6 Tips From a Self-Taught Beginner DIYer to Help You Conquer Your First Project

published Apr 26, 2021
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Credit: Ana Hard

If you’ve always loved the idea of modernizing kitchen cabinetry, painting an accent wall, or hacking IKEA furniture, but you’ve routinely talked yourself out of actually doing it, then designer and DIYer Lisa Kanegae has some advice. 

“I always say ‘anyone can DIY,’ because I’m the epitome of that,” she explains. “I’m just a frugal mom who wanted to make her house pretty on a budget. I went from never touching a power tool in my entire life to doing entire room makeovers.” 

Kanegae developed skills in under a year after discovering Instagram and YouTube tutorials on home improvement. While she had no formal training to begin with, she had a lot of confidence. “After watching all of these accounts do incredible projects, I decided to try it,” she says. “Once I got the first build under my belt, I was obsessed!” 

While it’s understandable to be intimidated by experienced DIYers, remember that they all had to start somewhere. Kanegae is proof that anyone who admires before and after transformations can make it happen in their own spaces. Remember: “You’re more capable than you think you are,” Kanegae says, and she has six tips for her fellow beginners to help you get started.

Get the right tools.

“The best beginner-friendly tools, assuming everyone has a power drill at home, would be a compound miter saw and a cordless brad nailer,” Kanegae says. “With these two tools, you can transform anything.” 

If the upfront expense gives you sticker shock, remember how often you’ll be using these tools in every room of your home. But if you need to be mindful of your current budget, look to resale sites like Facebook Marketplace for deals. “A beginner’s tool kit should also include a leveler, a corded mouse sander, clamps of all sizes, a jigsaw, and this 15-in-1 painters tool,” Kanegae says.

Just get started. 

Instead of continuing to save inspirational photos on Pinterest and Instagram and letting those new tools collect dust, commit to turning your ideas into a reality. “I get messages from people who are discouraged to get started, because power tools intimidate them,” Kanegae says. “I get it. My table saw still scares me, but it’s also incredibly empowering. It’s a feeling like no other when you build something with your own two hands.”

Tackling an entire room isn’t necessary for your first project, either. Start with something small, like the little entryway Kanegae redid here. Or start even smaller, like painting old furniture or reupholstering a headboard — it’ll help build your confidence.

Don’t forget to make a plan. 

Planning is the essential first step to any project, no matter how straightforward it may seem. “I made a lot of mistakes early on, because I never had a plan for my builds,” Kanegae says.

Finalize your mood board, gather your materials, and create a map for how everything will come together. The more you can visualize, the better. Kanegae says she significantly minimizes the chance of frustration by watching dozens of instructional videos beforehand. “I watch so many that I can almost do the project in my head prior to ever picking up a tool,” she says.

Measure, measure, measure.

The common DIY advice of “measure twice, cut once” is true for a reason: Any early mistakes cost time, money, and may make you want to give up. To keep your project on track, Kanegae recommends knowing the exact measurements you need, “especially if you’re making your own cut list instead of following an exact set of plans,” she says. 

If you’re not exactly sure about your numbers, Kanegae recommends a free app called ArcSite to sketch and calculate exact measurements. “If my math isn’t correct, I’ll catch the mistake on the app instead of when I’m actually cutting the wood,” she says.

Remember that mistakes are bound to happen.

Because you’re learning the ropes, it’s important to be kind to yourself. “With DIY, mistakes are inevitable, but anything can be fixed,” Kanegae says. The project pictured here — an organized garage drop spot in her own home — was her first, and she encountered plenty of setbacks along the way. Her advice: If you run into a problem, stop, take a deep breath, and find a solution. 

It may take longer than expected to complete your project, but you’ll be happier with what you’ve accomplished if you take it slow and remember to have fun. “I also love that my kids can see me struggle but persevere in the end,” Kanegae adds. “Subconsciously, I hope they’re learning life lessons — that we can do hard things.”  

Clean up properly. 

As excited as you will be to finish your project, don’t forget that it’s not completely done until you clean up. “I was so proud of myself after I built my first project that I neglected to notice the layer of sawdust covering my whole garage,” Kanegae says. “It took me almost two days to wipe down every single item.”

Here’s the secret: Cleaning is part of prep. Be sure to include any products to your list of materials that’ll make the project go by smoothly. “I’ve learned to buy plastic drop cloths and cover everything,” Kanegae says. “Buying a wet vac has also been tremendously helpful in cleaning all of the sawdust that accumulates after cutting wood. It will save you a lot of time and effort.”