Home improvement is, for some, a hobby with no equal. Breaking out the tools and fixing up your home can be an engaging, rewarding and even thrilling undertaking, particularly if you have a predilection for picking up new skills. For others, though, it might be more of a necessity than anything; buying your first home is an expensive endeavour, after all, and you may be looking to save back every penny you possibly can in pursuit of creating a liveable home.
Wherever you may fall between these two extremes, you’re likely reading this because you haven’t started your own home improvement journey yet. Getting started can be difficult, even if just for not knowing where to start looking for tips and techniques. Here, we’ll attempt to simplify things a bit, and provide you with the information necessary to get started on projects at home.
Must-Have Tools for Every DIYer
First, you’ll need to get your hands on some tools. There’s no DIY-ing without the right equipment, and, while different projects can require different bespoke pieces of equipment, there’s a great deal of benefit to be found in equipping yourself with some staples ahead of time.
Every home should have a cordless drill driver of some description, which can be used for screwing things together, drilling into walls or repairing furniture items. An electric saw of some kind can make working with wood or cutting through wall-mounted plasterboard that bit easier. Consider buying from the same brand when buying electric tools; for instance, cordless Milwaukee tools will all use the same kind of battery pack, making it easier to ensure you have charge when you need it.
Electric tools are only one part of the equation, of course. Hand tools are always highly useful; make sure you have a comprehensive screwdriver set and a comprehensive socket set too – and don’t forget about hex keys! Measuring tools are arguably most important of all, so make sure you have a metal rule, set square and some measuring tape to hand at all times.
Safety and PPE
‘Safety first’ isn’t just a slogan. It should be a guiding principle when undertaking DIY work, else you run the risk of becoming another statistic! Protective equipment is crucial, and should always be an element when working with materials. Eye goggles should be worn when drilling masonry, steel toe-capped boots should be worn when carrying heavy materials, and boiler suits should be worn when working with hot, toxic or corrosive things.
Getting It Right
Working on your home can be a stressful undertaking for a number of reasons. Injury is one such reason, and preserving the condition of your home is another major one. These reasons are also reason enough that ‘speed’ should not be an ambition for DIY work. Instead, preparation and comfort are key ambitions to bear in mind. Good planning makes any project far simpler than it may initially seem, and practice always makes perfect!
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