If you are recently divorced and you have no experience with DIY, you might think that you’re in a spot of bother. Thankfully, as you’ll soon find out, it’s never too late to pick up some new skills! Here are 8 Top Tips for Learning DIY After Your Divorce.

8 Top Tips for Learning DIY After Your Divorce

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In any marriage, it’s pretty common for one partner to take responsibility for all of the DIY tasks around the home. That means, if you’re the partner who sat back and watched the shelves get put up, you may feel a little apprehensive if you have recently gone through a divorce or separation.

If you have no prior experience with DIY, you’ll be pleased to find out that it doesn’t take too long to pick up some basic skills. Once that’s been established, you’ll be surprised how quickly you can start to move on to more complicated tasks. Before you know it, you’ll be a DIY guru!

So, if you’ve already received family law advice for a divorce and you think that now is as good a time as ever to get to grips with DIY, then you’re in the right place. Be sure to read on below to find out more…

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8 Simple DIY Tips to Learn Following a Divorce

It is always worth remembering before you do start a job yourself that some jobs should only be done by a trained handyman or expert. If the job involves plumbing, electrical or gas works, you will probably need someone who has more advanced knowledge. 

Take a DIY Course

First things first, if you have no prior experience with DIY and you don’t think that you have the necessary skills to tackle certain projects in your home, it’s a good idea to take a DIY course.

DIY courses equip you with the basic skills to complete various DIY projects in your home. This way, you don’t need to worry about chopping your finger off if you’ve never picked up a screwdriver before.

Depending on the circumstances of your divorce, money can be tight. Thankfully, DIY courses are usually fairly affordable, so you can sign up to one no matter what your financial situation looks like.

Make the Most of Video Tutorials

Gone are the days where you would have to carry out DIY work without having access to a tutorial beforehand. Whenever you start a DIY project (no matter how small or simple), it’s a good idea to watch a video tutorial. So you can be sure you know what you have to do.

Video tutorials are especially useful if you haven’t got anyone to lean on for advice when you start a project. All you need to do is hop on YouTube and search for a how-to guide – there are bound to be plenty of videos to choose from.

Ask for Some Assistance

Even if you’re living by yourself following a divorce, that doesn’t mean you have to work on all of your DIY projects in a solo capacity. If you think that you could do with an extra pair of hands, then don’t be too afraid to reach out for some support.

Pop one of your friends or family a text to say you need a bit of support. Whether that’s someone to see if the shelf you’ve built is straight, someone with a bit of muscle, or even someone you can vent your frustrations with.

Start Small

A good tip for any beginner to DIY is to never bite off more than you can chew. That means, just because there might be a major project that needs to be sorted, you shouldn’t be tempted to make a start on it until you’re confident with some of the other basics.

It’s a good idea to always start small and gradually work your way up to more complex DIY tasks. Especially if you’re a total novice. If you start with something that’s well beyond your skill level, you’ll be putting yourself in danger. And are very unlikely to achieve the desired result.

Remember – Safety First!

On that same note, always remember to put safety first. While most domestic DIY tasks are usually pretty straightforward, they can involve plenty of physical exertion and often use tools which could cause harm if not used properly.

So, make sure you’ve taken every possible precaution before you start DIY tasks when you’re by yourself. This includes wearing safety goggles and gloves where necessary, and avoiding lifting anything too heavy.

Make Sure You Have the Right Tools for the Job

A bad workman always blames his tools, right? Well, if those tools aren’t up to the job, then you probably won’t be getting much DIY work done. No matter how good you are.

It’s essential that you go out and invest in high quality tools that are well suited to the job you want to carry out. Put it this way – you won’t be putting together a new desk with a screwdriver you won in a cracker the previous Christmas!

Finish What You Start

It can understandably be very tempting to move onto a new DIY project if the one you’ve started is taking too long or is too difficult. But, even still, it’s important that you finish what you’ve started. Or you could quickly become overwhelmed with various unfinished projects littered about your home.

So, even if your DIY project seems like a drag, don’t quit just yet!

Be Ready to Make Mistakes

Let’s get this straight – you’re going to make mistakes. It’s only natural when you’re doing something for the first time.

So long as you’re prepared for the fact that not everything is going to be perfect, you’ll be able to learn from any mistakes you make. As your skills increase, the number of mistakes you make will quickly fall. You just have to be patient.

Are You Thinking About Picking Up DIY Following a Divorce?

And that’s our list! There’s no getting around the fact that DIY can be a little daunting for beginners. But, if you’re coming off the back of a divorce and are looking to develop new skills, it’s a great way of providing yourself with some independence.

Are you coming off the back of a divorce and are looking to develop some DIY skills? Feel free to leave a comment below with your thoughts so we can keep the discussion going.