Do you look around your house and have a desire to improve your home? I think it’s normal that we want to be constantly making things better where we live and spend most of our time.

If that’s you, these are 5 simple ways you can do that this summer that don’t have huge price tags, but make a strong impact.

*This post contains affiliate links to products I know &/or love.

No. 1 – Swap your boring screens for Lace!

Along with the longer beautiful days of summer also comes warmer weather… and bugs.

Having your windows open helps greatly with both of those things – and having a beautiful lace screen makes it even more whimsical and sweet.

When we moved in, some of the windows were missing frames. Instead of going with the standard fiberglass and mesh, we created basic frames with 1×2″ boards and thrifted vintage lace tablecloths.

It’s as easy as it sounds. We measured the opening in each window (especially in an old house – take exact measurements, don’t guess or estimate!) understanding that we’d shut the windows down enough to hold the screens in place.

Then we cut our 1×2’s with 45° on the ends so that we could miter them together. We used staples to attach the frame pieces and to attach the lace to the frame.

This is such an easy way to improve both the look and feel of your home.

No. 2 – Make a great Firepit to use for Friends & Family

Having a great outdoor space that you love is a simple improvement that makes it so much easier to invite friends and family over to spend time with you during the summer.

Here’s how to do it:

Our firepit is made out of concrete garden blocks from Home Depot.

This piece of the step has a bit of up-front cost if you don’t already have a firepit, but the investment pays off year over year! You can often get a discount when buying the concrete blocks in bulk, or find them on sale during holidays.

Often you can source outdoor furniture second hand, or pull items from inside your home that can withstand the summer weather. Group your seating into 2-3 chairs so that people can have natural separation and space to visit while at the fire.

Add a fantastic fringe umbrella for shade on hot days.

Add pillows to add more comfort and coziness to your seats, and drape pretty blankets that look gorgeous, and can also be used when the temperature drops in the evening.

For our outdoor string lights – we used 1/2 whisky barrels and filled the bottom half with cement – we stood a 4×4″ post in the center and kept it steady there until it the cement cured.

Then we added soil on top so that we could use it as a planter for a perennial plant that will return each summer.

Then we strung up outdoor lights between the posts.

I think it looks especially dreamy in the evening once it’s gotten dark!

No. 3 – Join the Behind the Scenes Design & Discipleship Group

Summer may be out for most school children soon – but that doesn’t mean that YOU can’t be learning & growing in your love & knowledge of design!

Joining this group could be the most impactful way you could improve your home this summer

My Behind the Scenes Design & Discipleship Group meets weekly (Thursdays on Zoom at 2:00pm Pacific Time) and we cover topics that are on the mind of creative Christian women.

What do we focus on?

• We work on editing our homes and creating a clean, organized slate to work in.
• I teach practical interior design skills like upholstery, mood boards & selecting paint colors.
• We do a monthly bible study that digs deep into heart issues like contentment, marriage & family.
• And I offer consultations to members to help tackle their design dilemmas within their homes.

We’ll be opening for Registration from Friday, May 29 – Tuesday, June 2, 2026 – I hope you come join our community!

Click Here to Learn More

I’ve seen first hand the beautiful friendships that can form – even in an online group like ours.

Earlier this month I held my Bespoke Design Retreat – and got to both meet some of my BTS gals in person for the first time, and see others again!

It’s so precious to me that our time together on Zoom translates into beautiful friendships in real life.

If you feel like you’re desiring the kind of kindred spirit friendships that Anne of Green Gables talks about – the Behind the Scenes group is a proven source of lovely, creative women excited to welcome you with open arms.

During the Bespoke retreat, we had the time to sit down with a few of the gals from BTS and ask them to share some of what they love about the group. Here’s what they had to say:

“BTS is like a big, warm hug. You can feel the camaraderie & a lot of love – surrounded with happiness after each class.” ~ Kelli (pictured above, far left)

“Part of what keeps me coming back is that we get to edit our homes. It’s not overwhelming when Sarah breaks it down into simple steps.” ~ Tammy (pictured above, second from the left)

“I found Sarah on YouTube during Covid and when I realized she had a class, I knew I needed to be part of it. The group has been a way to have an outlet for my creativity; and I’ve made lifelong friends – and I’m making more now.” ~ JoAnn (pictured above, second from the right)

You can click below to join the waitlist if you are reading this outside of the registration window, and we’ll notify you as soon as we are open again!

No. 4 – Take Advantage of Good Weather for Garage Sales

Throughout my adult life, I’ve been a frequenter of many yard sales, garage sales, antique shows and flea markets.

I love getting things at less than retail – so much so, that as we remodeled, furnished & styled our house, we did it with 90% thrifted & DIY items.

Whether you’re searching for furniture, decor, clothes or other necessities – the weather in the summer lends itself so nicely to great weekend garage sales and I always want to take advantage!

Here are my best tips for the summer yard & garage sales!

Timing | Plan on arriving by about 9am and shopping sales until around noon on Friday & Saturday.

Appearance | I prefer to do my garage sale shopping prior to getting really made up for the day. Sometimes when you’re really searching for the best items, it involves getting your hands & potentially your clothes dirty: especially when you’re moving things around and getting down low to look under tables, etc.

I’ve also found that if I look too put-together, it’s harder to get sellers to barter and make deals.

Location | I like to scope out the ads to know where the biggest sales are for the weekend, and I plan my route specifically so that I can spend as little time travelling as possible- which maximizes my time spent shopping.

I’ll also hit the biggest intersections within about 3 miles of my house and follow fresh signs with current dates &/or balloons that prove it’s a current sale.

Prep your list | I actually keep a running list in my phone of things I’d like to look out for at thrift stores & garage sales.

Tip: Include as many specifics as necessary to guide you to the perfect item. If you’re looking for a basket that fits a specific shelf, make sure to include measurements. If you’re wanting to match a specific color or material, bring a little swatch.

Having these things prepared makes it much less likely that you’ll come home with something that doesn’t actually work for your need.

Network with Friends | I have a group of about 5 girls that I know who love sales as much as I do. We will keep our eye out and share information and details when we hit a good sale or find an item that we think the others may love.

No. 5 – Increase your Patriotic Decor

This one is especially relevant this year as we’re celebrating America’s 250th Birthday. Including patriotic colors and imagery, and things that feel very American creates nostalgia & pride, and makes your home feel more special during the summer.

I did a full round-up of my favorite elements of Patriotic decor that are still vintage and classic – not cheesy or over the top.

Here are the highlights:

• Incorporate Red, White & Blue into your textiles, furniture pieces & vignettes
• Think about Americana – the people, places and things that feel like they’re woven into the fabric of the USA.
• Add flags into otherwise very simple elements (like a front porch fern) to add charm without feeling like it’s overpowering.

Challenge yourself to incorporate at least one of the elements into your home this summer!

Related Posts & Resources

• Lace Window Screen Tutorial
• 90% Thrifted & DIY Home
• 5 Secrets to Shopping Garage Sales
• Summer Decorating For Your Home
• Designing & Styling an Elegant Summer Front Porch
• Bedroom Styling that Lasts All Summer Long
• How to Style Thrifted Decorations For Summer

Pinterest Boards You May Enjoy

• Vintage Summer Style
• Vintage 4th of July Decor
• Vintage Organization Ideas
• Thrift Tips & Inspiration

Save these Easy Ideas to Improve Your Home for Later: