home with DIY projects this winter. Not only will these projects refresh the spaces in your home, they can also increase its value, which can be beneficial when it comes time to sell.
Keep Your Plants Healthy During Trips
Whether you’re flying across the country to visit family or driving to the other side of town to be with friends, travel is a natural part of the holiday season. It’s important to keep your plants healthy during your trips, especially if you’ll be away from home for an extended period of time.
The types of plants in your home will determine the level of care needed. If your entire houseplant garden is made up of succulents and cacti, you won’t have much to worry about. Higher maintenance plants, however, will require some planning.
Compile a list of how much water each plant requires before you leave so you can plan accordingly. Enlist the help of a family member, friend, or neighbor to maintain a regular watering schedule while you’re gone. If no one is available, try a self-watering method. Look online or at your local nursery for self-watering planters and pots, install a drip system, or simply place your plants in the bathtub in one to two inches of water and let them soak.
Home Price Guide
Here are the average three-bedroom home sale prices in some of the neighborhoods served by Windermere. Data from March 1, 2021 to August 31, 2021.
Apache Junction
Chandler
Cave Creek
Glendale
Gold Canyon
Goodyear
$389,000
$447,000
$711,000
$369,000
$527,000
$419,000
Fountain Hills
Mesa
New River
Paradise Valley
Peoria
Phoenix
$660,000
$411,000
$531,000
$2,253,000
$420,000
$416,000
Scottsdale
Sun Lakes
Surprise
Tempe
Tortilla Flat
$846,000
$498,000
$388,000
$439,000
$855,000
Alameda
Alamo
Albany
Alpine
Anaheim
Antioch
Bakersfield
Baldwin Park
Beaumont
Berkeley
Big Bear
Big Bear Lake
Blackhawk
Brea
Brentwood
Burbank
Calabasas
Cardiff by the Sea
Carlsbad
Carmel Valley
Carson
Castro Valley
Cathedral City
Chino
Chino Hills
Chula Vista
Clayton
Cloverdale
Concord
Corona
Coronado
Costa Mesa
Covina
Dana Point
Danville
Davis
Del Mar
Desert Hot Springs
Diamond Bar
Discovery Bay
Dublin
El Cajon
El Cerrito
El Sobrante
Encinitas
Escondido
Fairfield
Fallbrook
Folsom
$1,433,000
$2,021,000
$1,545,000
$808,000
$737,000
$554,000
$239,000
$607,000
$444,000
$1,573,000
$536,000
$687,000
$1,750,000
$863,000
$743,000
$1,157,000
$1,724,000
$1,992,000
$1,226,000
$1,426,000
$671,000
$1,141,000
$464,000
$611,000
$857,000
$698,000
$991,000
$690,000
$785,000
$645,000
$2,166,000
$1,163,000
$705,000
$2,001,000
$1,621,000
$740,000
$2,683,000
$339,000
$869,000
$853,000
$1,265,000
$691,000
$1,325,000
$787,000
$1,640,000
$727,000
$564,000
$749,000
$652,000
Fort Bragg
Fresno
Fullerton
Gilroy
Granite Bay
Hacienda Heights
Hayward
Hollywood
Huntington Beach
Imperial Beach
Indian Wells
Indio
Irvine
La Canada Flintridge
La Jolla
La Mesa
La Quinta
La Verne
Lafayette
Laguna Beach
Laguna Niguel
Lake Arrowhead
Lake Elsinore
Lakeside
Livermore
Lodi
Long Beach
Loomis
Malibu
Manteca
Martinez
Merced
Modesto
Monterey
Moraga
Moreno Valley
Morgan Hill
Murrieta
Napa
National City
Northridge
Novato
Oakland
Oakley
Oceanside
Ontario
Orinda
Palm Desert
Palm Springs
$613,000
$374,000
$847,000
$938,000
$956,000
$714,000
$878,000
$1,045,000
$1,214,000
$753,000
$1,126,000
$470,000
$1,130,000
$1,711,000
$2,498,000
$777,000
$741,000
$798,000
$1,660,000
$2,946,000
$1,169,000
$563,000
$473,000
$705,000
$1,029,000
$502,000
$940,000
$786,000
$4,000,000
$531,000
$838,000
$328,000
$425,000
$1,256,000
