When I?typed in the?search term 'Do it yourself?websites for beginners',?Auto-Complete came up with 'DIY websites for girls'. They probably didn't mean anything by it, but the fact that someone thought we needed 'special help' just reinforces the stereotype that we're totally clueless on how to do anything for ourselves around the house. Sorry, guys, that's not always true.? I know women who can do most any home-repair job you can think of and men who, for safety reasons, should never be?left alone with power tools. Or glue, for that matter.? Oh, well. I *did* manage to find a few instructional sites with projects even us 'mechanically-declined' girls can handle.
Instructables.com is a multi-purpose project site run by various 'professionals' with a sense of humor. New users are greeted by a yellow robot that looks like a kid's Halloween costume, and the front page features a VCR that was made into a toaster! The best part about this site is that the projects on the site are submitted by users like yourself and have a very wide range. If you don't want to make a bookshelf that looks like a rocket, you can make a metal lamp. If you don't want to do that, you can make chocolate-peanut butter bars that would make Reese's jealous. Users can upload videos, photos, written instructions or all of the above. There are forums and blog-like comments that allow you to interact with other users. The basic membership is free, but you can buy a monthly subscription for extra 'perks'. If nothing else, you'll get a good laugh.
FamilyHandyman.com also features DIY repair and home improvement instructions and project ideas, but takes a more serious tone. That doesn't mean that the projects won't be fun, though. Some of them-such as an outdoor stone water fountain-look like something you'd see in a fancy restaurant but can be done and maintained at home. The site also has several tip 'collections' that give instructions on projects such as quieting a noisy air conditioner and repairing a damaged carpet. There are forums where you can interact with other users, as well as blogs giving advice and reviews of home improvement products. You can order a subscription to their magazine if you'd rather than a 'hard copy', but the website is very useful on its own.
Based on the television network of the same name, the DIY Network site offers instructional videos and articles from a variety of experts, several of whom are women. Some of the shows-online and on television-are about undoing damage someone else may have done (I Hate My Kitchen) while others are about transforming your space into something fun (Man Caves). For those of us who remember the early 1990s (and others who would like to forget), there's The Vanilla Ice Project. At least this time he's not threatening to put the other hosts in the trash. Bronson Pinchot of Perfect Strangers and First Wives' Club fame also has a show on this network.
Now you have a few ideas of where to look next time you want instructions on home improvement or repair projects. Good luck!
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