The Smart, Simple DIY Projects Retirees Are Proud of
Retirement often comes with more free time, a tighter budget, and a strong sense of pride in doing things yourself. Instead of rushing out to buy something new, many retirees are turning to simple, creative DIY solutions. Whether it’s fixing up old furniture, repurposing household items, or tackling small home projects, these hands-on approaches save money and bring a real sense of satisfaction. Here are some of the most popular things retirees are choosing to DIY instead of replace.
Homemade Cleaning Supplies
Many retirees are eschewing store-bought cleaning supplies for their own creations, and arguing they work just as well. Vinegar, water and essential oils replace cleaning sprays while pastes are made from baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. A little lemon added, and you have a citrus surprise of scent and cleaning.
Refurbished Furniture
Getting older doesn’t mean giving up - and we’re looking at you, used furniture! Why give up on something that likely has sentimental value when you can sand it, stain it and reuse it instead? You can even make them into different furniture items entirely.
Toys & Games for Grandkids
Sure, you could get generic toys from the store, but there’s so many other ways to pour ingenuity into playtime. Seniors are gifting their grandkids with plush animals, DIY board games and other homemade delights - all made with love. They’re durable, personal, and unforgettable.
Tool Storage Racks
Gardening is popular with everyone, but retirees in particular are spending more time in the great outdoors (or their yards, anyway). An organized tool rack is an essential time-saver, and people with green thumbs are cutting corners using pegboards, pipes and repurposed rake heads as hangers!
DIY Curtains & Blinds
You could go and buy a set of expensive curtains… or if you’re handy with a sewing machine and full of thrift, you can turn old fabric and crafting supplies into something you can hang above windows with self-made pride.
Upcycled Shelving Units
Shelving is just a flat surface you can put stuff on, right? So it doesn’t have to be purchased - you can find them all over the place. Retirees are turning old drawers, reclaimed wood and even ladders into decorations with a drill, DIY supplies and old-fashioned ingenuity.
Patchwork Quilts
The classics don’t die, and patchwork quilts are the OG memory-makers stitched with nostalgia and love. Old clothing, fabric and linen can be given new life as a warm and comforting memory; there are retirees who are using fabrics from family heirlooms and milestones as gifts for their grandkids, too.
Handmade Cushions & Covers
Store-bought throw pillows are expensive, but the ones you make yourself? They’re priceless. Craft-savvy retirees are using old material such as denim or old curtains to create the covers with sewing skills and fabric glue. The result is upcycled, unique decorations to be proud of.
Home-Cooked Air Fresheners
You don’t need chemicals to create a beautiful scent that leaves your home smelling fresh! Your gran uses natural ingredients - cinnamon sticks, orange peels, cloves - simmered in a jar of hot water and infused with essential oils to make her own aromatherapy. It’s customizable and affordable.
Rain Barrel Systems
Retirees were using rain barrels long before it was the cool new thing, and theirs were cobbled together with barrels, hoses and DIY spigots. There’s less water bills, a touch of DIY class to the garden and your plants are fed with fresh rainwater. Everyone’s a winner!
Raised Garden Beds
Bending down is for chumps (and people with younger knees), so why build low garden beds when raised ones do the same job? Reclaimed wood, bricks and cinderblocks make yards look rustic and attractive, plus they’re practical. Wooden pallets make especially good raised planters.
Birdhouses & Feeders
Birds are a garden blessing - they keep insects away, help spread seeds and they’re relaxing to watch. Retirees are welcoming feathered friends into their yard with feeders and birdhouses made from all sorts - glass bottles for hummingbirds, teacups, tins and even adding license-plate awning to homemade birdhouses.
Compost Bins
There are few things quite as thrifty as reusing food waste, and the experienced generation are mastering it with homemade compost bins made from pallets and repurposed trash cans with drilled air holes. Save money, fertilize the garden and harness the circle of life, all in one project.
Garden Trellises & Arbors
You don’t need to buy trellises for your climbing plants when you have a crafty nature and bohemian heart! Wire, wood and bent rebar can all be repurposed into a frame for your garden drama, and vertical planting is a real space-saver for smaller gardens.
Outdoor Benches
If you have the DIY spirit you can save money on garden furniture by making your own from old headboards, pallets and railings. All the material’s there, it just needs reshaping into something you can sit on - even tree stumps can be converted into charming rustic seating.
Mason Jar Lanterns
Creative and beautiful, mason jars can be turned into magical lanterns for indoor or outdoor use with a little ingenuity. Simply fill the empty jars with tea candles and solar-powered fairy lights and hang them on strings to create an enchanting and eco-friendly illuminated space.
