Handyman in Training: 5 Steps Towards a Handy Future

Last Updated on November 5, 2011

Ever wanted to fix a doorknob or patch a hole without having to hire expensive help? You’re not alone. Many people don’t want to take the chance of striking out on their own. It’s understandable, given a loyalty to a trusty handyman or fear of risking further expenses and personal safety. However, in today’s economy especially, learning a new skill is always a smart idea. How can you minimize your risks? Use our checklist to get ready. Learn how to find your handy spirit with these 5 simple steps:

Get Some Experience

If you’ve never hammered a nail in your life, you might consider learning from watching another at work – even if the thought of doing time in a handyman’s garage makes you shudder. Experience in the field you want to learn may be the most productive use of your energy.

Think of it as a short internship. In a couple of months, you’ll be screwing in those light fixtures like nobody’s business. By then, you’ll have learned the ins and outs of the basics and reduced the risk of total inexperience.

Purchase a Solid Set of Tools

Go shopping for a good group of tools that complement your handy to-do list and fill in the gaps in your collection. Though you may have a hammer or screwdriver lying around, this won’t provide all of the needs of running a household. Check your arsenal and see what you need. The importance of having the correct tools to complete the job with ease and perfect is imperative.

Fight Inexperience with Advice

Friends, online resources, even the classic yellow pages are great resources for mentors. Handyman USA, for example, offers up expert advice and help for do-it-yourselfers. You can search by related topic and meet professionals in the field locally or by email. You can also get feedback from sites like handmantricks.com or handymanwire.com.

Write a To-Do List

One of the biggest mistakes an aspiring handyman can make is failing to map out exactly it is they want to accomplish. Don’t fall into the excuse that you will learn later, or fix that problem at another time. It will become more of a reality when you put it down on paper. If, while writing out the list, you decide the projects aren’t sensible for you to do as originally thought, the plan has served its purpose. Rather than cost you money and effort, you’ve spared yourself any loss.

Go for It

Be part of the skilled handyman crew and learn a skill that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Learning something new can be a straightforward process, or it can take much dedicated time. However, the rewards if you make it to the end will be a great asset to your life skill set. Go ahead, go outside your comfort zone. Hiring and finding a trustworthy and good handyman is no easy good thing to come by. No better person to fix your house than yourself!

Frank Anderson is a home improvement and Internet blogger and writer.  He also maintainsexchangehosting systems for companies large and small.