Question and Answer

Carol wrote:

"love the kitchen reno so far!! Very inspiring.
Could you post some of your "favorite" or "most-helpful" online tutorials?? My husband and I both search online for home DIY help, but sometimes it seems like the amount of info out there is intimidating!! Any sites that are tried and true for you would help! Thanks"

 Thanks for your kind words, Carol! We completely understand when you say the amount of info and tutorials out there in cyberspace is intimidating. Often, before we jump into a new project, we find several tutorials online that will flat-out contradict each other on how to do something, which is extremely frustrating and confusing. So yes, we totally understand.

 
That being said, for each project we tackle we usually use steps/information from several different tutorials/sources, depending on the project and our particular situation/need/materials. Typically, a "research session" for us involves Googling the project, reading a few tutorials and watching a few videos (we're pretty visual people, and sometimes it just doesn't "click" unless we can see someone else doing it!). Then, once we're pretty sure we have a decent idea of what we're going to be doing, we head off to Lowe's or Home Depot with our list of supplies and any questions we have about the project we're about to tackle. Most of the employees have been incredibly helpful and knowledgable, and have answered any questions/doubts we've had. Then we head home with our supplies and get to work on our latest and greatest DIY home improvement adventure!
 
Here's a list of some of our favorite resource websites for our DIY home improvement needs:

• Lowe's or Home Depot - They have an extensive collection of tutorials, but our favorite is the free videos, which show you step-by-step how to do any range of home improvement projects. We've used them for a wide range of our projects, from installing new attic insulation to a new storm door.
• Young House Love - They've tackled everything from refinishing furniture to getting dents out of carpet, and offer free tutorials for each one. They make home improvement fun and oh-so-not intimidating. I used their tutorial exclusively to paint our kitchen cabinets, because it was easy, simple and the results turned out great!
• This Old House - They also have a great collection of step-by-step tutorials, with helpful photographs to boot.
• DoItYourself - They too have a good collection of tutorials, with everything from washing machine troubleshooting and repair to crown molding installation.

We hope this gets you going in the right direction on your DIY home improvement quest! Of course this is only the tip of the iceburg, really, as there are so many other great sources and tutorials out there for any sort of home improvement or home repair a homeowner could possibly dream of (or inherit!). Does anyone else have any favorite or helpful DIY home improvement sites to share and help point Carol and her hubby in the right direction? I know there must be quite a few out there that we don't even know exist, and we'd  love to pick up a few tips and tricks from, too!