Some DIY skills are a must-have, especially during the cold weather when things tend to go wrong at home.

It isn’t hard to acquire a life skill such as DIY but it is something that many people are not able to do - until something breaks and they need to learn in a hurry, that is.

We have you covered with some tips on how to be a DIY pro.

Get the basics.

You can't do anything without the basic tools to fulfil those DIY tasks. If you haven’t already got tools, then you may get some by taking a trip to your local DIY store.

Invest in some new tools, a tool stand and whatever else you may need. If money is tight you could also share tools between other family members for those bigger jobs. Maybe someone can get a saw whereas you could get an electric drill, and so on.

This way everyone benefits. But as much as this is a good strategy, there are some things you need in your own home all the time and they include:

• A hammer
• A measuring tape
• Screwdrivers
• Wrenches
• Pliers 

Shop smartly.

Don’t forget the better the tools, the longer they will last so cheap isn’t always best. If you are on a budget, buy good quality items when you have the finances to do so. It is important to note that better quality tools mean the job will be a lot easier. 

Choose a specific area for your tools.

This is important, as with young children around the last thing anyone needs is tools hanging around the house. Choose a workplace and an area where you can put your tools into. Think of it as being a pantry for your DIY bits and bobs.

You could have screws, lightbulbs, batteries, Allen keys, hammers and all those other things in one place so they are easy at hand. Ensure that you put the things you will need most at the top and work your way down in order of importance. 

Throw in a few candles and a torch, too. Once you know where everything is it makes it so much easier for those emergencies. 

Buy a DIY book.

Everything you need to learn about DIY can be found on the internet but having a DIY book is great as you’ll have it as a reference forever and it doesn’t need electricity or internet to run!

You can have a read and learn everything about DIY and doing simple jobs at home, but you’ll also learn what needs to be seen by a professional. This is important as knowing when to call a professional can save you a lot of hardship later. 

Practice.

No one learns how to do DIY straight away, but it will get easier in time and there is a certain sense of pride when one completes a task on their own. It is handy to have the skills for putting up shelves, fixing a leaky tap or mending fences outside. 

Think of safety.

Regardless of how quick or easy a task is you need to be careful and take care of yourself when using tools. Put on gloves as needed or safety glasses and don’t get caught out for forgetting safety measures. It isn’t worth it.