Stop honey-do lists with this girl's how-to guide

< Prev | 1 | 2

Chix Can Fix is your education. It’s not going to take you thirty years to learn how to fix up your home, and you don’t need to make the mistakes I did, because you have this book to guide you. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve fallen off a ladder or two, but you don’t need to worry about falling — this book will keep you steady and confident.

My friend Susanna says, “If only I could figure out how to wire my surround sound, I wouldn’t need a man around at all.” To this brilliant, funny, talented, and successful woman, wiring her surround sound is the great enigma of life. Who wants to be waiting around for that guy who’s been promising to hang those shelves you bought six months ago that are still sitting at the bottom of your closet collecting dust? I mean, we love men and all, but do we really want to put our lives on hold for that guy? Is this what is meant by being a lady-in-waiting? Well, those days are over. If a woman wants surround sound, she can have it. I’ll show her how to do it herself. And I’ll show you, too.

So come on. Pick up your screwdriver, put away your doubt, and let's get started.

Story continues below ↓

advertisement | your ad here

Before You Begin: Answering the What-Ifs
What if you’re in the middle of a project and it all goes south? As they say, sh*t happens, and anyone who has ever tackled a home-improvement project knows this to be true. I don’t care if you’re a twenty-five-year construction veteran or a brand-new do-it-yourselfer. Parts don’t fit, pipes break, measurements don’t add up — you can’t anticipate everything! Just know that when a problem arises, it isn’t your fault, accept that it’s the nature of the beast, and remember — the absolute best possible tool you can arm yourself with to handle any crisis is the right attitude.

I’ve developed a list of do’s and don’ts — not necessarily in that order — so if you ever get caught up the ol’ creek, you’ll have a paddle.

DON’Ts

Don’t, out of frustration, chuck a freakin’ tool at the wall — you’ll only be setting yourself up for a wall repair.
Don’t run crying, “You were right! I can’t do it myself!” to your father/boyfriend/husband. (That said, don’t tell your father/boyfriend/husband he’s the last person in the world —you’d ever call on for help — just in case you end up needing a little backup.)
Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill. Come on, you’re not performing open-heart surgery; you’re replacing a washer.
Don’t panic. Dial 911 only if there’s a real emergency — and an impenetrable toilet clog —doesn’t constitute a real emergency. If you’ve run into a problem you can’t solve, calm down and call in a professional.

DO’s

Do familiarize yourself with all the tools, parts, and safety measures before getting started on your project.
Do be patient with yourself. If Rome wasn’t built in a day, your shelves may not be either.
Do work methodically and neatly, so if you get stuck, you’ll know exactly where you are in the project.
Do step back and take a break if you hit a rough spot — sometimes that’s all it takes to come up with a fresh solution.
Do have the name and number of a professional handy in case you get in over your head.
Do set yourself up for success by being informed about your project, equipped with the right tools, and prepared with a realistic budget and time frame for its completion.

Excerpted from “Chix Can Fix: 100 Home-Improvement Projects and True Tales from the Diva of Do-It-Yourself ” by Norma Vally. Copyright © 2006, Norma Vally. All rights reserved. Published by Studio. No part of this excerpt can be used without permission of the publisher.

< Prev | 1 | 2

Discuss Story On Newsvine
Rate Story:
View popularLowHigh
Email
Instant Message
Print

Categories

Stop honey-do lists with this girl's how-to guide