5 Way to Plan a Successful DIY Project
With spring in the air, many people might be thinking of taking on some DIY projects. While this is a great idea, there are many things that can turn your DIY success, into a DIY fail if you don’t get your ideas in order before you begin.
So, to hopefully get your DIY project off on the right foot, here are 5 ways to help plan a successful DIY project:
Write up a plan of Action
Before you start your project, sit down and write yourself a plan of action. What is it your going to do? How are you going to do it and what are you going to need? Having all this in front of you before you start, will help you begin your project on the right foot.
Buy the right tools and materials
Part of your plan should be thinking about what tools and materials you will need to complete your project. It is a must to make sure you buy and own the correct tools to complete the job. Otherwise, you may find you need to buy things twice, or your project won’t stand the test of time (if it is even successful in the first place).
Time management
Consider what you want from the project and how long you have to complete it. If you only have a short amount of time, it might be worth cutting back on any fiddly extra tasks, to make sure you end up with a sturdier and well-made finished item.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
It’s all well and good doing the bits you can, but if you aren’t trained to do certain tasks, you most definitely need to ask for help and call in the professionals. After all, you don’t want to do specialist tasks yourself and end up in a dangerous situation.
Communicate
If you’re going to complete your project in your own private area then all is well and good. However, if your project means an area in your home is off limits to others for a certain amount of time, you most definitely want to warn people. Allowing them to make other arrangements for the day and allowing you to work in peace.
Lastly, make sure your finished project is safe. The last thing you need is someone going to a specialist such as Slater & Gordon Personal Injury Solicitors, after being hurt by your work. Remember the perils of DIY can hurt not only you but others, so think smart and stay safe.
What is your top tip for safely completing a DIY project in the home?
*This is a collaborative post.
Just LOVE this DIY plan! I have some DIY project and I also follow your guide.
I smiled when I read this post! I get a whim and decided to fix something. Then out come the tools, and bits and pieces….. it is then half way thru I find I have not got an essential item and have to dash to the store. More often than not Im covered in dust, paint or mess…..
I love DIY but it doesn’t love me last time I fell from the ladder reaching too far!
These tips are fab, I may forward this to my husband who is not what you’d call a DIY starter-finisher. That said he’s good at making sure we have the right tools for the job, I just blunder in with enthusiasm and little else.
Having the right equipment to key to success, so is asking around for help. I think that’s one of my downfalls.
The right tools are so important! I often try to work with what I have but it’s s much better to be prepared!
Where was this when I needed it the other weekend?! Me and my husband need this to keep us on track! Action plan is what I should introduce.
Wow great tips on prepping for a DIY! Tools are definitely so important especially the right tools before starting a project.
I do love a bit of DIY and think I’m quite good at it. I even cut My own worktops and made a breakfast bar! planning is vital!!
These are really fab tips, but sadly DIY is just not for me. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help” I can relate to the most: when it comes to DIY, it’s a case of asking daddy, haha!
Ashton xx
getting the right tools before you start the job is a must, something my husband never seems to do
I am so NOT a DIY person, it seems something always turns into a mess LOL! But your list of planning is very good and if I try again I will plan better with your list!
I wouldn’t exactly say that I’m a DIY person but I don’t mind projects here and there. I think these are essential as well. It’s always nice to have something to work on.
Some great tips here! I should show this to my dad, he does a lot of DIY.
I’m lucky that my husband is a carpenter, so he handles all the DIY in our house, I’m not even allowed to pick up the tools!
i always have to get the correct materials and tools sorted beforehand otherwise i start panicking lol great tips!
great post, i keep thinking about doing something like this on one of my days off work xo
I usually need help when it comes to my DIY projects! xo
Sarah, I really like how you laid these steps out as too few people allow enough time for planning. They start with the wrong tools & end up making several trips to the store, to get a missing part or as you suggest, a replacement part when they did something wrong. One tip I learned from my husband – buy all the possible parts you think you might need, and then you only have one more trip to return what you don’t use … works like a charm.
Thanks for all the helpful tips! I plan on recreating a designer dresser so these tips were well needed and appreciated!
