Some people discover DIY because they bought a fixer-upper. Others start with a simple paint project or small home upgrade. Carrie Kline, the DIY mom behind Honey Do Honey Home, discovered DIY during the chaos of early motherhood.
Like many moms with young kids, Carrie found herself in what she calls the “motherhood fog.” Laundry was always coming back. Dishes never stayed done. Toys multiplied overnight. She loved being home with her kids, but every task felt temporary.
As a naturally creative person, Carrie realized she was missing something important: the feeling of permanent productivity. She didn’t just want to check tasks off a list, she wanted to create something lasting.
That realization is what pushed her toward DIY home projects, and it quickly became the creative outlet that helped her reconnect with herself.
Carrie now shares her projects, inspiration, and creative home transformations through Honey Do Honey Home, where she encourages other moms and homeowners to embrace DIY and turn their homes into personal works of art.
Follow Carrie’s DIY journey here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honeydohoney_home
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Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/honeydohoneyhome
More links: https://linktr.ee/honeydohoney_home
How One DIY Mom Got Started with Power Tools and DIY Projects
Like many modern DIYers, Carrie’s journey started online. She was following several DIY creators and home renovation influencers when she had a simple but powerful realization: if they can learn this, so can I.
She asked her husband for a quick crash course on the power tools they had in the garage and began researching everything else she needed to know. But while tutorials and research helped, Carrie quickly learned that the most valuable lessons came from experience.
For this DIY mom, the real education came from starting projects, making mistakes, and solving problems as they appeared. Each project built confidence, and before long, DIY home projects became a regular part of her life and creative routine.
DIY allowed her to replace the endless cycle of undone chores with something more meaningful: creative projects that transformed her home and stayed done.
The First DIY Project That Sparked Confidence
Many people start their first DIY project with something simple like a shelf or picture frame. Carrie did not take that route.
Her very first solo DIY build was a geometric wooden vase made from a single board, a project that required precise compound miter cuts that had to fit together perfectly to create a cylinder. It was a complex project that demanded patience and mathematical precision — not exactly beginner-friendly.
Her husband initially thought she was a little crazy for choosing such a technical first project, but once Carrie sets her mind on a build, she develops intense focus. She spent hours carefully cutting, fitting, gluing, and sanding each piece until the shape finally came together.
When the project worked, she had her answer.
If she could figure out those angles and complete that build, it meant so many other DIY projects were possible. That success was the moment she realized DIY could become a long-term creative passion.
DIY Inspiration: Turning a Home Into a Creative Canvas
Carrie describes herself as an “elder emo,” influenced by the music, poetry, and experimental fashion she grew up with. Those influences still shape her creative perspective today.
When she began working on DIY home projects, she knew she didn’t want her home to simply look like a catalog or showroom. Instead, she wanted her home to feel deeply personal.
For Carrie, DIY projects are about creating spaces that evoke emotion and tell a story. Murals, textures, bold color choices, and artistic design elements turn each room into a canvas. Her goal is to create rooms that feel immersive and inspiring.
If someone walks into one of her spaces and feels like they’ve stepped into a storybook or a poem, she knows the project succeeded.
For this DIY mom, home improvement isn’t just about function, it’s about creative expression.
Where This DIY Mom Finds Inspiration for Home Projects
While social media platforms like Pinterest and Instagram can provide ideas, Carrie finds most of her inspiration outside.
Nature plays a huge role in shaping her creative ideas. Sometimes inspiration comes from noticing color combinations in the landscape or interesting textures found outdoors. More often, however, it begins with a feeling.
Carrie often starts with the emotional atmosphere she experiences in nature and then translates that feeling into colors, textures, and designs inside her home. This approach allows her DIY projects to feel unique rather than trend-driven.
Instead of copying existing designs, she builds spaces that capture a mood.
Planning DIY Projects vs. Learning While You Build
Carrie approaches DIY projects with a balance of planning and intuition. Some projects begin with a very detailed vision. For example, when designing her primary bathroom renovation, she knew almost every element in advance, including finishes and design details.
Other projects start with only a loose concept or feeling.
Regardless of how clear the plan is, Carrie believes the most important step for any DIYer, especially beginners — is to simply start building. Creativity often develops during the process itself. Once she begins working with materials and tools in the space, the final vision becomes clearer and the project evolves naturally.
