Bust Stress with DIY Projects

Fun DIY Project Stress Reduction Tips

I think most of us would agree that this has been a stressful year on many levels. COVID-19, racial tensions, and now a good part of the Western United States are on fire at unprecedented levels, all of which have turned up the tension big time for so many people.

We have some great DIY projects that can help you channel that frustration, worry, and tension into turning out a great finished project for your home and bust stress. Some of these projects are simple enough or parts of the project are simple enough that your children can help and feel part of the process. You could even incorporate part of their homeschool lessons into your DIY project. Having two at-home remote learners, I know that they appreciate their day being broken up between long Zoom classroom sessions.

We discuss below some great DIY projects, some of which are very quick and simple and others that will be a few days’ projects to take on. Sometimes you just want to knock out something fun and fast as a distraction to all the stressors and other times you want a project you can really dig into and the project will take you a few days, so we have given you a sampling of both types of projects to choose from.

Why DIY Projects for Stress Relief?

People have been stuck at home over the last months because of social distancing and many have given up their commutes from working from home, so this has freed up more time. Even for those still working outside of the home, evenings and weekends that were often spent with friends, going on trips, or spending the day running errands are now open to creative endeavors. As we have freed up time, our creativity and craftsmanship within us have begun to emerge again.

DIY projects allow us to take the frustration, worry, and stress we are feeling and create something useful and fun with all that energy. It’s not a surprise with the COVID-19 pandemic and wildfires, hurricanes, and more this summer that people are turning to DIY projects in rising numbers. 2020 has been a year that has brought with it stress, fear, frustration, and anxiety for a lot of people. Not only are people missing friends and family but our “normal” on so many levels has been flipped upside down!

Mental health and self-care have been very important since the COVID outbreak started and now with unprecedented wildfires in much of the western United States people are looking to DIY projects to help reduce stress levels. Not only do DIY projects turn out a great finished projects but in the process of building your project, they can help reduce stress levels, improve anxiety, elevate your mood, and give you a better sense of connection to your world.

Small DIY Projects

Now for some small DIY projects that can be turned out in a day and will produce something useful or add curb appeal to your home. These projects range in time from 2-3 hours to a full day to install garage door windows to your current garage door.

Bird Feeding Station:

Probably one of the easiest bird feeding station designs we have seen we link to below. Most of the supplies can be found around your house except for the cedar wood. Other than your wood, you need a copper 4×4 post cap, coated wire, 1-liter water or soda bottle, eye screw, 3/8 inch grommet, wood glue, and a wooden dowl. You’ll need a tape measure, combination square, compass, safety glasses, jigsaw, orbital sander, hammer, drill/driver, scissors, wire cutters, screwdriver, 1/4 inch drill bit, and a 1/2 spade bit. You can find the direct at This Old House: https://www.thisoldhouse.com/yards/21016361/how-to-build-a-bird-feeder

Larger DIY Projects

Now for some DIY project ideas that not only allow you to focus on something positive and help you de-stress but also create a useful addition to your home or add curb appeal to your house. These projects take a bit more time but the rewards are wonderful. Think of having a new area to be able to have your home office or have your child do homeschool, below we give some tips on simple windowsill desks.

We also give you some hints on how to install new garage windows to your existing garage door to add curb appeal and also extra light to your garage. Both of these projects will take a day or two, but the finished projects are a handsome addition to any home.

Windowsill Desk Extension:

One of the most underutilized spots in most of our homes is our windowsills. DIY ideas abound for extending windowsills and creating both a useful and decorative interest in your home, office shed, or guest shed. Every room usually has at least one window and windows most normally have windowsills. It doesn’t take much to replace your current windowsill with an extended version of itself and create a place for plants, herbs, a small office, or a focal point for artwork.

For an office windowsill or place to see the beauty of the outdoors while checking social media, consider extending your windowsill area with a beautiful piece of wood finished to perfection with supports underneath for extra strength. When you install a windowsill that goes from wall to wall you already have the support of studs on each wall so it doesn’t take much more in underpinnings to give you the support you need for a small office space.

Adding a windowsill counter space in your kitchen or dining room allows you to enjoy nature while eating your meals and it also gives you a handy place to grow herbs or laze away reading a book with breakfast. Once again, if extending from wall to wall, minimal supports are needed underneath, only if the windowsill extension is more than 4 feet wide usually do you need added supports. You can use anything from Formica to a beautiful piece of wood for your kitchen windowsill seating area, choice will depend on your intention for what it will be primarily used for, ease of cleanup, and how much upkeep you want to put into your new windowsill extension.

Adding Windows to Your Garage Door:

Shed Windows and More has an amazing selection of garage doors windows that can be a wonderful addition to your already installed garage door, allowing for more light in your garage and adding curb appeal to your home. We stock a huge selection of garage door windows including;  2-panel sunburst garage door windows, 4-pane garage door windows, arched design garage door windows, diamond garage door windows, simple 4-pane garage door windows, single-pane garage door windows, and single-pane sunburst garage door windows to add to your garage door.

Remember to measure twice and cut once. It’s important before you order to make sure your garage door window will fit within a panel on your garage door. Generally garage door windows are mounted high up on the garage door to allow for the most light to enter. If your garage door is prefabricated, the back of the window will go through the door, while the front of the window will be attached to the door of the garage. Thinking this through, you will need to make an opening in the panel of the garage door large enough for the back of the window. First measure the back of the window, mark the opening needed with a pencil and then apply masking tape to the rectangle to guide you when you are cutting the panel.

Using a jigsaw to cut the opening gives you the most control and makes for the cleanest edge for installing your new garage door window. Follow the inside of the masking tape you have laid down to cut the opening for the window, making sure you have your measurement correct first. The next step is using waterproof clear caulk around the edges of the front of the window before inserting it into the opening you have made. Use a wet rag to wipe away any residue caulk for a clean finish.

Your last step is duplicating the process above with the backside of the garage door window and in most cases, the garage door window comes with screws to mount the front and back windows together. If you follow the directions you will have garage door windows that give you trouble-free service for years.

Above all have fun with your DIY project especially if you are working on these projects to reduce stress, Go slow, enjoy the process and send us your finished photos at info@shedwindowsandmore!