To Buy or DIY? 3 Tips for Those Who Love Do-It-Yourself & Crafting to Help You Decide! by Alice V

I love upcycle ideas, DIY and crafting. I love learning new things and challenging myself and my creativity. But I learned over the years that not all things can be done by me. Sometimes you can't DIY – you just have to buy. My best advice to those who want to "do it yourself" is:

• Know your limits. This isn't to say that you can never learn to sew, create the next Picasso or fix a washing machine. You can do all those things, but you need to invest some time for education and practice. Skill isn't something learned overnight, however, you can learn overnight on what not to do. A part of learning something new is trial and error.

• Start small and work your way up to the bigger projects. I learn a lot by reading articles online, watching YouTube videos and trying things out.

• Plan your project, learn what kind of materials you will need and ask a pro. Asking questions is a valuable tool and you'll learn something new. 

DIY can be rewarding and fun, but it can also be discouraging and sad. Don't try to build a wall without learning the basics first. Something that seems too complicated or "too much work" is definitely a project you should outsource and buy rather than DIY.