I’m going to be doing quite a bit of DIY over the next few months so thanks for the tips x
I am pretty good at DIY projects. Love your tips. Thank You
Really great tips!! I always find that if I have some sort of DIY plan and then go out and purchase what I need I’ll always stay on track with it!
My husband is in charge of our DOY projects. He always makes sure he has the correct tools for the job thankfully as we don’t want anything going wrong.
I need to know when to ask for help. I waste time trying to sort out DIY.
I’ve never done a DIY project for my home per se, but my parents do all kinds of DIY stuff. For them it definitely starts with a vision and finding just the right pieces to pull it off.
Great advice, I usually hand over the DIY to my husband, although I do tend to get involved somewhere along the way x
They always need a little help don’t they 😉
I’m a craft lover and I always make sure to have a good and unique tools to use to make a successful diy’s.
There’s some amazing tools out there isn’t there when you look close enough.
Oh trust me, I ask for help a lot during DIY projects. Not all of them, but if they get complicated, I’m all, “Err….I’m confused.”
I do as well but so many people don’t which surprises me!
Some great ideas, I’m always looking for the confidence to do more DIY projects, maybe later this year!
Start small and work up 🙂 nothing wrong with building your confidence slowly.
I’m ok with small diys, but I’m not the best at large projects and tend to ask for help a lot! Haha
Haha I’m the same, my Dad thankfully is pretty good though 😉
OMG, Sarah, I need to bookmark this post! Maybe even tattoo it on my forehead! I never prepare enough and am always missing something!
Oh no! hopefully next time it will help you get it all done and sorted 😉
A plan of action is important. If you’re like me, you’ll be like “what was I supposed to do with that again?” lol Yeah, please have a plan.
Haha I so know that feeling, all to well.
I feel these steps could be applied to other areas of our lives as well. I struggle with time management and I want to work on that.
I definitely need to work on time management as well, I’m a great procrastinator.
Sarah this is good advice and I am sending it to the hubby! He is fab with DIY but makes no plan or prep whatsoever which as you can imagine can be very scary!
Oh no! Let’s hope it helps him prep better in the future!
Or do what I do and ring my dad or ask my friends dad to come round and do it for me ha x
Haha I probably should have included that one, it’s probably my top tip to be honest lol.
Yes, these tips are perfect. Communication is indeed very much needed so that we can ask questions from those who know more.
This made me really want to start a little DIY project! I haven’t done anything creative in a while, I think it would be good for me. Thanks for the inspiration!
Ohh what sort of project are you thinking about starting?
This is so smart and so the opposite of how I usually operate. I really need to start better planning and preparing for projects like this! definitely bookmarking, came at the perfect time!
I do think often it is quite easy to start things on the spur of the moment sometimes. So the planning goes out of the window.
Very good article! I used to do some diy with flower pots, vases and candles! Pinterest was such a good inspiration!
Oh wow that sounds so interesting, pinterest has some amazing project ideas!
I am so bad at DIYs. I have many ideas and tried few of them but every time ended up with a sore thumb. Clumsy me. Some very good tips though xx
Some great tips here. Preparation is really important for a good diy job x
Such great advice! thank you for sharing 🙂
I think these are great tips. Time Management is key. I always fall short when estimating how long a project will take me.
It is s hard isn’t it you always assume something will be quite quick then bang it takes forever.
I love DIY projects but sad thing is i never tried any 🙁 I just don’t get enuf time to complete a project so am always afraid to start one.
It is hard to find the time to do things, I hope one day you manage to.
We’ve done many home DIY projects, and this is excellent advice. I agree communication is important. We’ve learned just because we’re up early working outside on a Saturday morning doesn’t mean the neighbors are! It’s always polite to let people living near you know about your remodeling plans.
Most definitely, it can make all the difference can’t it.
Totally agree with the plan of action, my folks usually head into a DIY project blind and cause all kinds of problems x
Most definitely it can cause so many issues when you don’t plan it all out properly.
Wow, I really enjoyed reading this! I look forward to your future posts:D Maybe you might like some of the things I write about on my blog.. feel free to have a look!
My action plan for DIY is to call my dad, explain the project, give him money and get him to do it for me x
Hahah I have to admit I quite often end up calling my Dad as well 😉
My diy never seems to get finished!!
Thanks for the tips
I hope you manage to get it all finished one day 🙂 x