Are you a DIY (do it yourself) kind of guy? I am. Though at my age, some things are more difficult to do than others – like changing a flat tire where I need to squat on bend my knees for long periods of time.

If not, then it is time to start being one. There are a lot of easy DIY things to do at home – if you care to look for them. Here are a few good reasons why…

Benefits of DIY things

DIY things are very fulfilling. The feeling of having done something worthwhile is astounding. They give a new dimension to your purpose and meaning of life. Aside from these “feel good” benefits, they also give the following benefits:

Save money:

You save money by doing it yourself instead of paying someone to do it for you.

It may not make you rich, but it can ease some pressure off your budget for groceries or utility bills.

Don’t mind if other people call you stingy. There’s nothing wrong with pinching a few bucks here and there.

earn Money

You can earn good money by selling your “DIY” expertise around the neighborhood. If some Moms sell their pastries or cookies to close friends, why can’t you do the same by doing minor car repairs, or fix a broken sofa or bed?

There are always a few people around the neighborhood who need your specific skills. They may not be much but they can help you ease your financial burden 

It keeps you busy:

There are always a lot of simple DIY projects at home to keep you occupied; keep you from being bored.

For example, you can mend torn socks, iron your clothes, fix a leaky faucet, or change a busted bulb.

These are a lot of things around the house to do if you look for them.

Slows down cognitive decline

DIY things may look simple on the surface, but they require close coordination between hands, legs, eyes, and brain. Simply put, they make you physically and mentally healthy.

DIY things help bolster your ego, your self-worth, and give you purpose.

connect with others:

There are thousands people out there happily doing DIY things. Check out Meet Up to see what groupd you may want to join.

Joining any of these groups is a good way of establishing a network of people with similar interest. It allows you to help each other grow, find solutions to common problems, and know the best suppliers of DIY things. Or, on the simplest level, get to know each other better.

learn something new:

Anthony J. D’Angelo said, “Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.”

Learning is a never-ending process – from birth until death.

Or take it from Henry Ford who said, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty…”

With the availability of the Internet, learning something new is just a mouse click away. Without any trace of hyperbole, I can say that I am smarter now at 72 than I was at 30.

It is liberating:

Doing things yourself when you want it, and however, you want it is liberating. It frees you from getting stressed out by a job done wrong by others. If don’t go out as expected, you have no one to berate but yourself.

Doing things yourself liberates you from these unproductive concerns and allows you to focus on what is at hand.

How to start your DIY adventure

It is not difficult to start DIY things around the house. Just look around and check what needs to be repaired, improve, or remove.

There is the leaky faucet that needs fixing, drainage that needs declogging, hanging roof eaves, creaking door hinges, the lawn that needs de-weeding, or hedges that need pruning.

What were you so passionate about in your youth but never got the chance to pursue it. Now is a perfect time.

If all these don’t ring a bell, Bored Panda has a chunky list of DIY things for elderly people, like you.

Whatever catches your fancy, the following tips can help you get on with it successfully – and without unfortunate incidents:

• Do something you love to do or have a passion for. It will keep you motivated; be on track. It’s so easy to lose steam or be sidetracked doing things that you have no natural inclination to.
• To keep things easy, do something you have had an experience of, or trained on.
• Should you lack Item 2, ask a friend who knows how to do it. Or consult YouTube. It has tutorials on practically everything.
• Most of the DIY things at home are easy. They require no college degree or years of experience. But they do require a lot of common sense. For example, changing a light bulb or repairing a flat iron can be done by a kid. But common sense tells never to handle electrical appliances with wet hands. Or stand on a platform that can’t take your weight, or out of balance.
• Be patient if can’t do it right the first time. Everything has a learning curve. Just keep at it. Practice makes perfect

At this point in our lives doing nothing at home is like putting a bullet into your head. It can cause anger, anxiety, indifference, substance abuse, and depression. Nobody dies from business, but many have died due to idleness. So lighten up and brighten up and start puttering around the house. You will be amazed to see how many things you can do and be astounded by the results of your labor.

~oOo~