Moving into your new place can be hard enough, but not living in a complex-maintained, manicured student-housing location can make things even more difficult. You can’t just ring maintenance to change the light bulbs, fix the pipes, or change the faucet.
It may be daunting to think you have to do it all yourself, but there is good news. All those super hard things we depended on our dads, our boyfriends, or management to do can easily be done by yourself with some basic instruction.
We’ll be going over how to drill pilot holes, install showerheads, and paint like a pro.
Drilling Pilot Holes
What is a pilot hole, anyway? A pilot hole is a hole you drill in a wall before you install a screw. It’s used to make sure the screw goes in without resistance and holds well. You’d use these for mounting things onto the wall and when building with wood. For example: most mounted wallboards require the use of screws, and you must first drill a pilot hole, and you’re going to need a pencil, some tape, a drill, drill bits, and a screw.
Pro Tip: when you’re trying to figure out how far apart to drill your holes, don’t guess-timate. Put a piece of painters tape on the back of whatever you’re mounting and poke holes at the spots where the holes are. Once you take the tape off and put it on the wall, you’ll know exactly where the holes should be and it will be level.
Once you know where your holes are going, pick a drill bit that is slightly smaller than the head of your screw. Put the drill bit into the drill and place the tip up the hole-marker. Press slowly but firmly into the wall with the drill until you no longer meet resistance on the bit. Then, change the bit and apply a screwing tip. Drill the screw into the wall and mount your beautiful piece of wall art! No man needed.
Installing A Showerhead
Installing an awesome showerhead is a lot easier than it seems on the box. Simply unscrew the current showerhead and set it aside. Then, clean the area where the new showerhead will be attached; you don’t want rust or calcium buildup making your shower work harder than it needs to work. Wrap the area in plumbers tape (the white kind). This ensures that the area stays clean and rust free as well as adding extra grip to the showerhead. Finally, screw your new showerhead into the wall, and Voilà! Great water pressure for all.
Painting Like a Pro
The best advice is to remove faceplates instead of just taping them over. Tape edges down to make sure that you have clean lines. Put down plastic tarps to protect your floors and furniture. When you’re painting, try to avoid painting up and down. Paint in more of a “W” pattern to make sure lines don’t show up.
Always make sure you have all your supplies before you start, too. That includes extenders, paint rollers, paint trays, all the paint you’ll need, an edger, cleaning supplies, and pizza. You’ll need something to refuel in the midst of all the work.
Getting your home ready doesn’t have to be a nightmare, and you don’t need always need a guy to help you. So, roll up your sleeves, and get down to decorating business!
Photo Source:
http://www.theguardian.com/
http://www.alsplumbing.com/
http://blog.blinds.com/