For many DIY home projects, the design reveals itself during the process of creating.
Favorite DIY Home Projects Carrie Is Most Proud Of
The $500 Grecian Spa Bathroom
Carrie spent years dreaming about transforming her primary bathroom into a dark, moody, Grecian spa-inspired retreat. During an eight-week One Room Challenge, she finally brought that vision to life.
Despite the dramatic transformation, she completed the entire renovation for just $500 by repurposing materials and doing all the work herself. The project proved that a limited budget does not have to limit creativity. In fact, it often pushes DIYers to think more creatively and resourcefully.
The Boys’ Bedroom Mural
One of Carrie’s most meaningful DIY projects is the bedroom she designed with her sons. Instead of decorating the room herself, she allowed the boys to help guide the design.
The walls became a collaborative mural that continues to grow over time. Characters from movies, imaginary creatures, and even portraits of their favorite stuffed animals have made their way onto the walls.
The result is a colorful, imaginative space that reflects their personalities and creativity.
The 3D Plant Accent Wall
Carrie was selected as one of only four competitors in a national accent wall challenge. Participants were given wood materials and a short deadline to design and build something original.
Carrie used the opportunity to push her creativity and built a 3D plant accent wall, creating a dimensional design that felt completely unique. The project was high pressure, but trusting her instincts paid off and resulted in one of her most distinctive DIY builds.
Advice from a DIY Mom: How to Start Your First DIY Project
Carrie’s biggest piece of advice for beginners is simple: just start.
Watching tutorials and researching techniques can be helpful, but the real learning begins once your hands are actually on the tools. Every project builds new skills and confidence.
She also encourages new DIYers to enjoy the process of creating rather than focusing only on the final reveal. The most rewarding part of DIY is often the journey: the problems you solve, the skills you develop, and the creativity that emerges while you are building.
Image from Syntaxseed: https://blog.syntaxseed.com/backyard-ninja-warrior-course-diy-project/
Dream DIY Project: Building the Ultimate Backyard Ninja Course
Carrie is the mom of four boys under the age of seven, which means her home is full of energy, creativity, and plenty of physical activity.
Recently, her kids have become obsessed with their local ninja gym, which inspired Carrie’s next big DIY home project. While the family has already built a few obstacles in their basement, her dream is to create an entire outdoor ninja course in their backyard.
The vision goes beyond a typical playset. Carrie wants to build an interactive outdoor space that challenges her kids physically while encouraging imagination and adventurous play.
And of course, she fully plans to use the ninja course herself.
Why the Repaint Tray is a Game Changer for DIY Moms and Real-Life Painting Projects
As a mom of four young kids, uninterrupted project time is nearly impossible for Carrie. Most DIY projects happen in small windows of time between school schedules, meals, and everyday life.
This is where the Repaint Tray makes a major difference.
The Repaint Tray was designed specifically for real-life painting projects — the kind that rarely get finished in one uninterrupted afternoon. Instead of dealing with messy trays, dried paint, or constant cleanup, the Repaint Tray keeps paint fresh and ready to use whenever you return to the project. (For up to 3 weeks!)
For DIY moms and homeowners juggling busy schedules, the Repaint Tray allows you to pause and resume painting projects without wasting paint or creating unnecessary mess.
Key benefits of the Repaint Tray for DIY home projects:
Keeps paint usable between painting sessions
The Repaint Tray is designed to store paint and painting tools with it's air-tight lid, so you can stop a project and pick up exactly where you left off.
Reduces paint wasteBecause the Repaint Tray keeps paint sealed and protected with the lid, you avoid the dried-out paint that often happens with disposable trays.
Perfect for multi-day DIY painting projects
Most DIY home improvement projects happen over several days. The Repaint Tray keeps your tools ready without constant cleanup.
Durable and reusable
Unlike flimsy plastic paint trays, the Repaint Tray is sturdy and designed for repeated use, making it a smarter long-term solution for homeowners and DIYers. It could be the last paint tray you ever need to buy!
Built for real life
Whether you're painting a room during nap time, tackling a weekend project, or spreading a renovation across several days, the Repaint Tray helps keep your painting setup organized, efficient, and ready when you are.
For DIY moms, homeowners, and anyone tackling real-life painting projects, the Repaint Tray helps make the entire process easier, cleaner, and far less frustrating.
Less mess. Less stress. More time actually creating.
