Maybe you haven’t been able to do some of the things you had hoped to do before the holiday season. Here are some temporary, alternative options:
Don’t have time to paint? Wash your walls instead. You might find that you don’t really need to paint right now after all.
Instead of getting new carpet or installing a different type of flooring, consider an area rug for a temporary fix. To save even more time and money, go to Target or another store that carries basic home furnishings, and look for an area carpet. You can often find good quality carpet with bound edges, in a variety of popular colors and at very affordable prices. This is a great way to spruce up a space temporarily without much of an investment, so you can save your money for a new flooring purchase at a later date.
What about repairs? Maybe your kitchen flooring is worse for wear. You can use a temporary fix until you can do something more substantial. For example, if there is a small tear in your vinyl flooring, you can touch it up with clear nail polish. First, clean the area thoroughly, apply polish, and make sure it’s completely dry before allowing anyone to walk on the floor. It must be more than dry to the touch; it must be hardened.
It’s important to keep a tear from growing larger, so you may need to employ strategies that you normally wouldn’t use. You can temporarily apply clear decal material to protect the floor. Clean the area thoroughly and then hold the rough edges together as neatly as possible when applying the decal material. Smooth into place with a small squeegee (or credit card in a pinch) a little at a time to avoid wrinkles or bubbles. Make sure the adhesive is firmly in place.
Rather than using clear decals, you might also be able to find pressure sensitive vinyl material used for lettering at a local sign shop. It is available in a variety of colors, so you might be able to find something that will closely match your flooring.
While these may not be your first choices, they’ll work temporarily if you’re in a pinch, and they can help prevent further damage to flooring until you can repair it properly or replace it.
Some other options:
Home Improvement: Carpet Tiles