I'm your Project Master

DIY can often be done easily with no need for a lot of hardcore, expensive tools. However, there are some tools which are a “must” and will certainly save you time and energy.

This is my list of essentials:

-          An Electric Drill: I used to have a hand drill and believe me once you have an electric one you will never look back. It saves so much time and energy. My favorite brand is Botsch. http://www.boschtools.com/

-          An SUV Cool Kart: This handy trolley works ergonomically to reduce lifting and prevent back injury. A great tool to have in the SUV for regular shopping trips as well as trips for DIY materials. www.suvcoolcart.com

-          A Step Ladder:Ladders are easy to find, if you are short of time I find this supplier website helpful: www.homedepot.com/b/Building-Materials-Ladders-Step-Ladders/N-5yc1vZaq3d

-          Adjustable Wrenches: There is always a need for tightening, and undo-ing. A wrench is an essential for any home. It is better to invest in a good strong set, and it will last your lifetime. A good online store is: www.homedepot.com/

-          A Claw Hammer and screwdriver: need I explain these items?

-          An Electric Sander& Sandpaper: This will always come in handy especially if you like decorating or have a lot of wood in your home. Again I favour Botsch tools: www.boschtools.com/

-          Screws, nails and wall plugs: It is best to get a collection going and build it up over time. When buying the size you need for the given job, overbuy and save the spares for another day. Again don’t just buy the cheapest you will end up regretting it.

We all have that old furniture which is undeniably useful, but is boring, and no longer matches the décor of the room it is in.

Old furniture can be revamped really easily, and it makes such a difference to a room.

An old set of drawers can first be sanded down back to the wood.

Then you can paint the panels at either end in a block colour to match the colour highlights of the room. You can use one colour or a selection or two or three complimenting colours. You can also paint the draw ends in the same way, but leave the main frame plain wood, varnished or paint with a nice fresh coat of white.

You could also use a bright and distinctive wall paper instead, but this will require some skill in cutting the paper neatly and then attaching to the furniture with wall paper paste.

I prefer the painting method.

You can also use a bold overlay stencil onto the plain colour blocks to add more interest and character.

A recent piece I revamped was a set of white drawers. I wanted to use them in a Chinese themed room which was red, with black borders, and a cream carpet.

I painted the main body of the drawers a sultry matt black, and then the draw ends a lovely bold red.

I finished off by stenciling gold dragons each side of the set of drawers.

The shaggy rug used to be ubiquitous in the U.K after the war. People had no choice but to be thrifty in those days. Everyone always has worn out clothes but what to do with them?

I collect them all up and when I have enough I make a shaggy rug.

Firstly you need to cut and rip all the clothes into strips a few cm wide by about 8-10 cm long. This is time consuming, so think of this project as a long term one to be done a little at a time before bed.

You will need:

A base material: I usually go for something hardy like canvas, or jean material. It should be firm, hardy, but also workable so you can push the strips of material through. The base material should be cut to the size of the desired mat (don’t get too large for the first attempt).

A big heavy duty needle or a hook:you could improvise this with wire in the style of a needle threader.

Once you are ready you start in one corner and basically you need to thread the strip through the material in a ‘U’ shape. The bottom side of rug would have the bottom of the “U’ and the top of the rug having two protruding ends of the strip of material.

Use the needle threader or hook to push through the material (from the back) thread the strip through, pull the material through. Push the needle threader through from the front and bring the strip back through. Then you just need to tie the two strips once.

Re-using items which you would normally throw away is a great way to get materials for a project, and to reduce the amount of waste your household is producing.

First you need to analyse your households’ behaviour and what waste you are producing in large amounts, to identify what you could re-use.

I always generate a lot of glass jars, plastic bottles and cardboard.

Usually I save and store all the cardboard in a special corner in my shed. I use this to start my wood burner in the winter, and I lay it on the ground around my plants as mulch. Cardboard can also be handy to make templates, or to try a mock up of an idea you have on the burner.

Most of the jars I clean and keep so I can then use them to store food items or homemade jam. But I also use the larger jars as a handy candle holder, which protectsthe flame from the wind. I put some dirt in the bottom of the jar (about an inch), push the candle into the dirt and light. These handy candle holders are cheap, beautiful. I keep one beside the bed, by the bath, and in the kitchen in case of power cuts, or simply for a nice atmosphere.

Jars can also be used as a bird feeder. You fill the jar with seed and then hang in a nice tree or bush using wire, or string. Small birds love to use them, and it is much cheaper than a shop bought bird feeder.

If you think DIY is something exclusive then you are wrong. Anyone can do it with a bit of persistence, and enthusiasm. The best way is to start out simply, and then as your experience and confidence gain ground you can move onto larger more technical projects.

Of course the ultimate in DIY is the home build, I have just completed my first home build which took 5 years from start to finish. A big job, but worth every back ache and pain.

Using my own hands, some help from my friends, and some wonderful enthusiastic volunteers we built my house from start to finish.

My house is eco friendly and includes many new fantastic energy saving technologies. Very soon I hope to be living off the grid, growing my own, living free and escaping from the rat race. Amish communities out there eat your heart out. :D.

As my blog develops I will delve into the subject further but for the moment I will focus on strategies, ideas, and tools for the newbie.

Building your own home takes an incredible amount of planning, time and funds, so it is not a project for everyone, but there are a lot of simple projects you can do, and steps that you can take to simplify your life and be more frugal.

Materials and quality of materials are important, as well as giving yourself the time to learn the skill of making.