4 DIY and garden home projects to keep on top of this Winter

Winter can be a tough time for everyone – not just on you, but on your home and garden too! Thankfully, with savvy tool hire it’s not too difficult to protect your property from the worst Winter has to offer, as long as you’re proactive and prepared. And of course, sometimes it’s not just about the practical or preventative benefits – you might just want something to occupy your time on these dark, cloudy days! Whatever you want from your DIY project, here are some of our top suggestions for what to get started on this Winter.

Revamp your garden for the Winter

Let’s get those garden implements ready! Winter may already be well underway, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to clear away debris, or do a little light pruning of your plants, which can be an excellent way to ensure their well-being during the colder months.

You may also want to consider laying down a protective layer of mulch to shield your plants from the winter chill. And while you’re out there, you may want to look ahead to the future – think about planting winter-friendly flowers, such as pansies, to add a subtle burst of colour and vibrancy to your outdoor space.

Isn’t it time for a little illumination?

If you’ve been inspired by the Christmas switch-ons, it’s not too late to get a little bit more light into your own space. Not only does this help enhance the atmosphere of your garden, but it can also make it a lot safer too (which becomes all the more pertinent during the dark and slippy winter weather).

The soft glow of strategically placed festoon string lights or solar-powered lanterns is perfect for this sort of thing, especially when they’re concentrated on key areas like walkways or seating places. The effect can be truly magical too – illuminating your outdoor space with a touch of warmth, and turning the night into a gentle dance of shadows and radiance.

Get cosy with some home insulation

No, this doesn’t necessarily mean a massive months-long project for your loft, although we’ll leave that one to your discretion! Instead, we’re thinking more along the lines of taking a quick stroll round your home and identify any drafts. (If you’re unlucky of course, some family members might loudly identify them for you.) In most cases, a quick bit of weather stripping will be all you need to get these sorted, and you can take a look round at any draft excluders.

Sometimes, an ill-fitted door might be the cause of a draft. The solutions to this will naturally vary depending on the nature of the door itself, but it may involve something like planing down the top of the door and fitting a draft excluder for to account for the possible gap at the bottom. Obviously though, make sure you do a thorough assessment of what’s actually required before you get too busy with the tools!

Get creative!

If you’re already happy with the state of your garden and home in general, then it might be time to look at whether there are any particularly creatively fulfilling things you can do to occupy your time in the run-up to Christmas. You may want to repaint a room for example, and give it a new shade ready for the New Year.

Alternatively, if you prefer something a bit less ambitious but equally hands-on, you can do something like create a log-holder for your seasoned logs, so you’ve got somewhere nice to store them before they go on the fire. You could also craft a handmade Christmas gift, like a DIY tool organiser – quite the personal gift for someone handy in your life!

Those are just a couple of our top ideas. Depending on what you need to get done, you may be able to think of more of your own! Whatever the case, if you need gardening tools or DIY tools like nail guns to get things sorted this winter, you’re in exactly the right place. For over half a century here at Smiths Hire, we’ve been providing quality equipment and tool hire to our customers all over the country. We currently have 16 depots across the North West and Yorkshire, including major cities such as Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds. If you need some assistance, give our friendly team a ring on 0333 323 2100 and our experts will be happy to advise you!