If you’re like most people, you’ve got a running list of home improvement projects that need to get done… someday. So once a free Saturday morning presents itself, you join the hordes of other occasional DIY-ers around the house.

Sounds like a chore, and it is. But it’s also so fulfilling to make something happen. So why not make a free Saturday morning on purpose to get one of these projects out of the way? We have created a list of the top 5 home improvement projects that can be done in a morning.

1. Spruce up one wall

Maybe you’ve got a problematic wall in your house. Or perhaps the condition of all your walls is fine but you’re looking to add a little something-something to your living space. Boldly decorating just one wall can change the way your whole space feels, and instantly create a design feel. Whether you go for a bold color paint or wild wallpaper in a well-chosen area, this project will only take a few hours and make a big difference.

All you need for this job is some paint or wallpaper and cleaning supplies. Make sure the wall is clean before you add the wallpaper paste or the paint.

2. Change the lighting in one place

It is often said that lighting can change the whole feel and atmosphere of a room. Whoever says it probably knows their stuff. If you’re more interested in changing the feel of a room than how it actually looks, changing the lighting can be just what you need. Picking out the new lights and installing it takes less than a full morning (although it might be longer if you pick an especially fancy setup) and is easy on the budget, too.

For this one, you’ll need the new lighting, a set of screwdrivers, and a multimeter. If you have a digital multimeter that allows for non-contact voltage measurements, you’ll find that you can check for live wires without breaking a sweat. Even if you have to touch the wires with the multimeter, it’s not difficult.

3. Add a trim

Trims are one of the best-kept secrets in the home decoration industry, and for good reason. You can decorate almost anything with a fancy looking trim to make it look ten times better (and more expensive). Need some ideas? Aside from the intersection of floor and wall, you can add trim to doors, the ceiling, bookcases, (kitchen) cabinets and many more places.

All you need is a saw, some nails and a hammer, and the trim itself. Buy a little more trim than strictly necessary, so you can make a small mistake without having to run all the way back to the hardware store.

4. Add something special in the bathroom

Together with the kitchen, the bathroom is the place where your efforts pay the most bang for your buck when it comes to cash investments. It’s also one of the places where it’s relatively easy to replace one thing with a slightly improved object and see a big difference. Things you can think of here include: a fancy mirror, a prettier sink, a great way to hang your towels, or a simple backsplash behind the sink.

What you need here depends on the particular project you chose to do. But all of these can be done quickly, without expert knowledge, and for a good budget.

5. Add shelves in unexpected places (above the door)

One of the great ways to make your house feel easier and bigger is by decluttering. There are a lot of ways to declutter but if you’re like most people, you’ll end up wanting to keep some memories that don’t necessarily have a good place. The trick is to add more shelving in unexpected places that look good, too.

Like right above your doors. It makes perfect sense, if you think about it. A shelf above the door can display some significant things, while also leaving the room uncluttered and even adding some character to the space. With the right shelf, you’ll add a decorative and purposeful space to put the things you can’t bear to throw away.

For this one, you need a shelf. For easy decorative shelving, simply get some decorative shelf support brackets and a wooden plank. You can change the exact look of the shelf by adding paint or other effects.

Conclusion

You’re never really done improving a house. But some projects can improve a space in a matter of hours. That’s what makes all the projects above perfect for an otherwise lost Saturday morning. No matter which of the above projects you pick, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor every time you walk into the space you improved.