Just Go Hire Somebody

 Good morning, and welcome!

How many times have we said that when it comes to fixing everyday problems around the house? Oh no, the dryer’s making funny noises—better hire somebody. Piano’s out of tune—go hire somebody. This IKEA furniture is so confusing to put together… can we hire somebody for that, too?! 

Admittedly, I also know several people on the other side of the spectrum, who do their best to solve the problem themselves in favor of saving the money. However, all the mini-crises that have been occurring around the house as of late have got me wondering… how far can we take this idea of rolling up your sleeves and getting the job done with a how-to manual and the Internet? Is there truly nothing we can’t do without hiring somebody? 

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How to Dye a Stained Carpet 

(Photo "Carpets" by ToniVC is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

I was expecting this to be an impossible task, but it turns out dyeing a carpet is actually (sort of) possible! To begin, you’ll need a sample of the carpet. Only wool or nylon carpet fibers can be dyed. To find out your carpet material, you have to burn it. Apparently wool fibers burn slowly and leave a dark colored ash, while nylon fibers smell of… celery? However, if your carpet is dyeable, you’ll need to start by ensuring the carpet is as clean as possible. You can shampoo and vacuum the carpet, use a carpet cleaner, or Just Go Hire Somebody for the deepest clean possible at this stage. Then, with a wet, glimmering carpet and a bucket of dye that is either matching or darker than your current carpet shade, you can dye your own carpet. The dye must be mixed in hot water and put into a sprayer. After that, you must apply multiple layers of dye to the carpet. Excess dye is raked for the ideal distribution of color. Be sure to wipe away any dye that was sprayed on to the surrounding walls immediately. After 24 hours of drying, the carpet should be ready for use again! 

For more in-depth info, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aysu-7AAY_k 

How to Tune a Piano

(Photo "piano" by MaltaGirl is licensed under CC BY 2.0)

To tune a piano at home, you’ll need a significant amount of musical and mechanical know-how. However, if you’re successful, congratulations: you have accomplished something very confusing and difficult for a lot of people! To start, the sound in a piano is produced by a set of vibrations in strings struck by the keys in groups of two or three. With time, damage, sudden changes in temperature, or even drastic tuning performed on other strings nearby, the strings can fall out of tune and harm the quality of the music that is played on the instrument. On average, there are about 230 total strings on a piano, and each must be in tune and ready to go at all times. This means that a piano should be tuned about once every 6 months. To begin, use a tuning fork to play a consistent, in-tune note and use the tuning pins on the piano and a tuning lever to tighten or loosen each string accordingly. To silence strings that you are not tuning, use a tool called a mute. Ensure each string in a group matches one another by playing the corresponding key and adjusting as needed. Because most modern pianos have nearly 90 keys, this can be tedious work, especially since you’ll likely need to tune each string more than once due to the sudden changes. Best of luck!

I’ve only scratched the surface of the piano’s inner workings. For more information, check out the article and videos on this Willis Music page: https://willismusic.com/how-does-a-grand-piano-work/ 

How to Paint an Indoor Mural

(Photo "Goldfish and books at Taco Roco" by Stephanie_Asher is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Though visual art is a gift I sadly do not have, I think it would be so cool to have a mural as an accent wall in your house. There’s no need to add any additional accessories: the interior decor isn’t on the wall, it is the wall! To create a mural, first you need a definite plan. Murals are often symbolic and communicate a definite message or mood. It is best to select a theme that complements your personal style or fits the room in which you intend to paint your mural. Then, sand the wall to remove all previous paint from the surface. Use acrylic primer to prepare the wall for fresh paint. After a little less than an hour, the primer should be dry and the wall will be ready for paint! You can transfer your mural sketch onto the wall directly in proportion to what you have already designed by using a grid to separate the wall, and the sketch, into smaller sections. Then, fill in each section and allow the paint to dry. Make sure to check your floor, ceiling, and surrounding walls after you’re done to ensure that no excess paint was spilled in a place where you’d rather not have it, and clean up quickly and efficiently for the best results. 

