~FYI'S OF MY DIY'S

My DIY~ FYI

So a little about my background~ I am self taught home improvement, photographer, face painter, muralist, senile DIY’er . When I began my journey in the home improvement world I had no clue what molding, junction boxes, or pressure treated lumber were. I was 18 when I joined the big orange box team & I was just looking for a fun job. Little did I know that I would get sucked into the mad world of do-it-yourselfers & contractors.  The company was new to Austin & I learned very quickly how fun, addicting & frustrating this all can be home improvement can be.  I have made many mistakes & look back with complete & utter disgust & embarrassment. I have wallpapered a bathroom with the wrong wallpaper & aligned it to fit the room & not the pattern. I have shocked myself, busted tiles & toes, slammed fingers, burned myself & much more.  I shot soda out of my nose when I first heard the word "nipple”, blushed when I heard male & female ends screw together & after growing out of all that immaturity now realize that it would become part of my (almost) every day vocabulary. I have burned; shocked, banged, almost lost an eye, broke toes, & lost many good pedicures to my addiction. With this being said I have gained knowledge, a fatter wallet & have the capability to test my husband’s limits without pushing him over the edge. So here is a few of MY FYI’s of MY DIY’s.

IT'S A SALE, A SALE...

Just because it is a sale, doesn't mean that it is a great deal. Just because you are recieving 10% with 12 months not interest no payments, doesn't mean you are not going to eventually pay 18% or more… read the fine print and ask yourself, can I wait for this “DEAL slash SALE?”

SHOP TILL YOU DROP…

Or till your head swarms with so many ideas, you don’t know what to do with yourself. Of course no money is involved in this process. WEEKDAYS are best for window shopping. Places are less crowded & you have time to ask questions. Before you window shop, you may look at some magazines to find some inspiration & ideas for what style you or might choose. You don’t have to stick to just one idea, you can merge your styles. Remember, window shopping helps tremendously when you are 2^nd hand shopping. Know your product, spot it quickly and find a great deal.

A GIFT TO THRIFT

Know your 2^nd hand stores. Every town/city has their own 2^nd hand store & there is always Goodwill & Thrift town. I’m sorry, but I seriously think that Goodwill is overpriced on their clothes. However, their furniture, baskets & records are usually great buys.  Thrift town has 50% off on certain color tags making great deals even greater. Salvation Army has AMAZING furniture since they pick up from the donators house directly vs. dropping off. You may even find several little vendors outside of the city that sell antiques & second hand finds.  Shop your thrift stores.

TOOLS FOR FOOLS

I’m frugal, very, very frugal. I like to find deals & save money. No I don’t buy cheap just because it’s easy on my wallet, it won’t be easy for my project. Remember the tools I bought myself for Christmas? Well I bought myself a RYOBI ONE combo kit all for the low low price of $99. I didn’t need anything industrial, I just needed to get small projects done. This kit came with a drill, circular saw, vacuum (dust size), and reciprocating saw & a charger all in one cute bag. It has helped me build an outdoor counter, a deck, a coop, a garden & saved my sanity.  My basic hammers, screwdrivers, utility knives come from harbor freight… of course I used my 20% coupon. I also keep an ample supply of measuring tapes. Just like socks in a dryer, the measuring tapes tend to get lost during a project. I keep an indoor tool box with my basic needs & my other items in the garage. Remember, in order to start any project you need the right tools, so know what you like, price it out & be patient, things always go on sale.

CURB PICKUP, BARTER, LIST/ BUY or LAYAWAY?   

When re-doing a room I like to sell the items that I am not going to use, either on craigslist or I hold a yard sale. I will try to sell it for as close as what I want to pay for something else to replace it.  Barter your services, if someone is selling something contact them to see if they will barter for their item. All they can do is say no. Look on craigslist or your local paper to see if someone is selling an item that will work for you.  Any item that requires assembly is always better if you can find it for less & already assembled. They did the hard work for you. Take a drive around a neighbor hood that is holding a bulk pickup or near trash day. Sometimes people don’t have the time to move things or donate them so they put them on curbside. LAYAWAY!!! Yes, people! My number one golden rule, if you do not have the cash, then you shouldn’t buy. I own no credit cards & I have managed to function after leaving behind a great find. Sure I had a few convulsions along with foaming of the mouth, but with one tranquilizer shot, all is right with the world. There are a few places that still offer layaway; YES, It is ok to LAYAWAY.  
 

