Most people I meet view simple home improvement as a complex riddle. For example, ask someone to change a light fixture and the usual response is something like this. “Oh, I could never do that, that involves electricity, and I wouldn’t know where to start.”
My response is a little different. “No problem, that is easy. It involves three wires and two screws.”
I was lucky, I had a lot of chances to learn how to do all sorts of things. Growing up we didn’t hire people to work on our house or cars. We did it ourselves. You name and we did it. Everything from replacing shingles on our roof to remodeling bathrooms.
Not only did I learn a lot from these experiences, I developed a passion for doing the work. Today, I love working with my hands, building something from scratch and doing the work on my own.
It isn’t necessary to know how to retile a floor, renovate a kitchen or tear down a wall. But it is important to know how to do the basics.
Looking back, I can remember tackling projects for the first time. I always had the same feeling. I would doubt I could do it or I would worry about screwing something up. This is natural, but I found all the projects I took on were not near as difficult as I made them out to be.
Now with YouTube and the Internet there are countless resources to show how to do a project. For example, a few months back, I had a broken taillight. I looked for a video online that showed how to replace it. Sure enough the project was simple, only involving three screws. I ordered a replacement, swapped it out in a few minutes and went on with my day. In the process I saved a few hundred dollars and a lot of my time.
Even though many projects are simple, it’s important to have the right tools. When I got my first place, I didn’t have a garage full of tools, but I did have the basics. Small toolsets like these are a great place to start.
As these tools break, replace them with higher quality ones. Good hammers, screwdrivers and wrenches should last forever if taken care of. They are well worth the investment.
Sometimes projects call for more advanced tools. Years ago we replaced the carpet upstarts with a floating bamboo floor. The project was simple, except for one thing. It called for making long straight cuts to the floor tiles. This required a table saw.
A table saw is not something most people will need very often. I invested in one and now thirteen years later, I’ve lost track how many times I’ve used it. It was expensive, but it’s made countless projects easier and saved me loads of time.
So, why bother with learning these things? The first reason is to save money. There is no need to hire a handyman, electrician, plumber or painter to do everything around the house. Learning to do a few basic things has saved me thousands of dollars over the years.
The second reason is to create a sense of accomplishment. Knowing I did something with my own two hands gives me great satisfaction and pride. Since most people never get past the fear stage, they’re often amazed by the work I’ve done.
The best place to start is with simple projects. These are ones that anyone can do and will need to get done at some point while renting or owning a place.
Painting
This is a simple one that can have a big impact. Changing out the color of the room can change the whole mood. Watch a few videos online to learn the right technique and remember these tips:
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Buy a good brush and take care of it. Trust me, it’s worth it
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Tape the edges to begin with, but work on “cutting in” by hand. It’s faster and easier.
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Fill all the holes in the drywall first with some white spackling.
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At the end, save the paint and label it with the room it’s from.
Plumbing
Plumbing is pretty simple too. Before long, drains are going to clog. This is usually from something simple like globs of hair. There are some simple tools to help clear a drain but don’t bother with things like Draino. For tough clogs, you may have to take apart what’s called a P-trap under the sink. Don’t be afraid! This is simple and usually does the trick.
Over time the parts inside a toilet tank can wear out and the water will keep running after a flush. That sound is money going down the drain. The fix is pretty simple. Pick up a replacement flapper kit at the home improvement store and then swap out the parts.
Another common job is changing a shower head. This is another simple project. Get an adjustable wrench and some thread seal tape and get started. Remove the old head, clean off the threads of the pipe coming out of the wall, put on the new thread seal tape and screw on the new head. Easy peasy.
Electrical
It’s important to be safe with all projects, especially electrical ones. Always start by turning off the breaker switch. Once it’s off you can tackle the project, whether it’s hanging a light or a new ceiling fan.
All the electrical wiring in the house involves three wires. By reading the instructions of what you’re replacing, and taking your time, swapping out a fixture or light switch is pretty simple.
Hanging heavy items on a wall
Whenever I need to hang something heavy on a wall, the first thing I look for is a stud. First, I use a cheap magnetic stud finder to locate the stud. If it’s in the right place I can pound in a nail or screw and I’m finished. If not, I use wall anchors to make sure I don’t rip a hole in the drywall and have the piece fall.
Maintenance projects
Sometimes the most important tool isn’t a tool at all. It’s WD-40. Did you know there are 2,000 uses for WD-40?! It might be the most important thing to keep in your house, next to duct tape of course!
It can remove scuff marks from floors, grease from tools, refresh paint brushes and it’s also pretty good and stopping hinges from squeaking.
Not everything that needs attention around a house will be so clear. An AC/Heater is one of the most expensive pieces of equipment in a house and it needs monthly maintenance. Air filters need to be changed once a month to keep the equipment running smoothly and the air in the house clean.
A Car
Cars are great when they get you from point A to point B without a problem. But there will be bumps in the road, like a flat tire or a dead battery.
Depending on when it happens, it may be hard to get help. The good news is that changing a tire or jumping a car is pretty simple. In both cases, it’s easy to find instructions in the car or online.
None of these projects are hard. But it takes a little confidence to give them a shot. After doing them once, the uncertainty and doubt goes away. Success then creates courage to tackle new and harder projects.
This post is part of a series of letters to my kids. My goal is to reflect on and capture as many life lessons as possible. Here is the current list I am working from.
