Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Why do you DIY?
Taking a break from painting, and I started thinking.
My friends (and Hs friends as well) think we're insane for tackling all the paint that this house requires. My other friend is ready to have me committed because I'm hell bent on installing the kitchen backsplash when the tile comes in.
I don't particularly LOVE painting, but I'm good at it and it would seriously kill me to pay someone what I'm perfectly capable of doing.
As for the tile, the lowest labor quote I got was $1000, and after seeing so many people here and on blogs DIY, it hardly looks like something that I can't do myself (famous last words, but at least H has tiled before)
So my friends say that I put no "value" on my time, because the time it takes for me to do these projects, I should or could be doing other things...like spending time with the family or whatnot. Mind you, it's not like I'm painting for 12 hours a day. I normally will start at 9, when DS goes to school and then paint until noon or one. Then I will spend the next 3 hours with DD, usually doing whatever she wants for being so patient while I DIY.
It is not necessarily a matter of not having the money, but I derive an immense amount of satisfaction from standing back and looking at the work I've put into my home. I think that paying someone would not garner the same feeling...and it would probably annoy me that I paid someone and could have used the money elsewhere...like for curtains...because I can't sew.
On the other hand, I refuse to do anything outside the house and I'm willing to pay whatever I need for someone to do yardwork, just because I really do hate it that much.
So why do you DIY? If money was no object, would you always hire professionals to do your projects?
Re: Why do you DIY?
I enjoy doing projects and have the time to do them. I enjoy having a creative outlet and get a sense of accomplishment after I am done. I have hired professionals for some projects that I don't want to do or don't think I can tackle.
This is a strange thing for someone to say. It sounds like you're a SAHM? So in theory, all your time is spent with your family. It's not like you've got a 2 hour commute each way and leave before the kids get up and come back after the kids go to bed and never get to see them and DIY is taking away from the 15 minutes a day you get to spend with your family. I mean, why not do it when you're at home and have the time and the inclination to?
Anyways, I DIY simple things like paint, gardening, installing window treatments, trading out light fixtures because the idea of paying someone to do something which requires no skill, no thought, no ability really drives me batty. (Painting 2 story foyers excepted
) For me, it's not a question of personal satisfaction or achievement, which I know DIY is for many people. There are many things people here take pride in doing, like carpentry and tile, etc; I don't DIY that just because I have no interest in learning.
My Pinterest
The Googlesites Paint Bio
Thinking of doing cosmetic updates to a dated home? These were our costs.
I do it because it's my favorite hobby. I prefer painting/ carpentry/ redecorating/ etc to... pretty much everything. It's fun for me, plus I'm design ADD so I have to keep things inexpensive if my husband's going to continue to be ok with me changing it, and changing it again, and then again
On that note, though, in the 5 years we've been in this house I've tried my hand at just about everything I can (plumbing, electrical, moving gas lines, tons of things). I've been keeping an eye on the market for our second house (which will be a dump for me to fix up most likely) and I know that I'll be hiring people this time around for the projects that I didn't really love.
Planned Executed
I DIY for many different reasons. Painting for example is to save money and for the flexibility of when it gets done. Some times I plan for months to repaint a room, sometimes, it's a Friday night decision and I start painting the next day.
Other things like curtains or pillows, I DIY because I can't find anything in the stores that I like. So I purchase the fabric and make the curtains or roman shades or whatever.
Tiling, backsplash or laminate flooring we have done ourselves because my husband is super handy and he loves learning new things.
Yes, I'm a SAHM. So yes, I DO feel like almost all my time is spent with my little ones. My friend hates that I'm essentially painting for a few hours and in that time my DD (she's almost 4) is left to essentially "fend for herself"
This, IMO is ridiculous. She's 4 and I don't think that I need to be WITH her in the house all the time. She's independent (and happy enough) playing in her room, doing pretend by herself, etc. She knows how to turn on the TV, change the channels, operate the Wii if she's inclined to play a game. And if she needs something, she comes to get me.
I do sometimes feel guilt that I'm being neglectful, which is why I then devote the afternoon to her and my son (when he gets home from school at 4)
Don't let your friend make you feel guilty for teaching your daughter to be independent!! That's an as$hole move, and not a very good "friend" IMO... Your "friend" is ridiculous. Kudos to you for being crafty and independent and teaching your daughter to boot!
Planned Executed
For sure! I'm basically a SAHM 3 days out of the week. During that time a run a farm with H. LO is with me but she often has to entertain herself in her crib, hang out in her stroller/swing or generally play by herself.
I don't neglect her obviously but just beause I'm home doesn't mean I don't have sh&t to do and learning to be indpendent is a great skill!
