Okay, so to be honest, I made up the acronym in the title: DIM. (smiling) It stands for Do It Myself. And the question is, Do I do it myself? The answer isn't a simple one. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don't. It really depends on a few factors...

1) Is the DIY project I am contemplating something I have time to attempt?

If I am being honest, being a wife and a mother and an outside of the home teacher and a blogger and a cook and a... you get the picture, doesn't leave me with a ton of recreational time. In fact, most of my hobbies and home projects are done between 9pm-12 midnight (and sometimes my cleaning, laundry, and prepping dinner too). So, when I am considering a DIY project the first factor I consider is time. I research how much time it will take to complete the project and weigh the pros and cons of that time table.

2) Weigh the opportunity costs.

I have to weigh the opportunity cost here. I know what I get paid to go to work. So when considering a project after I know how much time it should take to complete I consider how much I make in that same time frame. Is it more worth my while to go to work and make that money and pay someone else to do my "dirty work?"

3) Is it doable?

Is this project something that others I know have successfully completed? Are there blogs and pictural evidence that others have been able to make this happen? After all, I don't want to discover a new land or anything... Are there resources available for me should I need a tutorial, need answers to questions I stumble upon, or a reference guide?

4) Do I have the tools?

Sometimes in order to complete a DIY project there are special tools involved. If you're grouting tile you need certain tools. If you're hanging drywall and finishing drywall you need certain tools. You must consider whether or not you already have the proper tools, if you can locate and purchase those tools easily, and how expensive those tools are. If the price of those tools outweighs the cost of having a professional do the job for you than is it really worth tackling yourself?

5) Do I have help?

What if I run into a problem? What if I have a question? What if I create a new project while working on my current project? (Now, I wouldn't know anything about this one from experience of anything. LOL.) What if I have an emergency? Is someone available that I can call on to help me with this?

6) You Tube!

I have only recently really learned that YouTube can be an amazing source of information if you're looking to complete a project on your own. There are so many videos uploaded to this site that feature DIY projects for the home. Simply search for your project and include the words "tutorial" in it and you're bound to find a plethera of resources. (Be careful though... watch the video first before deciding to tackle your project. The endings aren't always so happily ever after...)

7) Negotiate and Compare Prices

If you do decide that tackling that at home project is more than you can handle and you look to a professional to get it done be sure to compare prices. I would recommend getting estimates from 3-4 different companies/peoples before proceeding. And remember, those prices are always negotiable.

This is what works 4 me~ How do you tackle DIY projects? I would love to know!