Home Improvement

I don’t think I am cut out for home improvement projects.


I have a tendency to get crabby when faced with set-backs, and more often than not I take out this crabbiness on my husband. Not because it’s his fault, but because he always seems to be in the immediate area. Trust me, it’s not the best strategy.


When we bought our house we did so with the knowledge that there would be many small and large projects to tackle. The house was built in 1971, something you could discern just by looking at the flooring, cabinetry, and wallpaper throughout the house. But we weren’t fazed. We were not intimidated by a little painting, a bit of tiling, and a whole mess of extremely unflattering light fixtures.


Over a year later and we have made significant strides. We have also spent a good chunk of change bringing our house into the present day, and no, we do not plan on figuring out exactly how much money has gone into the process….the total could very likely cause us heart failure.


I have done my fair share of work. Dean has done more, and my parents have probably done just as much as both of us. So we are all contributing. Making the house a home to reflect our style, our taste, and our personalities.


And I am ready for it to be done.


At first it was fun. It was exciting. It was breathing new life into a space in need of TLC. Now….it’s just work. And really, it has always been work. Not to mention a huge investment of our time, energy, and pocketbook. Now when setting out to tackle a new project I think to myself, Can’t we just hire someone?


Sometimes my husband will take this as a sign that I don’t think he can do certain elements of a project, which is absolutely not true. For me, it’s more about not having to be present when the work is taking place, and not having to witness any mistakes and deal with any problems. If someone else does the work, I just walk away for awhile, come back, and everything is exactly the way I wanted it.


It’s a very idealistic viewpoint and also a very lazy one. It’s also quite dangerous considering the fact that I should be concerned about keeping the costs of these projects down to a minimum.


I am well aware of the satisfaction that comes with doing a job yourself. I am also well aware of my own personality type and how not suited it is for home improvement jobs. I am a person who likes order, and neatness, and everything to be just-so. Home improvement does not fall into any of those categories. At least, not until the end of the project, and this sometimes does not happen for weeks or months. I am also the type who likes to get things done quickly. In my mind this is equivalent to being efficient. With home improvement it can mean skipped steps, messy work, and mistakes. Luckily, Dean is always there to make sure things are done right.


Do-it-yourself home projects are definitely character builders. They can test the fabric of your patience and your relationship. They can make you feel wonderful, and they can make you feel like crap. For us neat freaks out there, it’s a test of willpower to see how long we can go without running around the job site organizing tools, picking up clutter, and scrubbing down surfaces.


In conclusion, I am not against the do-it-yourself approach, simply anxious for the day when there won’t be so much to do.