Door Draft Stoppers
Energy consciousness is a state of mind seniors are embracing by crafting their own draft stoppers - plus they get to keep warm too. Fabric tubes with rice, bean or foam stuffings decorated with spare material are perfect for blocking breezes creeping under your doors.
Rewired Lamps
Vintage lamps have that gorgeous nostalgic look, but they’re not the safest objects in the world, and some stopped working long ago. Self-motivated seniors are taking the time to give them safe, modern rewiring and even repainting or re-shading them for a complete glow-up.
Furniture Sliders
Tired of dragging chairs around to that awful screeching noise? Make some furniture sliders out of felt scraps or teflon pads and glue them to furniture legs. Hair ties and socks are super effective too, and they make rearranging your sitting area much easier on the back.
Customized Extension Cords
Extension cords quickly turn into unruly spaghetti when you use a lot of them, but retirees have found the answer: customize them! Cut them to length with safe plug replacements, use on/off switches to manage multi-plug outlets or even organize them with colorful fabric sleeves.
Weatherproofing Windows
Rather than waste money on expensive new windows, some enterprising DIYers are making their own weatherproof window kits. Clear plastic film applied with a hairdryer, foam tape and rolled up towels and insulated homemade curtains are used to keep warm in winter.
Greeting Cards
Homemade greeting cards are not only budget-friendly, but they’re more personal than store-bought ones, too - no one else will have the card you make, and you can customize it in any way you like; dried flowers, beads… heck, even googly eyes if you want!
Seasonal Wreaths
Wreaths are mostly associated with Christmas, but you can make them for any season if you decorate them right. Pinecones, dried flowers and reclaimed wood can capture a time of year or even your mood and add an extra touch of glass to your front door decorating.
Pottery & Clay Projects
Art is therapeutic and there’s nothing like getting your hands dirty with clay. It’s customizable, too; make whatever you like within your skill range, from pots to bowls and plant tags. Don’t worry if you get some misshapen pieces - it adds character.
Woodburned Signs
Have you got a wholesome message to send to the world (or simply passers-by)? Retirees are using pieces of wood to personalize signs for the house or garden. They’re completely free-form too: keep it rustic or go the whole hog with a sanded, painted and polished look.
DIY Picture Frames
When the stores are trying to shake you down for picture frames, make your own with whatever wood you have to hand. You can make them any size you want, and the materials you use - whether its old rulers, shells or reclaimed wood - are all personalized.
Beaded Jewelry & Accessories
Retirees are no strangers to hand-made jewelry, and there’s nothing like turning an old necklace into a customized masterpiece. Whether it’s zippers, earrings or personalized bracelets, you can breathe new life into broken accessories with a little creative flair.
Pet Beds & Toys
Your pets love to be around you, and what better way to stay close to them than with DIY beds and toys? Your old clothes make excellent material for burrows and pet houses, while you can hand-craft catnip-loaded felt fish for the house’s feline ruler.
Photo Albums & Scrapbooks
Rather than buying photo albums, you can save money and add some love with DIY versions - scrapbooks that don’t just contain photos, but keepsakes and fun, too. Add ticket stubs, pressed flowers, personal notes or even envelopes to be opened at specified times - it’s interactive and fun!
Costume Pieces
Whether your grandkids have excellent imaginations or need a little creative nudge, who can resist the allure of home-made costumes? Playtime comes to life when you can wear a wizard’s hat, a pirate costume or a princess dress, and family visits become magical.
Blanket Fort Kits
Rather than buying expensive playhouses, you don’t need to spend anything to create a blanket fort - just grab some fresh laundry and drape it over whatever furniture you can find. Blanket forts can be a place for adventure, rest and mystery. Don’t forget a flashlight or two!
Homemade Bread & Preserves
You can’t beat the smell of fresh-baked bread, and some retirees have spent their downtime perfecting the art rather than buying in bulk. It’s not just bread, either - jams and preserves are a popular choice, and there’s always plenty of home crafted gifts for friends and family.
Reused Jars & Containers
For crafty DIYers, there’s no such thing as trash - everything can be reused, and containers are an easy budget-saver. Biscuit tins, coffee pots and even jam jars make excellent storage for stationary and small items. They can even be re-used for cooking!
DIY Spice Blends & Tea Mixes
Know one knows how to make thrifty recipes like retirees, and rather than store-bought teas and spices, they stock their cupboards with ones of their own making. They’re customizable, and there’s one for every occasion - treating colds, relaxing or something to warm the bones and heart.
Repurposed Dish Towels Into Aprons
An apron is just an extra cover so you don’t get spills on your clothes. You don’t have to buy them - if you’re vaguely familiar with a sewing machine you can make your own with old towels, or even opt for iron-on tape and smart use of knots for a thrifty kitchen accoutrement.
