10 DIY Projects Under $10
Mason jars and Mod Podge form the backbone of the DIY movement, a push toward crafting that’s exploded in recent years (largely thanks to websites like Pinterest). But if you’re not super artsy, breaking into the DIY world can be intimidating—especially if you’re strapped for cash or time. Don’t let that keep you from sprucing up your apartment, though. We’ve compiled a list of DIY projects that are as easy as they are cheap, all coming in at under $10:
- Contact Paper Dollar Store Pots
- Dipped Basket
- Monogrammed Cutting Board
- Spray-Painted Doorknobs
- Sheet-Covered Shelves
- Ragu Vases
- Rubber Band Votives
- “Cork” Boards
- Sharpie Mugs
- Hanging Jars
This project is as simple as grabbing a few colorful pots at the dollar store and collecting scraps of contact paper. Cut the contact paper into strips and wrap it around the pots in stripes or X’s to mark the rim of each pot.
Scour your favorite thrift store for a cool basket—it’s okay if it’s a bit beat up—and bring it home for a makeover. You basically use tape to create stripes around the basket, and then paint it in different colors to create a layered effect. Bonus points if you wrap a piece of patterned fabric around the middle like this DIYer did.
For this project, pick up a cheap wooden cutting board at Target or the thrift store and use non-toxic paint to transform it into a monogrammed fixture to hang in your kitchen.
If you have the technical knowledge to unscrew a doorknob, you can complete this project. Remove the brass knobs from your doors and spray-paint them a contemporary shade of black or matte gray to update your home. (Renters might want to check their leases before starting this project.)
If you have old printed sheets lying around—or you can find some cool ones at the Salvation army nearby—give them new purpose as shelf coverings. All you need are primer, spray adhesive, and an hour or two.
Anyone with an empty spaghetti jar in recycling should take it out, stat. This simple craft idea has you repurpose Ragu jars into cute vases by simply squirting some paint inside and rolling the jar around until it coats the entire interior. Wrap the top of the jar in twine to complete the look, then fill it with fresh flowers.
Grab a cheap pack of skinny glasses at Walmart or collect a few from local thrift stores, then wrap the glasses in rubber bands of different sizes. Spray a coat of matte white paint, stick candles inside, and you have pretty glowing votives for your table.
This project transforms outdated framed prints into a display of your wine corks. It’s as simple as collecting the corks and hot-gluing them inside of an old frame, right on top of the print if that’s easiest (just add a coat of black paint first).
Show off your artistic talents by reinventing blank dollar-store mugs into cute his and hers coffee cups—or add any other pattern you like. Make sure you have Sharpies in a variety of colors, and hand-wash your mugs (the dishwasher tends to take off the marker).
If you’re looking for some extra space in your kitchen, make use of the dead air beneath floating shelves. Grab some baby food jars (or any other small jar), drill a hole in the center of each jar’s lid, and then put a washer on either side and screw the lid into the bottom of a shelf. Stow small items in the jar and then screw it right onto your shelf.
