I used to hate repairing stuff in my house because it never went as planned. I’d start a repair only to find I was missing a necessary tool. I’d strip a screw when removing it. I’d break off a critical part.
Every job was a clusterf**k of Home Depot trips, swearing and misfires
Today, I love repairing stuff in my home for the same reason. As long as I have patience and am willing to step aside for a while when frustrated, I can figure out how to repair almost anything.
The latest is happening right now:
I am replacing my 1950s era fluorescent lights in my kitchen with pendants. When I removed the light fixtures, I discovered I had large holes in the ceiling that needed to be patched and skimmed. I had bare wires coming through the ceiling so I needed to install electrical boxes. Then I confirmed that the base of the pendant won’t quite cover the blue electrical box.
i needed to spackle, drywall tape, paint, sand and cut. Some of this I have never done before. This was no longer a simple replacement of two fixtures.
This happens with many projects. I cannot anticipate every potential problem. But I have learned that if I take my time, stare at it for awhile, google a little and think about it, that I can solve the problem and finish the project.
Living on the road helped me develop this attitude. I think because I was out there and had no other choice but to deal with whatever came up on my own.
It’s become a game to me. I know something will come up. When it does I can now smile and say “here it is”.
My wife dying changed my attitude too. So what if I screw up some home repair? Who cares? The worst has already happened. A blown home improvement project is nothing.
It’s a while lot better than getting frustrated and thinking “nothing ever goes as I planned.”
