How We DIY...

The Facts

We have a home. Projects need done.

His Side 

Before I got married, while my wife had a wedding shower, I had a BATH (Barbecue At The House). While the ladies eat veggie plates and have estrogen fueled party games, us men answer by eating meat and playing ping pong. Feel free to implement this BATH idea, gentlemen... you’re welcome.

At the BATH I received gifts which consisted almost exclusively of tools. Most of these tools, I have to admit, I wasn’t completely sure what to do with. I know the basics:  hammers, nails, screwdrivers. Now, before you start judging me because I’m a man and I don’t have a vast knowledge of tools, realize that I don’t come from a very DIY focused home.

And the project begins...

I did, however, marry into one. Kristi’s dad always had some sort of project he was working on and her brothers are the same way. Luckily for me, Kristi inherited the DIY mindset, but not to the extent her brothers did. If she had, though, maybe she would just DIY on her own and not involve me. The only reason this might be a better option is because we are both quite stubborn so we sometimes butt heads over the best way to do things. She has a way of doing things and I have a different way. Naturally both of us think our way is the best but I’ve been told that hers always is.

Last time we worked together in a DIY situation, we simply had to put together an entertainment center from IKEA. First of all, their instructions just have pictures... I am literate, so give me some words. One of the pictures is someone needing help and calling IKEA... but there’s no number to call. And we needed help because one piece didn’t fit where it needed to fit. I am happy to say, though, that I came up with the solution we needed to make it work. I also, however, put a piece in the wrong place and almost ruined the whole thing. Kristi fixed it though and the rest of it was relatively smooth sailing.

We may not be the best DIYers on the face of the Earth but we make it work. And we haven’t killed each other yet, so that’s a positive.

Her Side

I come from a DIY household. Growing up, my mom and dad were always working on a new project around the house. If something needed fixed or if they wanted to update, they did it. My dad always knew how to handle any project, no matter the size. Perhaps it's because I'm the the youngest, perhaps it's because I am the only girl, but one thing is certain: I did not receive the DIY genes of the family. Don't get me wrong, when it comes to fun and crafty items, I can "Do It Yourself" all day long. When it comes to legitimate repair tasks, however, I am no good. I realize that we need to get from point A to point B, but the sequential steps that take you from one point to the other allude me.

Halfway there!

As Nolan mentioned, the last "DIY" project we did consisted of putting together a piece of IKEA furniture. It came with instructions and simply involved connecting piece A with piece B by using screw C. Sounds simple, right? In the grand scheme of DIY projects, yes, it's simple; but, for us, it did provide some challenges. Even though we faced a few minor bumps along that short road, Nolan was able to fix them and we now have a nice piece of furniture to house all things TV related.

I consider the IKEA project just an introduction to the world of DIY house projects for the two of us. We started out relatively simple and easy and are ready to graduate to something a bit more involved. The next project on the horizon is putting up a storm door, which seems to be way more complicated and daunting of a task than we are ready for. But I'm confident that with my project management skills and Nolan's ability to say "Yes Dear", we will have that storm door up in no time! It doesn't hurt that Nolan's birthday just passed and our selection of tools has grown!

Nolan and I have very different approaches when it comes to taking on projects of any kind. Like a typical male, he's very matter of fact in his approach. I am very emotion driven and don't take as kindly to things not going as planned. In the end, our two approaches work quite well together and I am confident that we can tackle any project that comes our way! So, here's to hoping that installing a door is somehow easier than putting together furniture.

Project completed