I do DIY somethings. But only the fun ones. It's a hobby for me. The second it's not fun...it's time to pay someone. It's not worth the stress to me.
We DIY for the same reasons as any DIY'er. Budget friendly, feeling of accomplishment, doing it on my schedule. I enjoy learning new skills. And of course now it's my business to DIY and share but when it's something I don't want to do or don't have the skills to do or is out of comfort level, I will hire professional help. For decorating, I love being creative and putting things together, designing/sewing/shopping/etc. so it's a hobby/business and just something I've always done myself.
And I agree with the others. Teaching your daughter that you have interests, skills, hobbies and work to do and can't entertain her 100% of the time is the right way to parent. It sounds as if you've established a healthy balance. I think allowing kids some time on their own to be independent and entertain themselves inspires creativity.
My DIY & Decorating Blog
Here here! I think your friend is hating on you for some reason. Maybe she is jealous of the time you have or your skills? Not DIYing it when you can is a waste of money.There is really something about getting your hands dirty that is satisfying. I'd ignore your frenemy.
I agree with everyone else....I think there are a lot of great lessons there for your kids, and you are not neglecting them. It isn't like you will be painting rooms, etc. forever. Soon you will have it all done and you all will have plenty of time to enjoy the results of your labor.
I DIY because I enjoy it. If I didn't, and money didn't play into it, (sometimes it does), I would hire someone.
I am a creative person who likes the process as much, if not more than, the finished product. I get satisfaction from doing it myself, but I can fully appreciate that others don't feel that way, or that they feel satisfaction from not having done it themselves....I'm just not that person.lol
I can't paint walls. I have tried. I have bought ever gadget known to man to help. I have watched a million videos and tip/tricks. I can't do it. SO in that case, it isn't worth me banging my head against the wall to save money when I know the experts will do it perfectly. BUT IF YOU are great at painting - despite it being a PIA - then yeah I would do it in that instance.
I think tiling is another thing that if you have time and ability - do it.
I think all of us have to judge our pocket books vs. our wants/desires vs. our abilities.
And just because you can do it - you have to decide if you WANT to do it. I CAN clean my own home I choose to pay someone else to do it so I can spend more of my valuable time with my family or haha doing DIY projects ...
I think it's in my blood. My great-great grandfather was the second in command for the Brooklyn Bridge and did the cogs wheel at Pike's Peak. Each generation has either been a builder, engineer or architect including my dad, brother, myself and of coarse I married a contractor. I have lived my whole life with some sort of project going on, from small fixes to full gut rehabs. I specialized in historic rehab for years before I started a family, stayed home for a few years and am now back at it. The two things I always saw in my "dream" DH is he had to love sports and be able to build/fix things.
You are teaching your LOs some great values by doing things yourself. My dad has had customers with men in the house that couldn't even hang a picture. That is just so foreign to how I was raised. If something needs to be done, we get it done. Of coarse we know our limitations and will hire out when needed, but sweat equity can save so much and allow you to spend money elsewhere. And it can be family time, we spent last weekend digging up our backyard for a patio. The kids had so much fun driving the skid steer with DH and driving trucks in the mud. It was heaven for them.
Like PPs, I enjoy it, I enjoy saving money if I can do the job myself and I also take pride in the project because it's my home. So, honestly- I think the job I do is absolutely comparable to a professional, because I'll do it again and again until it's perfect.
I find that some of my friends that have made similar comments like, "Don't you have anything better to do?" or "That's why you pay people to do things", etc.etc.etc... are NOT very handy themselves. They think I'm wasting time painting because they can't paint. Same thing with refurbishing furniture... I enjoy it- the find, the planning- the transformation... for them to say "I could buy that for $100"... I just reply with "Well, a few hours here and there a couple weekends and $20 got me that piece and I DID IT." Then I usually follow it up with... "Don't get mad at me because you're not handy." Ha! So, don't let those comments upset you... just remind yourself that whoever's saying it, probably doesn't know how to do a damn thing themselves.
My Home Bio
I enjoy DIY projects. Thats the main reason I do it. I also enjoy saving money. I'm a pinterest addict and I love being able to show off what I made/reclaimed.
This weekend I'm sewing new throw pillows and attempting to paint a velvet chair for my living room. I don't know if the painting the chair will work, but it was 5$ and to cool of a shape to not attempt to reclaim it.
I could buy the same chair for almost 700$
Throw pillows cost anywhere from 20$+ so if I can make really nice ones with fabric I really LOVE for less than 5-7$ I will. Since I love changing out my pillows often it would be an expensive habit.