For a very long time, I confused DIY with DUI. This said more about how I was raised than about my affinity for alcohol. I grew up in New York City, in a series of rented apartments where there was much to improve but also a great risk of losing your deposit if you altered the rooms. So rather than embarking on home projects of my own, I borrowed design books from the library and fantasized about paint chips and indoor murals. Over the years, I've learned many things about doing it yourself, and most of them have more to do with emotional renovation than with actual home renovation.

Reasons to incorporate DIY into your life