For a lot of homeowners there’s something appealing about personally taking care of jobs around the house. While there are definitely times to leave it to the professionals, there’s something satisfying about using your own hands to fix up your home when you can manage it.
Of course, much of your ability to take care of home repairs depends on the job itself and your skill as a handyman, but it’s not all up to skill. Sometimes having the right tools for the job can have you well on your way to a professional approach to basic projects. Here are a few specific tips to keep in mind.
1. Learn The “Hacks”
There are usually more than a few easy ways to simplify small repairs around the house. Remodeling Expense wrote up a helpful list of home “life hacks” that dealt with everything from fixing scuffed floors to hiding the wiring for a mounted television. Learning some of these tracks can have you well on your way to being more handy around the house and maintaining it like a pro.
2. Upgrade Your Tools
For a lot of homeowners a toolkit typically means a few basic handheld tools that have probably been lying around for years, maybe with a set of wrenches thrown in. But upping your tool game can help you do a far more thorough and professional job when addressing a lot of home repairs. A power drill is one of the essentials for any home collection and Screwfix has neatly catalogued a number of drills to make it easy for you to find the perfect one for your home. We recommend finding a decently powerful cordless model with a reverse setting to get yourself started.
3. Have a Home Starter Kit
In addition to a solid power drill there are also a few other must-haves for any home starter kit. A hammer is something of a no-brainer but you should also have two types of manual screwdrivers (a flat head and a Phillips head), a set of hex wrenches, an adjustable wrench, a measuring tape, and a level. With a set of tools at your disposal that covers the basics you’ll be well on your way to fixing up your home in no time.
4. Find Ways To Practice
From fixing electrical wiring to repairing a hole in a wall, home upkeep can present a lot of jobs that you may have never tried before. That can be a bit intimidating, but as with most everything else in life, practice makes perfect. That means one of the best ways to set about becoming a professional-caliber home DIY’er is to find ways to gain some more experience. You might want to try your hand at finishing or remodeling a basement or some other out-of-the-way room just for practice, or build a workshop or garden shed on your property. Projects like these can expose you to all kinds of jobs that you’ll learn valuable lessons from and help prepare you for future problems.
5. Remember To Be Organized
It’s tempting to look at home repair tasks as being all about hands-on work, but the best repair jobs tend to be the most organized ones. That means you’ll also want to keep things clean and maintain records of your progress. This isn’t particularly complicated, but you may want to have a notebook set aside for jobs around the house. In it you can record a list of things that need doing, materials you need, and progress on various ventures. Additionally, you should always keep adequate cleaning materials nearby—it’s pretty easy to make a mess otherwise.
6. Know Your Limits
Finally, it’s important to know your own limits. Optimism, hard work, and a will to learn can take you a long way, but The Huffington Post points out that there are some projects you probably shouldn’t try on your own unless you happen to have the necessary expertise. Even the handiest of homeowners still recognize the need to call a professional from time to time!
The post 6 Tips For Approaching Home Upkeep Like A Pro appeared first on Homey Improvements.
from Homey Improvements http://homeyimprovements.com/6-tips-approaching-home-upkeep-like-pro/
No comments:
Post a Comment