10 Quick Home Improvement Tasks Under 34 Hours

There’s nothing more irritating than a creaky floorboard — especially when you’re trying to tiptoe around at night without waking other household members.

According to Barrows and Forrester, fixing this takes just 30 minutes. ‘Just take some talcum powder, soapstone powder or powdered graphite and sprinkle it between the cracks of the offending board or boards and this should do the trick,’ they explain.

Pictured: Coniston Buttermere Oak Herringbone Wood Flooring from the House Beautiful collection at Carpetright

Want to refresh an old chest of drawers? Well, all it takes is 40 minutes to get your desired item of furniture looking as good as new. First, rub it down with warm water, then prepare the surface and paint with your preferred colour. Simple!

Got a squeaky hinge you need to fix? It won’t take long at all. ‘Grabbing some WD-40 and taking on every hinge in the house will take no more than 50 minutes and will prevent you from going mad. If you don’t have any to hand, olive oil or vaseline also works perfectly,’ Barrows and Forrester suggest.

One of the most vital home improvement tasks, performing safety checks only takes around 60 minutes. From smoke detectors to your burglar alarm, it’s vital you throughly ensure these still do their job.

‘Make a list of anything that isn’t working, prioritise the task based on the level of danger it presents, and make sure you sort these jobs as soon as you can,’ they advise.

Planning to redecorate a room? Why not refresh your space with a lick of paint. If you plan to tackle one room at a time it should take you between one hour and 35 minutes, including prep, and first and second coats. You’ll have an Insta-worthy room in no time.

From old clothing to toys, have a good declutter and organise your home. Not only will you have more space in your home and attic, but if you donate your items to charity someone else might benefit from items you no longer need.

READ MORE: 20 storage baskets for an organised home

A previous study conducted by the RHS found that autumn is actually the best time to garden. Use this time at home to clean the patio, mow the lawn, clean, paint and repair your fence panels, trim the bushes, tackle the flower beds, and tidy the shed, too.

Why not teach yourself to tile your bathroom? Whether it’s an ensuite or downstairs toilet, teaching yourself this vital skill could help you save thousands.

Not sure how to start? Barrows and Forrester advise: ‘Start by attempting a small area that won’t require the full job to be done if you do give up and with the help of a tile cutter, spacers, grout, adhesive and a spreader, you could transform your bathroom for very little money.’

Hanging wallpaper can be a task many struggle with. There’s an element of prep involved and, of course, it depends on the size of a room, the condition of the walls, and how many tricky corners and nooks there are. For a medium-sized room, you could be looking at around 16 hours.

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