Do's and Don'ts of DIY

Remember This Old House? It was a show my dad watched when I was young and in no way whatsoever contributed to our home improvement. It was on somewhere between The Victory Garden and The Joy of Painting. Though no one in my family gardened, renovated or painted, these shows often were on on the weekend. In my kid mind they about as exciting as their sports counterpart, golf.

Funny now that ENTIRE channels are devoted to making what used to be everyday boring homeowner stuff glamorous, high drama and heroic, including amazing feats of demolition, drywall. design and....DIY.  Average looking tradespeople need not apply.

DIY, for those of you who haven't heard, stands for Do-It-Yourself. Traditionally, it means to tile your bathroom without paying someone, repair a broken door, or install your kitchen without a contractor to help. Entire home manuals have been written to teach you poor willing souls to do these types of things yourself to save money. In the early days of our marriage I thought my husband would find these manuals very helpful and want to follow them when it came time to owning a home.

More recently, DIY has taken more of a creative spin. On a typical home improvement show, the average and ordinary homeowners let the contractor and team of at least 20 free laborers do most of the work. Then the extraordinary designer/host works with the homeowners to make some kind of customized plant holder for their kitchen made out of reclaimed ship rope or some old broken pottery. 

DIY is something I have a bit of a knack for, particularly when I am trying to get a certain look but I either can't afford what I want, or what I want simply doesn't exist. Some of my recent undertakings include spraypainted PVC curtain rods, painted striped curtains, and chalkboard tap handles for my husband's homebrew operation. While these were my more successful projects, there have been others that were not so successful.

So here is some realistic DIY advice to inspire those of you who have never tried anything yourself but want to, and to warn those of you who "think you can do it" but may be in a little bit over your heads.

I planned to spray paint this ceiling fan white.  After starting to take it apart and tiny pieces kept falling on the floor, I realized it would be much easier to just donate it and buy a new white ceiling fan for my son's room.

DO Consider trying something small and inexpensive first. If it looks awful, you can mark it on the "hobbies" line of your family budget spreadsheet. If it looks good, you can put it on the wall and tell all the neighbors. You will probably have some fails before getting something good.

DO  Research what other people have done before determining if you can do it. Many people share their projects online just like recipes and other things. I tend to look at three or four, and combine them to create my own version.

DON'T underestimate the amount of work and time it will take. Just like trying a new recipe, or cooking technique, you will encounter some pitfalls that will may set you back or take time. 

DO  Realize your own limitations. You may conceptually be able to do something in your mind, but just may not be a in a place in life where you have the time or effort to spend on a DIY project.

DON'T Underestimate yourself. If you like the challenge of trying something new, try it, as long as you won't totally ruin your home in the process. If you're willing to see it through do it.

DO one project at a time. It's so easy to start something, and never finish because you moved on to something else. When I am feeling the urge to do a project or redo something, I always ask myself, what outstanding project is sitting around somewhere. Getting that done will not only save money, but will give you a sense of accomplishment, and clear out some clutter.

DON'T skimp on materials. Buy extra in case. Most things can be returned if they are unopened. It is always better to have too much than to have to interrupt your groove 'cus you ran out of something and have to go to the store and get more _______.

DO Be patient with yourself. If you aren't under pressure to get it done, try to enjoy the process and learn as you go. Just like cooking, you perfect a recipe the more you do it. 

DON'T Be afraid to ask for help from the right people. If you don't have a handy spouse or family member, go to a local hardware store if you can where people know what they are talking about. Or call a friend who has some skills. It's always good to bounce ideas off of someone out loud. 

DO Know when to give up. Some projects simply aren't worth it when you calculate the cost of time or strain on your family. Know when to buy something or leave something to a professional. People who do this everyday know what they are doing. Think of it as treating yourself just like you would a massage, dinner out or a good housecleaning. 


DIY can be really rewarding and enjoyable. The most important thing is that you enjoy the process!