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Been There, Done That, Did It Myselfby Susan Farrell Drip ... drip ... drip ... Sound familiar? Or worse ... GUSH! Yes, been there, done that ... and even did it myself. I've got to admit that my dad did all the household maintenance and repairs while I was growing up. When I was married, my husband did them. Now that I'm divorced, and especially since I bought a house two years ago, I face those situations by myself — often with a budget too tight to allow repairman calls at a whim. When I bought my house, I was so proud and gung-ho that I proceeded to check out the home improvements and maintenance section at the library and bookstores with my head held high. I've now been to the local hardware store so often that I am on a first name basis with several of the clerks. A friend of mine jokingly refers to me as a "Hardware Hussy", since I nowadays prefer to play with the power tools and do home repairs than to hit the club scene. I even have a membership card to the Sears Craftsman Club, the membership card proudly whipped out as I've all too often purchased new tools there. In other words, I am learning to do-it-myself. The first thing problem I faced was the lack of tools. I recommend a basic tool set and box to any single moms. A hammer, a mixed set of screwdrivers, a crescent wrench, and pliers are the bare necessities. A wrench set and a socket set with a ratchet are also great if possible. As for power tools, I'd recommend a cordless power drill, with reversible settings, and a set of drill bits and screwdriver tips. Take it from me, once you have used these, you will wonder how you ever did without. If you can't afford these yourself, they make great gift suggestions for birthdays and holidays. Of course, there is the problem of know-how, or rather lack thereof. There are dozens of books on the market for home repair and maintenance, but the ones I found most useful are Home Improvement 1-2-3 by The Home Depot and Renovating Woman (Subtitled: A Guide to Home Repair, Maintenance and Real Men) by Allegra Bennett. The latter is also great entertainment, as you can guess by the subtitle. Be sure to check what is available at your local library, to save yourself money. There is also the internet, where an endless list of sites are available. I've listed some of my favorites at the end of this article. Another great source is your local branch of the chain hardware stores popping up all over the country, such as Home Base and Home Depot. They offer free classes throughout the year on a variety of topics, and often have free instruction pamphlets at the front of the store as well. I have a whole collection of those pamphlets ranging from toilet repair to leaky faucet repairs to installing lighting and electrical wiring. Yes, I even know not to mix the two ... Sometimes, I just go to the hardware store and ask for help. I've found the department clerks to be knowledgeable and very willing to help, not minding my taking notes and drawing sketches along the way. If necessary, of course, you can always call the repairman. Want to know what has been the best thing I have learned about doing-it-myself? That I can. Resource Suggestions: "Renovating Woman, a Guide to Home Repair, Maintenance and Real Men" by Allegra Bennett Home Improvement 1-2-3 by The Home Depot "I Can Fix That" by Susie Tompkins "The Womanıs Hands-On Home Repair Guide" by Lyn Herrick "Complete Fix-It-Yourself Manual" by the Editors of Time-Life Books Links include:
Susan Farrell is the single mother of two teenagers. Her many hobbies include writing, reading, gardening, cooking, traveling and camping, and trying new things with her children. Her motto: "Live, love, laugh." Life's just too short not to.
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