10 DIY Projects for Your New Home

5. Cabinet Doors

If your home inspector overlooked a broken cabinet door, hiring someone to fix it will add up. "When a cabinet doors breaks, the first step is to diagnose exactly what broke. Is it the hinge, or the cabinet door itself? If it's the hinge, this needs to be replaced. Most home centers have a wide assortment of different cabinet hinges in stock," Foti tells MainStreet.

In the event you can't find the proper hinge in the store, Foti recommends contacting the cabinet company to see if you can purchase a new hinge.
 
6.  Painting a Trim
 
When painting, it's the smaller areas that matter -- like the door trims, which can be rather difficult to paint. Joe Kowalski, training manager at Glidden, offers the following tips for creating the perfect look for your door:

• Give the door a quick wash and rinse -- be sure the area dries completely before you start painting.
• Cover the metal hinges to prevent them from getting covered in paint –- a few coats of rubber cement should do the trick. Use tape to protect the doorknob, lock and any other hardware as well.
• Begin by painting the frame, making sure to work up from the inside bottom, across the top and down the other side.
• This is done best with a 2" to 2.5" angled brush. When you start on the door, use a 4" brush or foam roller.
• Kowalski also recommends the use of quality nylon or polyester bristle brushes.
   

7. Table Legs

When moving into a new home, you may have worked out a deal with the previous homeowner where they'll throw in some of their furniture. And while free furniture is great for the new owner, there's no guarantee the furniture will be in tip-top shape. Foti offers some simple instructions for fixing a damaged table leg:

• Determine where the gap is occurring between the floor and the leg. Measure the distance between the two. Most professional handymen will recommend using a wine cork to fill in the gap, since it won't scratch the floor.
• Cut the cork to the size of the gap
• Finally, use wood glue to fasten the cork onto the leg

8. Correcting Termite Damage

While you've probably had a termite inspection before signing the contract of your new home, this doesn't mean areas of the house are free of past termite damage. Jackie Johnson, technical service specialist at Bondo Brands offers the following tips for fixing wood doors and frames from termite damage:

• Clean the surface with warm, soapy water to remove dirt, wax, oil and grease. Allow this area to dry.
• Sand the area to remove all primer, paint, loose rotted wood or rust extending one to two inches beyond the damaged area. Remove all dust created from sanding. Re-clean the surface as advised in the previous step.
• Use the wood filler to spread an initial thin layer of filler over the repair area and allow ten minutes for the filler to dry.
• Sand and shape the filled area to the contour of the surface. Feather the edge of the area until the surface is smooth.
• Prime, paint or apply wood stain to the area per the manufacturer's recommendation.
• Clean tools with acetone or lacquer thinner.

9. Re-Caulking

The bathroom is another area of the home that's easily susceptible to damage. Replacing old caulk is a simple and cost effective way to freshen up a sink, bathtub or shower.

"When you are replacing caulk in an area with water (a tub or shower), be sure to use waterproof or silicone caulk," advises Foti.

Additionally, Foti offers these simple suggestions for completing this caulking DIY project:

• Properly remove the old caulk. Use a putty knife or razor blade to remove the bulk of it, then utilize mineral spirits and a scrubbing brush to remove any remaining caulk. Allow this area to dry completely.
• Apply the new caulk with a smooth and steady motion being careful to not create buildup in any area. Wet your finger and run it
  over the bead with the same smooth motion to make it uniform in appearance.
• Allow the caulk to dry for 24 hours.

10. Bathroom Fixtures
 
Replacing a damaged or old lighting fixture is an inexpensive, yet impactful way to update your bathroom. Manja Swanson, chief creative officer of Lamps Plus shares these tips with MainStreet:

• For a quick fix replacing a bathroom light, select the same type, or at least a similar size as the existing fixture in order to avoid the cost of hiring an electrician.
• Make sure to choose two wall sconces or a bath bar light (light above the mirror) that is large enough to illuminate both sides of your face evenly.
• Position wall sconces or the bath bar light three to six inches above or to the side of the mirror, while being mindful of the mirror's height and your own height.

--By Scott Gamm

Gamm is the founder of the personal finance website HelpSaveMyDollars.com. He has appeared on NBC’s TODAY, MSNBC and CNN. Follow Scott on Facebook and Twitter.