5 End-of-Summer DIY Projects | Guest Post

Hello everyone! I've been wanting to blog believe me, but I can't squeeze my busy schedule plus my mind's not working these past few days. I promise, I will share everything once I'm ready but for now here's an article that was written by Jessica Kane, my guest writer for this month. Thank you Jessica for this lovely article! I hope you guys would like it, this is really a very informative DIY post. Enjoy Reading!

Build a Bookshelf

If you've accumulated some beach reading or new books during your spare summer hours, a bookshelf is a wonderful place to keep them! A bookshelf is a project that can help fill your afternoon if you already have a bit of basic carpentry experience under your belt. Or, if you rather stick to an easier DIY task, you can buy an inexpensive bookshelf at a garage sale, or find one for free on Craigslist, and then paint it yourself to suit your style. Check out this article to learn how to build a bookshelf, or video one to learn how to paint one today!

Start a Scrapbook

Scrapbooks have long been a wonderful creative outlet for children and adults alike. Summer is the perfect time for traveling, camping, or simply relaxing; once you've made these memories, a scrapbook is the perfect tool for saving photos and cherishing keepsakes for autumn and beyond. All you need is the book to start — then, you can glue your own photographs, concert tickets, inspirational quotes, plane tickets, or anything else you choose onto the pages. After these basics, you can decorate the borders and embellish the blank space for extra flair. For more tips on creating your first scrapbook, check out scrapbook.com.

Fix Up Your Yard

Summer can wreak havoc on your lawn and landscaping! After your kids have splashed around in sprinkler water, or worse, after the dry summer heat has parched your lawn to a crisp, your landscaping may need a refresher for the fall. Many people turn to professional landscapers for help, but this can easily be a DIY project as well! If you enjoy cooking, you could try a basic vegetable garden with staples like tomatoes, basil, squash, cucumbers, mint, or your other favorite greens. If you're more into flowers, try planting some perennials that will bloom again in the spring. Be sure to keep your home's climate in mind if you're redoing your yard in the fall, though! In just a few months, everything may be covered in snow. For DIY landscaping ideas, try searching through this website; if you'd like tips on planting your own vegetable garden, check this or this one out.

Tune Up Your Car

If you were lucky enough to take any road trips over the summer, you may have put some additional miles (and strain!) on your vehicle. Sometimes, your car will give you a warning light if it needs an oil change or other routine maintenance; other times, it's up to you to make minor repairs on your car as it ages. Tuning up your car can be a great end-of-summer DIY project, especially if the arrival of September means you'll have to start commuting to school or a new job. If you're curious where to start, check out this WikiHow article for more details.

Clean Up the Clutter

The summer heat can often deter us from spending hours in a muggy garage or stuffy attic, going through old records, kids' toys, tools, keepsakes, or other things many refer to as "junk." But once autumn arrives, it can cool off enough for us to trudge through the dust and begin reorganizing boxes. This DIY project may be best tackled with a partner-in-crime — for instance, your spouse or another important family member — so you can avoid throwing away things that are considered sentimental to someone else (even if it's junk to you!). Whether you're cleaning out your garage, a spare walk-in closet, an attic, or another storage space in your home, this article may prove helpful in planning what can be a very daunting task.

Jessica Kane is a professional writer who has an interest in interior design and home decor. She currently writes for ECOS Paints, a leading vendor of superior, durable and eco-friendly paints.