$1,489,000
$441,000
$1,152,000
$564,000
$1,098,000
$603,000
$830,000
$763,000
$1,179,000
$621,000
$766,000
$530,000
$1,735,000
$728,000
$989,000
Palo Alto
Pasadena
Paso Robles
Piedmont
Pinole
Pleasant Hill
Pleasanton
Pomona
Poway
Rancho Bernardo
Rancho Cordova
Rancho Cucamonga
Rancho Mirage
Rancho Santa Fe
Redding
Redlands
Richmond
Riverside
Rocklin
Roseville
Rowland Heights
San Bernardino
San Clemente
San Diego
San Dimas
San Fernando
San Francisco
San Jose
San Leandro
San Lorenzo
San Mateo
San Ramon
Sacramento
Salinas
Santa Clara
Santa Rosa
Santee
Solana Beach
Sonoma
Spring Valley
Stockton
Temecula
Tustin
Vacaville
Vista
Walnut
Walnut Creek
Whittier
Yucca Valley
$3,212,000
$1,163,000
$637,000
$2,679,000
$759,000
$1,004,000
$1,400,000
$552,000
$923,000
$935,000
$466,000
$686,000
$923,000
$2,500,000
$356,000
$597,000
$750,000
$565,000
$603,000
$575,000
$695,000
$399,000
$1,431,000
$932,000
$762,000
$728,000
$1,526,000
$1,245,000
$916,000
$869,000
$1,473,000
$1,350,000
$790,000
$629,000
$1,576,000
$695,000
$674,000
$1,974,000
$867,000
$639,000
$415,000
$740,000
$923,000
$541,000
$734,000
$870,000
$1,304,000
$728,000
$376,000
Arvada
Aurora
Boulder
Castle Pines
Castle Rock
Centennial
Cherry Hills Village
$584,000
$471,000
$1,243,000
$790,000
$562,000
$568,000
$2,650,000
Denver
Englewood
Evergreen
Fort Collins
Golden
Greenwood Village
Highlands Ranch
$634,000
$536,000
$857,000
$812,000
$817,000
$1,570,000
$590,000
Lakewood
Littleton
Lone Tree
Parker
Thornton
Westminster
Windsor
$572,000
$591,000
$1,092,000
$578,000
$481,000
$517,000
$495,000
Big Island
Hilo
Kohala Coast
Kona
Puna
$455,000
$1,048,000
$1,096,000
$330,000
Maui
Haiku
Kahului
Kihei
Lahaina
Wailea/Makena
Wailuku
$1,305,000
$802,000
$1,543,000
$1,622,000
$3,982,000
$805,000
Boise
Caldwell
Coeur d’Alene
Eagle
Grangeville
$597,000
$412,000
$567,000
$967,000
$289,000
Hayden
Lewiston
Meridian
Moscow
Nampa
$584,000
$332,000
$567,000
$374,000
$453,000
Post Falls
$476,000
Sun Valley
Hailey
Ketchum
$670,000
$1,869,000
Bozeman
Hamilton
Helena
Missoula
Whitefish
$777,000
$377,000
$416,000
$476,000
$909,000
Boulder City
Henderson
Las Vegas
North Las Vegas
$482,000
$442,000
$375,000
$334,000
Ashland
Astoria
Beaverton/
Sunset Corridor
Bend
Canby
Cannon Beach
Cascade Locks
Clatskanie
Corvallis
Cottage Grove
Creswell
Dallas
Eagle Point
Eugene
Florence
Gearhart
Gleneden Beach
Grants Pass
Gresham
$569,000
$460,000
$587,000
$667,000
$483,000
$909,000
$389,000
$381,000
$469,000
$361,000
$421,000
$443,000
$403,000
$432,000
$435,000
$606,000
$970,000
$407,000
$449,000
Happy Valley
Hermiston
Hillsboro
Hood River
Jacksonville
Klamath Falls
Lake Oswego
Lebanon
Lincoln City
McMinnville
Medford
Milton-Freewater
Molalla
Monmouth
Newberg
Newport/Seal Rock
$574,000
$291,000
$483,000
$692,000
$620,000
$261,000
$892,000
$354,000
$370,000
$438,000
$382,000
$214,000
$450,000
$426,000
$472,000
$482,000
Portland
North
Northeast
Southeast
West
$528,000
$545,000
$499,000
$697,000
Prineville
Redmond
Rogue River
St. Helens
Salem
Sandy
Scappoose
Springfield
Sunriver
The Dalles
Tigard
Tualatin
Vida
Warrenton
Wilsonville
$411,000
$494,000
$419,000
$378,000
$398,000
$505,000
$457,000
$394,000
$730,000
$373,000
$531,000
$564,000
$259,000
$464,000
$554,000
Bountiful
Coalville
Layton
$456,000
$457,000
$430,000
Midvale
Orem
Park City
$576,000
$431,000
$1,641,000
Provo
Salt Lake City
West Valley City
$455,000
$610,000
$470,000
Aberdeen
Allyn
Anacortes
Arlington
Auburn
Bainbridge Island
Belfair
Bellevue
Bellingham
Bingen/White Salm.