IF IT AIN’T BROKE, DON’T FIX IT…

But sometimes when it’s broke, you can get a great deal. Look at the item, where is it broke? The legs? Is it visible, fixable? Take a moment to research it on your phone. Ask yourself a few questions.  Can you replace the piece? Paint it? Do you have the tools to fix it? Will fixing it still be less expensive then purchasing a new one? You can get amazing deals for pennies on the dollars. There is a product called PLASTIWOOD WOOD FILLER, it is an awesome product to have on hand. If you have an item missing a small piece of wood, missing a small corner or a small chunk of wood is missing, plastiwood can help. It’s a wood filler that hardens to look & act like real wood. You can mold it & build up to shape you need, sand it & stain or paint it. Liquid Nails glues down just about anything down. Mirror tiles are inexpensive & can be found at the Dollar Store. So don’t overlook the broken or the ugly.  You may have a diamond in the rough.

POINTS, CLUBS & EMAILS

They want it; you don’t want to give it. When companies request for you to sign up for their programs to get points, rewards or coupons, a lot of people are hesitant to give information.  I don’t blame them; I don’t want them to keep track of my stuff or my personal information. With this being said, I don’t want to lose out on deals either. So what to do? Easy, Fake it!  Grab yourself a new email, make up a name with either initials or use your favorite character’s name. There is no need for them to need your real name. At times I do however use my real address. Having what I call a “junk email”, helps filter out what you need or want & doesn’t let you clutter up your real email. Plus you can get great deals, first to know information & my favorite COUPONS.

A JOURNAL FOR THE CREATIVE

I so don’t do this, but as my mother use to say, do as I say not what I do. I am working on a journal; I am working on getting a little more organized in my idea books. A journal, a binder or even a coupon folder can work. Your journal should have measurements, color swaps & any other information that you may need to help make your shopping easier. My shame, I carry color swaps in my purse, measurements on lose pieces of paper & I’m always trying to dig up what I need to know. – DOES NOT WORK!

DOLLAR STORES

 Just because it’s a $1 doesn’t mean it’s a great deal. Some items are less expensive at regular stores, you can save anywhere from $0.12- $0.50 per item. Yes, this is just chump change, but adds it up along with taxes & you can save a few bucks. Don’t ever underestimate a dollar store, you can find great buys & discontinued name brands.

RE-CLAIMED STORES

What a great way to find high quality materials for next to nothing. I have been able to purchase cabinet hardware for a $1 that is special ordered at $8 apiece. You can find great cabinets, tiles, flooring & windows. More on this later.

SIBLINGS & STUFF

I haven’t mentioned my brother yet, but I have a pretty amazing brother who has blessed me with some awesome nieces; I think my sister-in-law helped with that too. He is so talented, from fixing computers & electronics to knowing how to build houses to making a lot of stuff. He is always a phone call away if I ever have a question or need help. You friends, family members, neighbors are limitless FREE resources. If you have a questions, need an extra pair of hands or need a little help, USE THEM!! Believe me, sometimes a DIY can turn into a DIT (do it together) job. Know that most of the stores you love have siblings too. EX: TJ Maxx, Marshalls & Home goods are all related. You can go to one store and find one piece, go to the other and find its mate. Please note, one store may be more expensive than the other. Why is this? I have no clue, but as an avid window shopper this is what I have found.

 

IF YOU LIVE IN AUSTIN, HERE ARE SOME PLACES YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK OUT.

(Remember I do not endorse these places, this works for me & my projects.)

 STORE NAME & STREET NAME ONLY- PLEASE GOOGLE OR MAPQUEST FOR TO GET INFO & HOURS

THRIFT TOWN

Stassney Lane

BEEN AROUND

Stassney Lane

GOODWILL

Brodie Lane

SALVATION ARMY

Congress St.

UNCOMMON OBJECTS

Congress St.

TREASURE CITY THRIFT

7^th street

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY RE-STORE

Comal Street

 

Try these places to find great accessories for less.

ROSS, BIG LOTS, MARSHALLS, TJ MAXX, HOME GOODS, PIER ONE, WORLD MARKET, TARGET

 If you know of a place in Austin, share it. I would love to check it out. I’m always up for new things.

 

~Mel 

The Legal Mumbo Jumbo :  Although I am able to be very frugal, in no way shape or form am I responsible for your addiction to shopping, spending or expanding your collection of stuff.