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I like to think of myself as independent, keen to learn and up for challenge. Having not done any type of manual labour before never mind a bit of DIY; I put my self attributed personality traits to the test by buying some ready made blinds. Moving into my first home I thought it was important to become house proud so making some home improvements was inevitable. It was also important to be respectful to the neighbours, so reducing the likeliness of them seeing me naked while they were having their dinner meant blinds was the first thing that needed to be changed in the house. Lastly my desperate need to show my mother that I did not need to be looked after by a husband (or a mother) and moving in my own was a good move for me meant that doing the home improvements myself was the right way to go. So one Saturday I got up early and measured the window space then skipped off the nearest home store and went to pick my new blinds. Although the shop offered many colours and types, none of the sizes seemed to be the same as the measurement that I had taken. Surely windows came in standard sizes. Didn't they? I decided on the next size up and once paid I excitedly went back home to start my DIY day. I opened up the blind to find many pieces and instruction guide to help me build them together, seemed simple enough. I was wrong. Firstly the blind was too big and needed to be measured and sawed to size. Being my first DIY experience I realised that I was completely unprepared. I did not have a saw to modify the blind tube so I proceeded to saw through the thick cardboard tube with a bread knife. It cut through it in the end and after three attempts to make it the right size it fit, but I cannot cut bread anymore. I did not have a ladder either so balancing on a chair on my bed meant that the brackets we screwed to the wall with little confidence. Although it was looking a bit weak I put the pieces together and the blind was up. I was very proud looking at my teal green blind hanging in my window. I then put it to the test and pulled at the cord by the side to pull the blind up. It squeaked and got stuck half way up. The actual blind was still too wide as I had only adapted the tube. I cut the blind with scissors as again was not prepared with professional alteration equipment. They looked scruffy and not giving my new home the clean and modern look that I was going for. This whole DIY experience was sweaty, frustrating and unrewarding. A good friend later told me it didn't have to be that way. Made to measure blinds could be chosen and ordered on the internet. Hillarys Blinds has a selection of roller, Venetian, vertical, pleaded and roman blinds to choose from in different colours, styles and fabrics. The website also has a ‘create your own' section where you can upload a photo or choose from a selection photography for a specific or personalised style. The website provides easy and step by step instructions of how to measure your blinds correctly inside or outside the window frame. They also give a list of the equipment needed to do the measurements and installation. This process means no alterations are needed and therefore stress by DIY is ruled out, it was a similar price and I could have chosen a design especially to fit in with the décor of my room. Although I can look back at my new yet short lived hobby and laugh; the next room I decorate I will be ordering made to measure blinds on the internet and actually investing in some tools or a hot handy man if I loose my independent ways.
Staff editor, Electronics Section, May 2008 |
