How To Improve Your Inner DIYer
Trying to channel your inner weekend warrior? Whether you’re trying to take up a hobby, be more handy around the house, or you’re buying a home for the first time, being a DIYer is an essential manly trait that you need to begin mastering. Just so you’re aware, there are no true DIY masters: we all need help from time to time, but these five methods will help you improve your understanding of being a true DIY legend.
It’s the building blocks of how to learn the proper DIY methods, not necessarily five random DIY tips and tricks. We want to show you how to accelerate your knowledge as quickly as possible, while still being able to produce fantastic results along the way. Before we start, make sure you also read our review of the best DIY gifts for men, because we selected some of the best tool to help you DIY projects run smoothly.
1. Tinker Like There’s no Tomorrow
Nobody ever walked into this world and just had natural-born talent. Even those with an aptitude for specific hobbies or strong traits that make them better in certain areas, still have to put in an absolute ton of work to refine their skills. Point blank, you have to break things, make mistakes and screw up before you can really hope to be an excellent DIYer.
You have to learn how things work, inside and out. Even if you have a good amount of working knowledge, you should still be bringing little odds and ends to your workbench to discover how they work, and what it takes to pull them apart and expertly reassemble them again. It can be anything at all, so long as your goal is to dissect, inspect, and repair it. That’s tinkering in a nutshell.
This is a great way to simply learn the rope of what will and will not work. You’re not going to be able to put everything back together. There will be plenty of “Oops” moments, but that’s what being a DIY warrior is all about when you think about it. Strap on your tool belt, head to your bench and get started.
2. Stop Trying to Schedule Your DIY Projects
If you’re not working, then you have time to refine your DIY skills. There are so many gents that make the mistake of scheduling a specific time each day to be able to tinker or work on projects: you just need to let it rip. We get it if you’re tired after a long day’s work, but those days off are a wide open range. DIY work is raw, unrefined and a product of the man’s naturally working mind. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be done.
Another negative to scheduling or arranging time segments to devote to your DIY projects is that it cuts things short. You might be persuaded to take shortcuts you otherwise wouldn’t have thought of, and both the project in its entirety. It’s a raw, rugged experience that’s not going to be perfect, but still requires the right amount of time spent on each task.
3. Ask for Assistance When You Can
Nobody on this planet can expand their know-how without a little help along the way. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help, so long as you intend to learn from it and better your own personal knowledge of proper DIY techniques. Pay attention to what a neighbor or friend has in his toolbox, do they prefer corded or cordless drills, ask them why they enjoy their preferences on tools. Even if they don’t end up being your new personal favorite ways of doing something, you’ll still be able to learn from them and move forward with your next project a little bit wiser.
It also allows you to prod for information specific to the task at hand. If you’re switching out a pipe or softening your well water and you’re not quite sure how, a YouTube tutorial might not be what you need. Some of us are observational learners, and others are hands-on learners: get in there, get someone experienced to help you, and walk away with more know-how than you had before.
Last but not least, let’s address the elephant in the room: your pride shouldn’t take a hit just because you asked for help. There’s a ton of guys who would rather do it wrong than feel like a fool for asking. I can assure you, no gent has ever thought you were inferior because you asked for a helping hand. A true man enjoys helping others, and if he can teach you a few things along the way while expressing his expertise, then it’s a good time for him as well.
4. Be Ready for Anything
Sometimes DIY comes in the form of repairs, not just building things or making small adjustments around the house. One of our favorite things to always have on hand is a great multi-tool, one that can perform a series of dozen-or-so functions on the fly. You’ll probably end up pulling this trick out of your sleeve once or twice a year, depending on how frequently you tend to find yourself in unique situations, but every single time you’ll be ready for it.
Multi-tools are also a time saver if you’ve hit an unexpected snag and you’re not able to get to your favorite selection of tools for the job. We’re crazy about EDC here at Gear Hungry, and a multi-tool is everyday carry 101: your imagination (and a few physical aspects) are the limit when it comes to this.
This also helps to put you in the mindset that if some issue arises somewhere, you won’t be some hapless bystander. Remember what I said earlier about a real man and his capacity and willingness to help others? You’re already jumping in your chair at the prospect. Learning how to use a multi-tool or a few different EDC items at-the-ready will allow you to help others in a pinch when you otherwise would have been standing there scratching your head.
5. Don’t Leave Tasks Unfinished
We’ve all heard the dopey tale of the hapless husband who’s “half-fixed” a bunch of things around the house, only to have his wife complain about them. Yeah, it’s a reality, and an ugly one at that. It’s the one stereotype you need to avoid, and here’s how to do it:
Simply finish what you start. If you get frustrated with a task because you can’t make it perfect, out-of-the-box and polished on your first attempt, it’s no reason to walk away. That’s just going to make your house look like a half-finished Da Vinci schematics collection. Even if it’s not ideal, finish what you started. Don’t walk off and research without any attempt to return and finish the job.
If you get stumped, bring your laptop, tablet or smartphone to the exact area that you’re performing the task or making your repair. When you take yourself out of the space, your mind thinks, “Okay, we’re done with that conundrum,” and you start to lose sight of the goal. Bring your research materials to you, don’t take your eye off the issue until it’s corrected. Even if it’s not the strongest hold, it’s better than leaving it undone.
You Need To Start With The Right Equipment
You can’t really take to the DIY scene if you don’t have the proper tools to carry out your tasks. Arm yourself with a proper screwdriver set, don’t be afraid to splurge a bit on a nail gun if you’re making major renovations or installing insulation in the attic. There are specific right and wrong tools for every task, which is the foundation of your DIY knowledge.
Arm your tool shed, but also arm yourself. These tips and tricks help you get into the mindset and methods of a true DIY warrior, but you’ll have to either read our buying guides or go through the ropes of learning on your own when it comes to handling and utilizing your tools properly. Stock up, get ready to rock and roll, and turn your dull space into a paradise with your newfound knowledge.
