Father of two Matthew Pryce-Hall won plenty of brownie points when he decided to spend his spare time building a garden hot tub for his family. The thrifty DIY project was created from an industrial IBC water tank that Matthew originally bought for a garden pond. Instead, the scaffolder set about cutting open the metal cage at the top of the tank, removing the plastic to create an opening, before adding insulation. 

Matthew then installed the tub and designed a timber frame to surround the structure, attaching a Lay-Z-Spa filter pump to add some bubbles to the hot tub. To finish the space, Matthew painted the frame, added a see-through roof and built some cool wood pallet shelving for storing his favourite tipples. Spending a total of £375 ($457), Matthew finished the project in just two weeks. “You really can do anything when you put your mind to it", he says.

To make the most of the warm weather, Audrey, who runs the Instagram account @makeover_at_no6, decided to build a den for her children. In the midst of renovating their home, she said the play area "was the best DIY project this year". 

On-trend wall panelling needn't be expensive or difficult to make, as Abi, who runs the Instagram account @allbacktonine found out. With just some MDF, adhesive and filler, she created a whole new look for her room. 

If you don’t have a porch area for your parcels, then a designated box for deliveries could come in very handy. Rebekah Jackson made this simple but effective design from pieces of leftover decking board after getting fed up with cats eating the groceries that the local milkman delivered. The box didn’t cost her a penny and was finished with an engraving made using a stencil, a craft knife and some spray paint. She says: “The postman loves it and the delivery drivers just pop everything in there too.”

Interior stylist and avid upcycler Helen Sellwood knows a thing or two about creating a unique space and regularly takes on numerous DIY projects, upcycling old furniture using leftover paint. Helen decorated this once-plain trunk, which was gifted to her, using Rust-Oleum teal chalk paint. She then used Valspar wood paint, Annie Sloan chalk paint and tester pots to complete the leaf mural, spending just £15 ($18) in total.

This bookcase is another amazing creation and was gifted to Helen a few months ago. Now a one-of-a-kind piece of statement furniture, Helen transformed the ordinary mahogany bookcase using Crown's Cloud Burst paint, adding extra colour by hand-painting a cacti design on the sides using leftover chalk paint and tester pots. 

Marc Ely of Ely Scaffolding put his skills to good use when he decided to build a fort for his children. After looking online at designs costing around £2,000 ($2,439), he knew he could make one for much less. Taking three days and costing just £170 ($207), the fort was mostly created from materials he had to hand, including scaffolding poles and planks of wood. The fort features a tower, rock climbing wall, Wendy house and slide. Marc is now looking at offering similar structures to his clients.

Of all the clever and unique creations that people have come up with during the pandemic, this is perhaps the most inspiring. Handmade by Carly Marinaro of Rockford, Illinois, this contactless hugging contraption allows her mother to visit and safely hug her five grandchildren, something she hasn't been able to do since social distancing rules were put in place.

Carly made the 'Hug Time' plastic shield as a surprise for Mother's Day, after seeing how sad her mother was that she was unable to get close to her family. To create the unique contraption, Carly bought some PVC piping, a window insulation kit and some long, industrial gloves, spending less than £41 ($50). Amazingly, assembling the hugging device took Carly just over an hour.

As clever as it is practical, this garden hatch allowed Aimee Willis and her partner to socialise with their neighbours at a safe distance during Covid. The folding fence bar was quick and easy to make and was created by cutting a panel and attaching it to some hinges and rope, allowing it to fold down when in use. The hatch can be used for drinks and snacks but can also be closed when the neighbours need a little privacy. Fantastic for social distancing parties, this garden hatch is a lockdown game-changer!

With three children in need of some entertainment, Nick Smith decided to turn his back garden into the ultimate water park. Nick created the impressive play area from 6x2 timber beams and sheets of plywood, building a treehouse, water slide and zip line directly over a newly installed outdoor pool. 

The zip line cost Nick just £100 ($121) from eBay, while the pool was £600 ($731) from Costco. He also installed pumps and heaters to keep the water warm no matter the weather. Spending a total of just over £2,000 ($2,433), Nick completed the garden theme park with a trampoline, bouncy castle and several slides and ladders for the children to explore. 

Becca Levengood revamped her 100-year-old treads into a stylish staircase using simple removable stencils and leftover paint. She began by sanding down the wood and cleaning the steps, before applying painter's tape to each step and painting the treads black. Becca bought four different stencils and attached them to the stair runs using adhesive. Costing just £100 ($121) and taking only a few days, this makeover shows that a simple sticker can make a huge difference.

Jo Markwick craved a space for some much-needed relaxation – a place where she could escape and unwind with a gin and tonic in hand! Jo's husband took on the project, upcycling a second-hand table and chairs by sanding them down and applying a coat of varnish, before building a matching fold-down gin bar that he mounted onto the wall.

