What I Wish I Knew Before Starting DIY Projects (So You Don’t Make My Mistakes)
- Mary G
- 2 hours ago
- 7 min read
Once, having seen a sign that the water would be off in my building for 3 hours, I decided to change out a faucet. Talk about learning under pressure…in my pajamas, with my 6 month old in her bouncy seat in the doorway. I didn’t know how to turn the water on and off myself, so I just went for it…..
I figured it out I time, but it could have been very ugly.
confidence? recklessness? You tell me…
The fact is that there is a very specific kind of confidence that hits right before you start a DIY project.
“How hard can this be?” you ask…. “I have Pinterest.”
In truth, if you are anything like me, you have absolutely no awareness of what’s about to unfold.
I have now completed enough home projects to say the following with authority: DIY is not hard… it’s just humbling.
If you’re about to pick up a paintbrush, power tool, or “quick weekend project,” here’s what I wish someone had told me first—so you can skip at least a few of my mistakes.
1. Paint Is Not Just… Paint
I used to believe paint was simple. You pick a color you like, you put it on the wall, and voilà—beautiful room.
What actually happens is this: you pick a “soft warm white,” paint the entire room, step back… and realize you’ve created something that can only be described as “hospital”.
What I learned the hard way:
Lighting changes everything (morning, afternoon, and night = three different colors)
Flooring and trim bring out very specific vibes in paint color.
-For instance, you may see and love a deep burgundy powder room in a wood trimmed bed and breakfast in Vermont, but if you try that color next to your white tile floor bathroom, …you end up with something very much like the lady’s room at Target….not that I tried this.
Undertones will try to confuse you
That tiny sample paint card is good for only two of the following three things…squishing spiders in your car, dislodging sesame seeds from your fillings, picking colors…hint... its not picking colors.
What to do instead:
Paint large test patches (like, quite large) on multiple walls and live with them for a full day at least. Annoying? Yes. Worth it? Also yes.
2. Your Timeline Is Optimistic at Best
My husband and I know what we are dealing with when it comes to one another…we are 30 years in and he finally gets me.
But early on, the poor man would be so shocked and horrified to come home to the fridge in the hall and cloths on the floor. “We’re painting!” I’d call from the kitchen and he would groan and hang his head.
This... because he knew.
He knew that our apartment at the time was going to be unlivable for the purposes of relaxation until the painting was done...and he was right.
Once you start even a medium sized DIY project, that’s it. You can forget about sitting around at home, or chilling out in front of the tv until it is done.
You have crossed the Rubicon and you better have the stomach for finishing.
Now a days, I, at least, am mindful of such things. For instance, I am currently poised to rip the cabinets out of my kitchen, but I will wait until summer, when we can eat in the yard…I’m not an monster.
Every DIY project begins with optimism: “This will take one weekend.”
This is fiction.
A “quick cabinet refresh” once took me 6 months.
Why this happens:
Prep takes longer than the actual project
Drying and curing time cannot be rushed (no matter how motivated you feel)
Something unexpected will occur. It just will.
New rule:Take your estimated timeline, double it, triple it, and then mentally add one bonus day for emotional recovery.
3. Cheap Tools Cost You More
SO MUCH MORE.
There’s a moment in every project where you stand in the tool aisle and think, “Do I really need the $18 roller when there’s a $3 one right here?”
I have made that choice for you. You do.
My budget roller once left so much lint on my wall it looked like I had texturized. I then had to sand it down and repaint the entire thing. So. Savings.
What I learned:
Cheap tools give cheap results
Bad tools create more work
You end up buying the better version anyway
Where to spend:A good brush, a solid roller, and a reliable drill will carry you through 90% of projects. You don’t need the fanciest—just avoid the worst.
4. Prep Work Is the Project
When. When. When will I learn this?
Even as I write, I know that I am the worst offender of this rule. There is such terrible immaturity in me. I have been known to walk into the house, see something I hate, and start changing it before taking off my coat.
Its how I roll. I have to strike when the spirit moves me.
