The Advantages of Being Handy @ Girl-Doll Fashion Gossip

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If you’ve never even changed a light bulb much less handled a power tool, you’re not only missing out on some of life grandest adventures, but you might find yourself looking at a real problem someday that you don’t know how to fix. Not everyone can be a skilled handyman, but everyone, girls who plan to live alone especially, should know how to use a drill, hammer a nail and do some basic repairs and maintenance.

Here’s an example:

You flush the toilet and walk out of the bathroom to get ready for a big evening out. By the time you walk back into the bathroom to grab your make-up bag, your toilet is overflowing all over the floor. The water keeps coming and it’s spreading fast – do you know what to do first?

If your first instinct is to grab the phone, you’re wasting valuable time in fixing the problem. Why pay a plumber $100 to come out and unclog your toilet or suffer humiliation at having to call your dad or friend for something so basic. (It is basic, believe me.)

For those of you who don’t know, when the toilet is overflowing, the first step is to turn off the water to the toilet. It might mean walking through gross water on the floor, but the faster your turn the knob on the wall behind the bowl to the right, the faster you can solve the problem with a plunger. No plumber needed.

Getting the Basics

You’d be hard-pressed to find many girls with a full set of tools in their dorm room or apartment, but it’s very wise to have at least a basic set of screwdrivers and perhaps a drill or screw gun. Even if you just use it to hang a curtain rod, you’ll have what you need when you need it. Don’t forget to include a hammer on your list of must-haves – hang pictures, repair loose floorboards, take apart a wall, whatever.

Not only do you need to have certain items on hand, you also need to figure out how to actually use them. The hammer seems simple enough, but hammering in more than a small wall nail requires a certain technique to avoid smashing your thumb in the process. The best way to learn the basics of some hand and maybe simple power tools is to practice with them under some guidance. If your parents know how to use the tools, ask them to let you help when they go to work on a small household project.

Learning how to handle the tools properly will keep you safer and give you multiple opportunities to avoid calling in the plumber or handyman once you’re on your own. Not only will you be safer without the company of strangers in your apartment or dorm, you’ll also be able to keep some of your pride in tact knowing you were able to handle the situation on your own.