To learn more about additional techniques used on indoor murals, read this Art is Fun article: https://www.art-is-fun.com/how-to-paint-a-mural

How to Darn a Sock

(Photo "Day 133 - Darn Socks!" by Menage a Moi is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)

Darn, there’s a hole in your sock! Luckily, with this handy trick, you won’t have to throw it away just yet. To darn a sock, you’ll need a darning egg on which to position your sock, some embroidery floss or sock yarn that match the color or your sock, and a blunt tapestry needle. After turning the sock inside out and comfortably positioning the darning egg inside, tread your tapestry needle with your yarn and begin stitching around the edges of the hole, where there is thinning fabric. This will reinforce the area around the hole and keep the fabric from wearing away again. Then, use your needle to create long stitches extending from one end of the hole to the other, spacing the stitches in accordance to the sock’s original knit. This is called a “warp”, and it is the first step in weaving new fabric with the yarn to patch up the hole. Proceed to work your needle in and out of each stitch in the warp to create a stretchy yet durable material. Finally, tie off your stitching so it remains tight and wash the sock. The darning will shrink and become even tighter and more fabric-like. 

I’ve found that this process is easier to understand in a video. Give this one a try: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9pEwlUaagg 

How to Install an Inground Pool

(Photo "Frogs in the Pool...Again!" by Gatorgoon is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0)

Now that fall is upon us, I’ve found myself reminiscing about the good old days when I could venture outside onto the front porch without yelping in surprise and hurrying back in for a sweater. Hence my fantasizing about a pool in September: three cheers for wishful thinking. Sadly, this is no easy process! To start, there are actually three types of inground pools: fiberglass, vinyl, and concrete. My dream pool is one of the fiberglass variety, as this type of pool is durable even in cold weather and simple to install and clean. Fiberglass pools come in large shells that are installed directly into the ground. For this type of pool, you’ll have to prepare your yard for the shell by digging a hole of the correct dimensions and moving the excess dirt to another location. Then, you may have to use a crane to lower the shell into the hole, taking care to ensure that the shell is perfectly level. The final step is to arrange the pool’s various plumbing equipment. The water for the pool must be transported using a truck and deposited in your pool. You may want to prepare an area around your pool to best enjoy your time outside. Whew, does all that sound like a lot? I think I personally would Just Go Hire Somebody for this one, but if you can get this done, you’ll have a relaxing backyard oasis to show for it in the years to come. 

Clearly, there are plenty of elements to keep in mind when installing your own inground pool. Learn more about them in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGz7E2g0SEA

Honorable Mentions

(Photo "Sharpest tool in the shed" by Lachlan is licensed under CC BY 2.0)

But wait—there’s more! So much more, in fact, that I’ve got to include another Honorable Mentions item just to fit them all in. Who knew you could DIY all this stuff?!

• Plenty of people with a knack for organizing storage spaces around the house, but I have a little more trouble with such things. However, why buy a state-of-the-art closet organizer when you can accomplish the same thing with a little elbow grease in place of those expenses? Read this The Spruce article to find out more: https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-organize-your-closet-2648411 
• I am a huge sushi fan and it is about suppertime as I’m researching now. So here’s this. https://www.denverpost.com/2012/06/25/sushi-for-beginners-five-steps-to-making-sushi-at-home/ 
• Wouldn’t it be amazing to survive on your own in the wild, either for fun or in an emergency? For all you adventurers out there, here’s this outdoor survival guide from the Twin Eagles Wilderness School webpage: https://www.twineagles.org/wilderness-survival-guide.html
• Never have we appreciated hairdressers more than when in lockdown this spring due to COVID-19. I sure would’ve used these guides on how to cut your own hair if I had known they were out there! No matter your hair texture or style, this Wired article has got you covered: https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-cut-your-own-hair-at-home/
• Though there’s no sure way to know what’s wrong with a broken car without visiting a mechanic, this guide to the most basic car problems and solution might help: https://www.familyhandyman.com/list/the-most-common-car-problems-and-how-to-fix-them-yourself/ 

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Though my life is getting busier by the day, it’s always nice to learn more about interesting, applicable skills like these for those inconvenient moments when disaster strikes. Thanks to simple DIY tricks like these, I’ve been able to sew my own face masks and hair ties, bake homemade banana walnut bread, and, yes, fix some basic car issues. (Not that I have any mechanical talent at all. Leave me with a broken car at the side of the road and I’ll be stranded till Armageddon. But hey—I’m learning!)

In closing, though the daring DIY projects above may not be for everyone, today I dare you to look for ways you can save your resources. We are so lucky to live in a modernized society where any information you could possibly need is only a click away. Why Just Go Hire Somebody for an easy task you can do yourself, while challenging your mind or even discovering a new hobby in the process? 

Happy hunting, and see you in 2 weeks!