Costing approximately £10 ($12) to make, the drinks bar itself was created from an old pallet that was gifted to Jo. The couple reused the nails from the pallet and used paint, chains and a handle that they fortunately already had lying around the house. Jo has since ordered a rug and a movie screen online to complete her garden haven.

Anna Marie had an old barbecue that had sat unused for several years, slowly rusting away in her garage. So, with some unexpected extra time on her hands at home, she decided to put it to better use...

With a few tools and rather a lot of elbow grease, Anna upcycled the old barbecue into a chic potting bench. She took a wire brush to the rust and gave it a good scrub, before applying a coat of Hammerite metal paint that she already had in the shed. Anna’s partner made some wooden inserts from leftover timber to complete the design. Even better, the project didn't cost her a single penny and Anna now has the perfect gardening companion.

As avid birdwatchers, Katy Hitchen and her partner enjoyed daily visits from a friendly blackbird, so they decided it was high time that they created a new home for their feathered friend. They had all the materials to hand already, including timber and slate that was gifted to them by a neighbour. The two front posts are made from leftover decking spindles and the rest of the wood was surplus from another project, making this DIY project literally priceless.

Becky Borton and her husband Ben decided to transform a corner of their garden by building a luxury real home spa, complete with a hot tub, tiki bar and outdoor lounge. As a busy young couple, the pair spent their spare time working on the project, creating a large decking area from old pallets and buying a second-hand hot tub.

The bar, which lies at the opposite end of the deck, was formed from leftover pallets and old plywood lined with bamboo screening. The couple also added a roof over the top of the area, enabling them to use the space come rain or shine. Nearly all of the materials the couple used were recycled, reclaimed or sourced from family members for free, making their total spend less than £500 ($609). 

Costing nothing to make, this incredible children's playhouse was created by Ellie-May and her partner David for their two young boys. Working in construction, David was well-equipped for the project and had plenty of leftover materials. The only items the couple purchased for the project were a few decorations, including animal bunting, a wind chime, metal flowers and toys for the interior. Chic and affordable, this gorgeous playhouse will be loved for years to come.

Michelle Sullivan took to the Facebook group Extreme Couponing and Bargains to show off her amazing homemade garden bar, made entirely from unwanted wooden pallets that she sourced for free. Michelle also used leftover decking and paint that she already had to hand, making this DIY project both speedy and highly affordable.

Inspired by a Hawaiian tiki bar, Michelle added a countertop to the bar made from surplus decking and gave it a lick of pink and white paint for a fun finish. Michelle sourced some stools and painted their tops to match, finishing the space with tropical bunting, fairy lights and a neon flamingo. The perfect place for an evening aperitif, this garden tiki bar is the ultimate spot to see out the rest of lockdown.

With a £25 ($30) budget, Stacey Addis and her partner built an amazing pirate-themed playground and climbing frame for their children. The swashbuckling ship was formed from reclaimed materials that their neighbours were throwing out, including surplus pallets. To complete the play area, Stacey purchased decorations online, including an anchor, a skull and cross bones, a steering wheel and a flag. She also bought a second-hand slide and a telescope for just £12 ($14) from eBay.

Inspired by the beautiful wall-hung airers she'd seen on Pinterest, Hannah Craven decided to have a go at making one herself, saving some cash in the process as this homemade alternative cost just £10 ($12). Formed from tongue and groove MDF, old curtain poles and some rope, the airer sits in Hannah's utility room and can be folded away when not in use to save space. It also comes with two settings, opening either partway or to 90 degrees.

What do you do when you can’t go to the cinema? Well, if you’re anything like Gemma of Caffeine and Cacti, you bring the cinema to you. This chic outdoor movie theatre was created by Gemma’s husband as a surprise for her birthday. The perfect alfresco entertaining area, he borrowed an old Sony projector from a family member and set up a firepit on their outdoor deck for a truly unforgettable experience.

Gemma’s husband even printed out fake cinema tickets for the event, mixed some gin and tonics and made a fresh batch of popcorn to make their night under the stars as memorable as possible. Proving that you don't need endless cash and supplies in order to create something special, this alfresco home cinema is one we're sure plenty of people will want to recreate.

As a primary school teacher, finding spare time isn't always easy for Gillian Roe, yet recent events have given her the opportunity to get creative. Gillian decided to undertake a lockdown-themed embroidery project, sewing one letter each day. She planned a grid pattern onto some linen set within an embroidery hoop and cross-stitched the alphabet onto it. Each letter represents a different iconic lockdown item, from clapping for healthcare workers to flour and jigsaws.

For some of the letters, Gillian decided in advance what to sew, but for others she picked spontaneously on the day. "It's really rare for me to have this amount of free time, so it's been lovely and very good for my mental health", Gillian says. "I love crafting, but it's been a very good creative outlet during lockdown." Once it's complete, Gillian intends to frame her DIY home décor craft and add it to her family's gallery wall as a reminder of this unprecedented period.

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