However, when I find the resolve to do it right, I’m always glad I did. Examples:
1.Scrubbing and priming before painting.
2.Sanding before painting
3.Taping before painting
4.Filling the dishwasher before painting
5. Changing out of pajamas before painting
You get the idea. Honestly, a clean space where everything is cleared away, or covered with tarps, etc helps a great deal…maybe not right at first, but by hour 4, you will be glad that you are not stepping over library books to paint above the stove.
Here’s the truth:Paint doesn’t stick to hopes and dreams… It sticks to properly prepped surfaces.
The unglamorous but necessary order:Clean → Sand → Prime → Paint
Every time I’ve tried to shortcut this process, I’ve ended up doing the project twice. Which is significantly less efficient than doing it right the first time
Take a minute, get organized….and cover the things that you love.
.5. Measure Twice… Then Measure Again Because Somehow It Changes…I’m Telling You
You would think measuring would be the easy part.
But it is not.
I have often confidently cut a piece of wood, only to discover it was… not even close to correct. Not “a little off.” Impressively wrong….
I don’t get it. Its like the socks that get lost in the dryer phenomenon…some things are just not to be understood.
Why this happens, I’m guessing:
Walls are not perfectly straight
Old houses move
Rushing leads to regret
What to do: Measure twice. Mark clearly. Then dry-fit everything before making permanent cuts. It feels excessive until it saves you.
6. Your House Will Get Messy (Like, Really Messy)
Boy, is this the truth. I once built a wall in our loft which then required mudding and sanding. I taped and even hung plastic everywhere, but by the time I was done it was unbelievable.
There was plaster in every room, and on every surface, including the dog.
Its just a messy enterprise, DIYing …no way around it…not to mention the pizza boxes and tools and paint cans that collect over the course of a house project.
Also, with every passing day, you just want it done and maybe you become a little less tidy? Whatever. You can clean it up later. You are creating!
Just do your best to clean as you go.
If you believe that you can “keep things contained, “ I support you and am cheering you on.
For me though, this is optimistic.
Dust travels. Tools multiply. Somehow every surface becomes involved in the project.
What helps me:
Drop cloths (plural)
Plastic barriers if I’m doing anything dusty
A designated tool zone or tub so the whole house doesn’t become one, maybe?
Also: accept that things will look worse before they look better. This is part of the process, not a sign you’ve failed.
It is always darkest before the dawn.
That being said,
7. Not Every DIY Is Worth It
Some jobs just call for a professional.
I‘ve tried many crazy things, but I draw the line at dangerous…which can be interpreted in a couple of ways.
Am I in danger of hurting myself if I take a chainsaw to this wall? Maybe I should call someone
Am I in danger of flooding the house if I change out this sink? Maybe I should call someone.
Am I in danger of losing my husband to a more predictable lady if I get a great idea and proceed to rip out the stairway railing? Maybe I should call someone.
There is a fine line between “empowered DIYer” and “person who should have called someone.”
I have crossed it a couple of times, but nothing too serious.
Trying to learn a complex skill (like tiling… in a main bathroom… under pressure) is a bold choice. Be bold for sure, but listen to your gut...and you’ll know when its time to make the call.
What I’ve learned:
Your time has great value and shouldn’t be leveraged if the project is making you miserable
Some projects require real expertise
Fixing a bad DIY can cost more than hiring it out in the first place
A good rule of thumb: Totally and without a doubt, DIY the cosmetic upgrades (paint, wallpaper, window treatments)... go for it and by all means, have fun.
Think twice about plumbing? (Lowes has some great how to videos if you are up for it though)...and maybe just stay away from electrical, for now, or anything that could flood your house or void your insurance, for that matter.
The Real Takeaway
DIY isn’t about getting everything right the first time.
It’s about learning, adjusting, redoing a few things (fine, several things), and slowly creating a home that actually works for your life—not just one that looks good in photos.
And if nothing else, just remember: If a project humbles you a little… that's good…Its good to be humble.
