Frugal Family Projects That Stand the Test of Time
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What’s worse than spending time and money on a project, and then a few months pass by and it falls apart? Okay, in all honesty, many things are worse than that, but you have to admit this is far from pleasant. If I’m investing anything, whether that’s time, money, or both in something, I want to know it will be worth it. Otherwise, what’s the point of DIY? You plan on saving money, but you end up wasting it.
But it doesn’t have to be like that if you’re smart about choosing materials and if you plan a bit beforehand. I’ll show you a few excellent DIY projects you can do with your family. All of them will last you a long time and you won’t need to spend a lot of money on any of them, so let’s start!
6 DIY Family Projects
Here are some of my favorite projects that you can include your whole family into!
1. Furniture Made from Reclaimed Wood
Reclaimed wood is environmentally-friendly, affordable, and full of character and this project can be a chance to teach your kids about how important sustainability is.
First, pick sturdy wood. I’d recommend oak, cedar, or maple because they last longer than softwoods. Let your kids help you sand down the edges, and you can handle cutting and assembling. Once it’s done, apply a good sealant or finish to protect it from moisture and wear.
As far as what type of furniture you’ll make, a coffee table, a bookshelf, or a bench are really easy to do.
2. Raised Garden Beds
Gardening can teach your kids to be patient and responsible, and if you build a garden bed together, it will be even more fun. Cedar, recycled composite boards, and even cinder boards will do excellent for this purpose.
Parents can cut and assemble, and the kids can help fill the garden beds with soil and plant the seeds. Make sure to add a layer of gravel underneath the garden beds to help with drainage and to keep the structure in good shape.
3. DIY Storage Options
I don’t like a messy house, and I assume you’re the same, but if your storage is weak, you don’t have any other choice but to put up with it. I’ve found that a lot of shelves and bins I buy at the store fall apart quickly, especially when you have kids pulling things in and out.
If you build a sturdy shelf or cubbies yourself, you’ll never have storage falling apart on you. Get plywood or solid wood and use it to build your storage, and your kids can help you organize and decorate it. The parents will do all the heavy lifting, of course.
Remember to use strong anchors and brackets to keep the shelves from falling. If you’d like an outdoor storage space, that’s something you’ll need structural steel trusses for, and if you’re not particularly handy, it can last a while until you’re done with it.
4. Patio Covers and Pergolas
If you and your family like to spend time outside, adding a patio cover or pergola will be very useful. The most important thing here is to use strong materials that don’t need a lot of maintenance, and treated wood will work great here.
Reinforce the base with concrete footings so it stays sturdy even if it’s windy outside. Once you build the frame, the kids can hang lights or plants on it to make it cozy.
5. Play Areas
If you’re a parent, you’ve bought a cheap plastic playset at least once and you were disappointed to see it fall apart soon. So, instead of replacing broken swings and slides every couple of years, you can build a wooden playset with your family.
Pressure-treated wood and cedar are very durable, and instead of using nails, you can reinforce the joints with screws and bolts.
For safety, make sure the wood is sanded down well and has no splinters. Add rubber mulch or soft ground cover under the structure, and get your kids to help you paint and pick out the colors.
6. Home Office or a Study Nook
Instead of having a flimsy desk and a bookshelf, why not build something that will last?
Solid wood desks and metal-framed shelves are much, much stronger than anything cheap you can get at the store. If you attach the shelves with strong brackets, they won’t start sagging over time.
You and your partner can handle construction, and the kids can organize supplies and add personal touches.
Conclusion
TV time is great, and playing video games is fun, too, but you probably don’t want your kids stuck to a screen too much. You also don’t want flimsy furniture or have to pay a fortune for quality store-bought pieces.
Well, look no further than home DIY projects that the whole family can participate in and, in the end, you get quality pieces for your home that you didn’t spend a lot of money on.
