DIY for the Single Woman
Divorced, widowed, unmarried or lifestyle choice, when you are a woman and on your own, you only have yourself to rely on if you want things done or repaired in and around the home.
16/06/2022
There any many women out there who are divorced, widowed, unmarried or have made a lifestyle choice and not having someone around to do things for you usually means that you have to rely on yourself. But this is not a bad thing if you equip yourself with a few basic skills, have confidence using power tools and have a fair understanding of what needs to be done. More and more people are turning to the Internet for information on making, assembling, and repairing and, while not all sources offer advice that is 100% honest, there are those that do.
If you are in the situation of having to do-it-yourself, here are a few tips to guide you in doing what needs to be done:
1. Embrace your situation
No matter how you came to be in this situation, the best thing you can do is to embrace it. If you had someone to rely on before and now find yourself adrift and not knowing what to do, it is better to do what you can and empower yourself with the skills to do more, to learn how to use power tools for tasks in and around the home, to find out more about how your home works and to take the next step in becoming a positive woman who can handle any situation that life may throw in your way.
Being reliant on myself for anything that needed fixing, repaired, maintained, or made puts you in a precarious position if it is not something you have done before, but the only way to rise above this is to move forward and learn. As a DIY Diva, I understand that single women can be intimidated by the idea of doing it themselves, particularly if they have never done it before. And there is nothing wrong with making a few mistakes along the way. By embracing your situation and taking steps forward it will become easier, more understandable and you will quickly gain the confidence you need.
2. Equip yourself with the tools you need
Having the right tools makes all the difference in knowing that you are ready for any emergency that might arise in the home. It's sort of like cutting your finger and knowing you already have plasters. Preparing yourself with knowledge and tools will take the panic out of an emergency and you have the tools on hand and only need to concentrate of building your knowledge.
- Knowledge is the key
A walk through your nearest Builders store will show you everything you need to repair and maintain your house. And if you are not sure what is what, ask for help. I always told my DIY Divas that there is no such thing as a stupid question, and this is how you learn - by asking questions. Go along the aisles through the various departments and acquaint yourself with products and supplies.
- Your toolbox
Woman or man, every house should have a well-stocked toolbox of tools and equipment that may be needed in the event of an emergency. The most important supply to add to your toolbox is a roll of duct tape - this can be used to temporarily fasten something, cover cracks, or stop leaks, at least until you can get to Builders to buy what you need. Here are a few essential tools you should have in your toolbox.
- Cordless screwdriver or basic cordless drill and drill bits
- Set of screwdrivers
- Assorted wrenches and a locking wrench
- Utility knife and spare blades
- Plumbing and electrical tape
- Roll of duct tape
- Tape measure
- Safety gear
3. Understanding how your house functions
Knowing the purpose of systems in a house will make it easier to understand the various functions and how these can go wrong. Plumbing, water, and sewage, electrical, structural, fittings and fixtures. All of these are elements that make the whole and you should know as much as possible in relation to the elements and how to fix them should anything happen. Go online and research these elements but try to keep your search location to your country.
Not all rules and regulations are international and what might be the rule in one country is not in another. Keeping your search local will ensure that you have accurate information. It is also wise to only search for information from reputable sources. There are plenty of websites out there that are only used for publishing sponsored or paid-for posts as advertising. These posts are not 100% accurate and are biased towards the sponsor or advertiser.
Here are some minor home repair problems you may encounter:
The most important thing to keep in mind when an emergency happens - keep your cool!
Plumbing
- Burst geyser
- Replace tap washer on leaky tap
- Fix leaks
- Unblock drains
Electrical
- Replace light bulbs
- Replace plugs on appliances
- Remove and replace faulty wiring
General
- Replace cracked windows
- Replace door lock
- Repair cracked tile
- Replace roof tile
- Fix roof leaks
- General ongoing maintenance indoors and outdoors
The above are all topics that we cover on Home-Dzine.co.za in the relevant sections.
4. Stay on top of maintenance
Now that the onus is on you to maintain your property, it is imperative that you grasp the situation and take control. Inspecting the condition of a house indoors and outdoors regularly will keep you apprised of any possible repairs that may pop up and will preempt the need for panic when a situation does occur, whether it is within your scope to fix it, or you need to call in someone to fix it for you. For example, the geyser unexpectedly bursts, or you have a leak in the home. What do you do? Well, first and foremost, don't panic. Running around in a panic will only make the situation worse. Take a deep breath and think logically and calmly. Switch off the geyser and/or switch off the water supply. Do you know where the stopcock is located on the property to turn off the water? If you make a list of everything that could happen, you are already one step closer to resolving the problem.
Keep a list handy of things that need to be checked, go online to find reliable information, visit our DIY sections for advice on plumbing, electrical and home maintenance, so that you have at least some idea of what might go wrong and how you would fix it. You can even go as far as setting up a folder on your laptop, tablet of phone and downloading links to sites that offer sound advice and tutorials that you can use.