1. Create a Mood Board

Gater's first tip for successfully completing a DIY home project is to start with a plan. She says you should take intentional time to gather inspiration photos (Gater recommends looking at Pinterest), create a mood board for the space, and, if applicable, discuss the vision with your living partner. "Moodboarding is so helpful when planning the style of your space," she says. "I drag in paint colors, actual products I have my eye on and inspiration images so I can see how everything is working (or not working) together."

While creating mood boards and picking products to buy, Gater uses a floor-planning tool to see what the room will look like after the transformation. "With a floor-planner tool, you can input products and change the size of them, so you can completely map out your space before you buy anything," she says. Gater says to use a planning tool, especially before buying bigger items like sofas or rugs to make sure the dimensions are correct.

Carla Antonio

2. Use Peel and Stick Products

Using peel-and-stick products to upgrade a room is the perfect project for winter because it doesn't require any painting or ventilation. There are plenty of peel-and-stick products to choice from depending on what you want to DIY. For example, for bathrooms and kitchens, add peel-and-stick tile. For bedrooms or living rooms, try peel-and-stick trim. "I love peel-and-stick products for floors, backsplash tile, and countertops," Gater says. "They’re removable but also instantly transform outdated elements in a space."

While painting and adding tile and trim all upgrade rooms, Gater says she often leans toward using wallpaper to transform a space completely. "Wallpaper usually makes my heart skip a beat," she says. "There are just so many pretty patterns out there. I also love how it adds texture to a room." When applying peel-and-stick wallpaper, Gater ensures the wallpaper is straight by using a laser level instead of starting the paper at the top of the wall.

Carla Antonio

3. Transform Thrifted Items

The winter is a great time to hunker down and give new life to thrifted furniture. Whether it's a cabinet, sofa, or even a piece of art, thrifted items can easily be transformed into pieces that look custom-made. In her home design YouTube videos, Gater frequently makes over second-hand items like hutches, tables, and cabinets by adding coats of paint or stain and replacing the hardware.

Gater explains that renters are more hesitant to buy new and thrifted pieces because they aren't sure how long they'll live in the space. She says that people shouldn't be scared to buy and invest in pieces they love. "If you’re on a budget, that might mean slowly growing your collection over time," she says. "If you invest in pieces you love, you’ll bring them with you to your next space. Things can move with you rental-to-rental. 

Carla Antonio

4. Add Texture

Another easy DIY to tackle during the winter months is to add texture to the walls in your home. While this may sound complex, there are plenty of ways to add texture without having to use a texture sprayer. One of these ways is by applying beadboard to the walls in your home. In her videos on YouTube, Gater shows how to apply beadboard you can purchase from the hardware store to a wall using a nail gun. Finish off the beadboard by adding pieces of trim to the top to give it a polished look. When it's time to move out, simply remove the boards and fill in the nail holes.