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5 musts for a low-stress, on-budget DIY home project
Owning your own home is a life accomplishment
for many adults, and keeping
it looking sharp and adding your personal
touches brings a sense of pride. It
seems there are always things you want
to improve, so don’t let a limited budget
or lack of know-how hold you back from
dreaming. Th ere are plenty of ways to
enhance a room or remake a space without
breaking the bank, along with many
resources out there to show you how.
With a little research and a weekend
or two of elbow grease, your budget and
your abilities are more than enough to
take on many smaller jobs. When you’re
done, the satisfaction you’ll experience
from a successful DIY project will give
you plenty of motivation to start the next
improvement.
Before you launch your plans, here are
a few tips for an aff ordable and stress-free
DIY project.
1. Map it out
Prioritize the projects you’d like to tackle
fi rst. Whether it’s painting the living
room, replacing the kitchen countertops
or retiling the bathroom, the project
will be much less stressful when you
have solid planning behind it. Set a realistic
schedule, gather your supplies in
advance and be sure and review instructions
before starting. If you’re making an
improvement for a special event or outof
town guests, give yourself ample time
to complete it so you’re not adding stress
to the project.
2. Find creative ways
to cover costs
Make a budget for your project that
includes a list of expected expenses and
add padding for the unexpected. Assess
what funds you have available, and if you
don’t have enough, consider a savings
plan so you can avoid paying interest and
fees on a credit card. To speed up your
progress, grab your change jar and bring
it to a Coinstar kiosk where you can select
cash or a no-fee eGift card from retailers
including Amazon.com, Lowe’s, Home
Depot and Sears. You’ll be surprised at
how quickly a jar of coins can add up to
purchase needed supplies on your list.
3. Learn through many
available resources
If you’re like most DIYers, you’ll fi nd
online videos and home improvement
websites are great sources for how-to tips
and information. And if you’re a novice,
take advantage of the vast information
that’s available at your fi ngertips and
review several sources so that you completely
understand the process and are
confi dent before your dive in. Don’t be
afraid to tap friends, family members and
neighbors who have completed similar
projects, as they can be good advisers and
may even off er to help! You can reward
them by inviting them back to your newly
improved home to just relax and enjoy.
4. Keep it light
Doing DIY projects with a spouse or a
family member can be fun if you take the
right approach. When working alongside
each other, it’s all too easy to take a frustration
out on each other. Two-thirds of
those surveyed in a recent Coinstar survey
said they do projects with others in
their household, and 65 percent said they
got into a disagreement during a home
DIY project. Minimize tension by creating
clear expectations and give everyone
a defi ned role. Take needed breaks and
acknowledge accomplishments along the
way. Keeping things calm and positive
ensures everyone feels good about their
contribution.
5. Permission to make mistakes
Most homeowners are not professional
contractors and projects can and do go
wrong. If you make a mistake, do your
best to correct it and don’t beat yourself
up. Focus on the fact you’re making progress
in getting your house just the way
you want it and saving money by doing it
yourself. Next time, you will be that much
more profi cient! According to the survey,
90 percent of homeowners say they feel
a sense of pride aft er completing a DIY
project. Pat yourself on the back and plan
your next DIY endeavor!
To learn more about how Coinstar can
help you fi nd the cash you need for your
next DIY project, visit coinstar.com.
Courtesy BPT
at home