Birch Bay/Blaine
Bonney Lake
Bothell
Bremerton
Brinnon
Burien
Camano Island
Camas
Cathlamet
Centralia
Chelan
Chewelah
Clarkston
Cle Elum
Colville
Deer Park
DuPont
Edmonds
Ellensburg
Entiat
Enumclaw
Ephrata
Everett
Federal Way
Ferndale
Gig Harbor
Goldendale
Granite Falls
Issaquah
Kelso
$261,000
$509,000
$744,000
$590,000
$566,000
$1,282,000
$476,000
$1,453,000
$642,000
$692,000
$587,000
$523,000
$813,000
$459,000
$261,000
$688,000
$747,000
$607,000
$383,000
$385,000
$820,000
$266,000
$283,000
$804,000
$232,000
$440,000
$483,000
$831,000
$466,000
$471,000
$563,000
$296,000
$619,000
$529,000
$562,000
$740,000
$332,000
$501,000
$1,123,000
$356,000
Kenmore
Kent
Kettle Falls
Kingston
Kirkland
Lake Forest Park
Lake Stevens
Lake Tapps
Lakewood
Leavenworth
Liberty Lake
Long Beach
Longview
Lopez Island
Lynden
Lynnwood
Maple Valley
Marysville
Mazama
Mercer Island
Mill Creek
Monroe
Moses Lake
Mount Vernon
MountLake Terrace
Mukilteo
Newcastle
Normandy Park
Northport
Ocean Shores
Olympia
Omak/Okanogan
Orcas Island
Packwood
Port Angeles
Port Ludlow
Port Orchard
Port Townsend
Poulsbo
Prosser
$907,000
$568,000
$297,000
$664,000
$1,244,000
$898,000
$621,000
$740,000
$469,000
$728,000
$548,000
$413,000
$371,000
$1,066,000
$533,000
$706,000
$685,000
$525,000
$707,000
$2,368,000
$856,000
$648,000
$297,000
$534,000
$674,000
$826,000
$985,000
$1,003,000
$412,000
$406,000
$514,000
$318,000
$1,365,000
$500,000
$452,000
$773,000
$503,000
$581,000
$626,000
$348,000
Pullman
Puyallup
Quincy
Redmond
Renton
Republic
Sammamish
$368,000
$489,000
$296,000
$1,178,000
$723,000
$250,000
$1,281,000
Seattle
North
Northwest
West
Downtown/Central
Southeast
$1,029,000
$1,099,000
$898,000
$1,363,000
$835,000
Sedro Woolley
Sequim
Shelton
Shoreline
Silverdale
Snohomish
Spokane
Spokane Valley
Stanwood
Stevenson
Sumner
Tacoma
Tri-Cities
Twisp
University Place
Vancouver
Vashon
Walla Walla
Wenatchee
Westport
Whidbey Island
Winthrop
Woodinville
Yakima
Yelm
$482,000
$613,000
$403,000
$803,000
$566,000
$763,000
$372,000
$389,000
$607,000
$572,000
$516,000
$482,000
$389,000
$542,000
$607,000
$495,000
$1,038,000
$363,000
$481,000
$356,000
$652,000
$942,000
$1,037,000
$351,000
$420,000
