Doing It Yourself: 7 Tips for Finishing Your DIY

But alas, although we're grade A starters, we're a little...ummm...lacking in the finishing department (chalk it up to our INFP personality). The half-knit sweater, the interior of the door that's been taped off but never painted, the blouse that's been cut out, pinned and basted but never quite made it to being sewn together, all can attest to this gap in our make-up. But, little by little, we're reforming. Herewith, our tested guidelines for getting that DIY done:

Make sure it's within your skill set: better to start small. Construct an apron before you tackle a slipcover.
Map out all the steps: even if (especially if) they seem silly. There's something to be said about crossing things off a list. It'll also give you a good assessment of how long this project will take. Picking up velcro, having a piece of wood cut or having paint matched may be something you can tackle at lunchtime. Sewing on that velcro, staining that piece of wood or figuring out which colour to use are all tasks that require longer blocks of time and more concerted effort.
Break your steps down into small increments: this way you can get a realistic idea of how much time this project will take.
Do a little bit every day: better a steady daily half hour than a "start at dawn and throw in the towel by noon" marathon.
Be in beginner's mind: your first scarf will be crooked and full of holes, your first batch of cookies may burn, your paint job will be uneven. It's all part of the learning curve. Even Martha Stewart was a beginner once.
Beware beginner's luck: then again, you may achieve instant success. It won't be until you try it again that you'll come across hurdles. Take a deep breath and remember what you are capable of.
Your project will take twice as long and cost twice as much as you planned on: While saving money is part of the allure of the DIY, that may not always be true. Suddenly you'll understand why that item cost so much; the fabric you love costs an arm and a leg and making a french seam takes two hours. The bigger part of DIY? That elusive feeling called satisfaction.

[image: Djenan's flickr, with a Creative Commons License]

And may I add: having a REASON for doing it yourself in the first place helps with motivation. So, if (like me) you have guests coming and you need a solution for storing stuff that is making your place look less lovely than you want your guests to experience, use that deadline and reason to get it done! (Then when the stupid guests bail without explanation, at least you have SOEMTHING!!) ;^)

posted by SherryBinNH on February 9th 2009 at 2:44pm
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There are places that will help you with do-it-yourself projects. If you are in the SF Bay Area try The Framer's Workshop: http://www.framersworkshop.com

posted by framers on February 9th 2009 at 3:10pm
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Wow - we could be DIY twins. There is nothing more exciting than starting a new project!!! Right now I'm staring at two recessed light fixtures that are midway through an installation of the Can Converter (http://www.thecanconverter.com/store/index.php). Alas, I got hung up on one crucial step and progress stalled.

Sometimes my stalls lead to buying new tools or accouterments, for surely if I had the right tools, I would not have had to stop. I'm waiting for a new Dremel to be delivered tomorrow...

Though this doesn't explain the half finished garage clean out, the half finished family room redo, the half finished office remodel, the half finished sprinkler repair. Ugh. What I really need is a designated cattle prodder who can poke at me when I slow down or want to stop. Unfortunately, there is always a new project full of promise beckoning.

posted by LilyC on February 9th 2009 at 3:50pm
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Dress rehearsal. Walk through all of the steps of your diy a couple of days in advance. Don't just gloss over what needs to be done, but review it in your mind. When you reach a step you think might be a problem, come up with a backup plan. Don't start until you know you understand each step, you know you understand why each step requires you to do the things it does, and have a plan for steps that you anticipate might pose a problem. Always have a backup plan that you are committed to ready to go. This will make it possible to continue making progress even when you hit major obstacles.

This process is as important as anything you will do on your project. It might take a week or more to figure every last thing out. And if your enthusiasm seriously wanes in the meantime, then take that as a sign that you really weren't committed to doing the project right in the first place or that you are in over your head and save your money.

posted by RichardinLA on February 9th 2009 at 6:32pm
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