Why I Don’t (Always) D.I.Y.

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If you asked any of my close friends to describe me in five words or less, crafty would likely make the top of the list. I make my girls’ clothes, headbands, vinyl t-shirts and the majority of our wall decor. I’m a self-taught gardener (this year) and an aspiring ukuleleist. We make our own laundry detergent, lotion, and shampoo. If either my husband or I had ANY handy-work skills, I’d overhaul half the rooms in our house tonight.
 
So if you’re anything like me, you’ve got a list of spring projects looming in your brain that require the essential question–

To D.I.Y or not?

And in a world of Pinterest and Jo-ann’s, Walmart and Home Depot, it’s not always an easy question to answer. Most of the time, D.I.Y. is how I R-O-L-L, but not always. And no, I wasn’t always this way. It took a lot of failed attempts, half-completed projects, headaches and really good book my brother suggested I read to help me better analyze what to do myself, and what to hire out. 
 
In Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown, he shares the following quote:
 
“There are three deeply entrenched assumptions we must conquer to live the way of the Essentialist: “I have to,” “It’s all important,” and “I can do both.”  Like mythological sirens, these assumptions are as dangerous as they are seductive. To embrace the essence of Essentialism requires we replace these false assumptions with three core truths: “I choose to,” “Only a few things really matter,” and “I can do anything but not everything.”  These simple truths awaken us from our nonessential stupor.  They free us to pursue what really matters.  They enable us to live at our highest level of contribution.”
 
This quote freed me.
 
In a world where we have such quick access to SO MUCH INFORMATION, it’s hard to distinguish what to spend your (little) free time doing.  I find myself questioning, “Could I rewire my kitchen’s electrical problem?” An hour of YouTube and a few notes later– maybe. And “Oh yes, I saw the other day where Sally said she was able to make an entire outdoor mud kitchen for her kids with just a couple pallets and nails. Where is that post?”
 
And amongst all the clutter in my brain a tiny voice reminds me. . .
 
I can do ANYTHING, but not everything. 
 
So here is my roadmap for deciding if a project is worth “D.I.Ying” or if I should just call in someone who is trained and talented enough to get the job done:
 
Let’s start with the big ones:
 
Time Let’s be real; time IS money. If a project is going to take all your spare time and energy away from your family and self-care, skip it. Hire it out. 
 
Money Consider all the factors– supplies, childcare, more supplies you’ll probably never use again, repairs, quality products, etc.  Would the amount you save to do a project be worth everything else you invested in it? I recently had this dilemma with repainting our porch. When it was all said and done, it would have taken us an entire day, a babysitter, and a couple of sore backs to save about $50. Not worth it. If you can’t afford it now, and it’s not URGENT, it may just have to wait. Don’t D.I.Y. just to save money. 
 
Process over product If I am going to take on a project, I want to be able to enjoy the process and not just be looking for the end piece. Some people love to paint. I’m not some people. That’s one I should hire out. But I sure don’t mind to spend 2-3 hours alone with my sewing machine– I love the process and the product. That’s when I know it’s worth my time.
 
Prior history Did I attempt this kind of project before? If so, do I have good memories of that time? If not, I’m calling in the pros. It probably wasn’t meant for me.
 
Prior knowledge and skills Do I have at least 75% of the skills required to complete this job? That leaves me a 25% learning curve and that’s something I can handle, and can contribute to my overall growth, not just mounds of frustration. If every step of the way I’d have to revert back to the Youtube video, I’m not doing it. 
 
Can I do this properly? – Will it be the quality I want? If it’s a small shelf for my closet that nobody will see then sure, let’s cut it ourselves. If it’s the grout for the backsplash in a brand-new kitchen remodel, I just don’t want to chance it. There would be nobody to blame but myself if something went wrong.
 
Storage Do I have space and does it fit my personality to store all the items needed to complete this project? I personally feel mentally and emotionally overwhelmed when my physical space is in disorder, and often times large projects require this for some amount of time. 
  
Moms have so much to offer. Let’s make our best contribution to our homes, families, and communities. You can do anything, but not everything. And just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. I hope these guidelines offer you a framework to see all your beautiful works come to fruition and all your unnecessary headaches avoided.