People have been DIYing ever since civilization began, but it’s become an increasingly popular trend with a market study by Technavio revealing that the global DIY tools market is expected to be worth nearly $14 billion by 2021, growing over 3% over the five-year forecast period.
If you’ve just purchased a home among the Grand Rapids houses for sale or anywhere else and hope to make some improvements, now is the perfect time to enhance your DIY skills.
Get Free Training and Advice From Online Blogs and Forums
Not only can you get some great ideas for fixes and other projects in online forums and blogs, but they’re also ideal for talking to others with experience, getting advice and perhaps learning from mistakes they’ve made. There are a vast number of options out there that can help with just about any project you hope to tackle, like “DIYorNot” which can help you decide based on the cost and difficulty of a project whether to take it on yourself. Look for personal blogs that people have for another great online source of ideas and advice.
Learning From YouTube Home Improvement Videos
YouTube videos provide practically an endless source of instructional videos and short DIY home improvement clips. Subscribe to channels like Bob Villa’s “This Old House” and Shannon’s “HouseImprovements.” There aren’t many subjects that you won’t find on YouTube, just keep in mind that certain skilled jobs like some plumbing projects and electrical installations should be done by experienced experts.
Watch Home Improvement Shows
There’s a long list of DIY home improvement TV shows available today that can help you improve your skills and get some new ideas too, in fact, the DIY Network is an entire channel devoted to it. Restored by the Fords is a great option if you want to learn how to improve an older home. “Wood Work,” “Get Out of My Room” and “This Old House” are just a few of the others.
Take a Community Class, Workshop or College Course
In most places there are community programs for adult enrichment – it could be worth looking into for learning a particular DIY skill. Local colleges often offer a wide variety of courses that can be of significant help for tackling a big DIY project and learning some new skills on everything from basic carpentry and bricklaying to garden design and interior decorating. Many home improvement stores offer weekly workshops too, like learning how to install tile and take on many other home projects.
Volunteer
If you want to get hands-on experience building a house, consider volunteering with a program like Habitat for Humanity. It’s a great way to get training in home repair and construction. You might learn how to put up drywall, paint, caulk and/or saw lumber. There will be an expert on hand to answer questions and make sure the work is done safely. If possible, volunteer at least a few times at the same site so you can see the progress of the project and have a better chance for more hands-on learning time.
