5 Tips To Help You Rock That DIY Project

Nervous about jumping into DIY? Follow these 5 tips to help you rock that DIY project and your project is sure to turn out great!

5 Tips To Help You Rock That DIY Project

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1 – Do Your Research

If you are tackling a new-to-you project but you’re not sure what steps to take, you absolutely must do your research!

Let’s pretend you found the perfect dresser at a garage sale. It was a steal of a deal but the color is ugly as sin. That’s ok! You can totally give that fallen angel a face lift. But you can’t just start slapping on paint from an old mystery can you found in the basement. Well, I guess you could, but trust me….you will be disappointed and a few tears of frustration might be shed.
I don’t want you to cry, friend. DIY should be fun!

For the sake of this post, let’s work through our hypothetical dresser makeover. There are a few things we should figure out before getting started.

• What kind of material is the item made of (wood or laminate)? Let’s say laminate because most people have at least one piece of laminate furniture in their home.
• What are my refinishing options for the material (stain or paint)? You cannot sand or stain laminate but you can paint it. So paint it is.
• What kind of paint should I use? There are a ton of options here and it really depends on the look you want to achieve.
• Should I use primer? Maybe. It depends on your paint choice!

If we had not stopped to figure out the material of our dresser, we could have ruined it before having the chance to make it pretty. You are laying the groundwork for your DIY plan of action by asking some of these questions. Each DIY is different, but taking the time to research your individual project will ensure success.

2 – Decide On Style and Design

There are so many design styles to choose from but that’s what makes it fun! You get to upgrade this item to the exact way YOU want it. You are your own designer and will get a custom piece that no one else has. Kind of cool, right?

Some questions to consider are:

• What style are you going for? Farmhouse chic? Contemporary?
• What color should our imaginary dresser be?
• What upgrades will tie the furniture into the rest of the room?
• What kind of drawer pulls should I use?

If you simply cannot decide how to style your DIY, don’t let that stop you in your tracks! Just head on over to Pinterest and search for your particular project (like “dresser makeover” or “dresser DIY”. You are sure to find something that inspires you.

You want to love your DIY at the end of the day, right? Of course you do. So take all the time you need to decide the best plan for your makeover.

3 – Gather All Your Gear

Ok, so we have info on our project and have decided exactly how it should look.

Oh, did we not decide on the plan for our pretend dresser? Hmm. Let’s do plain black (because that fits into my personal decor aesthetic) with silver pulls. Oh yeah. That will be sooo pretend pretty.

So what supplies do we need to paint this dresser?

• Drop cloth to protect the floor
• Paint and primer
• Brushes and rollers (In this case, foam rollers which will leave a smoother finish. Trust me on that one. Been there, done that)
• Paint tray

Whether you purchase your supplies online or by visiting your local store, try to get everything in one trip so you’re not having to stop in the middle of a project to buy more stuff. That’s annoying and personally drives me crazy. These added trips waste valuable time, patience, and could actually screw up your project itself. Drying paint waits for no one.

You can avoid any I’ve-royally-messed-up-all-my-hard-work nonsense by having a complete shopping list in hand when you purchase supplies.

4 – Perform a Spot Test

You know how carpet cleaner usually has a disclaimer that says “Test in an inconspicuous area”? It’s smart to have the same approach with DIYs.

With our dresser, you could test out your paint on a side that will be hidden against a wall or maybe near the bottom where most admirers won’t look too closely. This important little test gives an idea of how the end result will look. You can then decide to keep going or try something else. Maybe the brush you bought leaves too many stroke marks on the dresser, but you’re really wanting a smooth finish? Then you would know to only use the brush in tight corners or on intricate details while using the roller for the larger smooth parts.

See? Our little fake test saved us from hating our handiwork. Pretty smart of us, I’d say.

5 – Remember: No DIY Is Perfect

Seriously. No DIY is perfect. You are probably not a professional carpenter. Or artist. Or seamstress. Or whatever. You are a DIY-er! You are improving, you are beautifying, and you are making your furniture/space/home even better. That is awesome! Be proud of your new skills.

Embrace the imperfections that make your project unique and remember that even experienced DIY-ers have flawed projects.

Right now, I am sitting at my desk staring at a lamp I recently updated. I love the lamp now. I’m happy with my color choices and its size fits my desk perfectly. Unfortunately, there was some old plaster that I just couldn’t remove, I see a weird bubble that only became noticeable after it was painted, and I really wish I’d used a glossier spray paint. But I still love it!

You live and you learn? You DIY and you learn too!

So don’t be afraid to jump into DIY. It is a great way to give items a new life, save you cash, and update your space.

What are some DIYs you’ve been wanting to try?