I saw this post on Instagram last week and it had me rolling! If you are a crafter, then you know this is real life! You see something that looks relatively easy to make, and then 10s of dollars and a work week later, your project isn't...quite...what you hoped for. Ok it was actually a
Pinterest fail.
We live in an increasingly more Do It Yo-self world, and I think sometimes we makers put undue pressure on ourselves to MAKE EVERYTHING! Don't get me wrong, I am all for DIY-ing, but I do believe there are times to hang up your hot glue gun and just buy something already made.
I know what you're thinking. You're saying to yourself "But Sallie, how's a girl to navigate these tough Buy vs DIY decisions." Truthfully, I don't think there is one blanket answer that applies to every situation, but there are a few questions I always ask that help me make my Buy vs DIY decisions.
1. How important is the quality?
Quality is sort of a relative term. I can make "quality" pillow covers, but they won't be as nice as ones I could buy from West Elm. In that situation, I don't care as much that the quality doesn't match the store version. There are other items though (i.e. Furniture, clothing and some decor) where quality is very important to me. In those situations I choose to buy. You have to get honest with yourself and determine if the quality of a store bought item is more important than making said item yourself.
2. Have you counted the cost?
One of the best pieces of advice my dad ever gave me was "Count the cost," --- meaning, think about what this will cost you with your budget AND your time. Do you have time to devote to seeing this project through? Make sure you fully account for what a project will cost as far as materials, time spent learning,
extra material for mess-ups, and so on. There are times when buying makes more sense -- and cents (see what I did there?) than DIY-ing and vice versa. The point is to always, always, always know exactly what you are getting yourself into!
3. Do you have the skills?
Have you ever seen an artist make something that looked so easy and then you tried it and it looked like you made it with your feet? Yeah, I've been there (see
cookie catastrophe of 2015)! It is very easy (my hand is raised high!) to feel like you can do in 10 minutes what someone else spent 10 years learning how to do. If you haven't come across a DIY project that has humbled you, just keep making and you will! That's one of the great things about DIY-ing though, you'll fail BUT you will learn so much. Just remember to approach projects with a good understanding of your current strengths and weaknesses.
But don't just take my word for it. I figured that on this white hot topic of Buy vs DIY you'd probably want some 2nd, 3rd, and 4th opinions, so I rounded up my best girlfriends to give me their input. Here's what they had to say.
Courtney Weston
Courtney is the maker behind
Always Rooney, a DIY Blog that has taken the world by storm! You have probably seen this girl all over
Pinterest and doing craft projects for brands like
Design*Sponge and Minnetonka.
Q. How does quality factor into your Buy vs DIY decisions?
A. It depends on how much use I'll be getting out of the DIY. If it is something I use daily and receives a lot of wear just from use, I will most likely choose to buy it. I've made a few exceptions like our
couch and bed, but so far they are holding up great! If something I want to make is more trendy, the quality isn't my first concern so I will choose to DIY it.
Q. Do you primarily DIY to save money?
A. I primarily DIY because I love the reward of making something that I love and use as well as learning new skills. Saving money through DIY is also a huge factor because it makes decorating our first home more attainable than buying every piece of decor or furniture.
Q. What are some of the things you think about when deciding to Buy vs DIY?
A. I always try to see if I have at least one or two of the supplies or tools needed for the project. This way, I am not buying tons of supplies and tools for every project and it helps lower the cost. I also add up exactly how much money a project will cost, plus some wiggle room because there are bound to be mistakes and lessons learned when you DIY. My rule of thumb is, If I can get it at Target I most likely won't DIY it.
Kaylan Streck
Kaylan is spectacularly gifted in budgeting + home making. No one works a spreadsheet like this girl. Kaylan and her husband just renovated their first home and they did it all themselves (jaw drop). You can see how she's kicking butt in the homemaking world on her blog,
Our Own Little Hive.
Q. How does quality factor into your Buy vs DIY decisions?
A. If I'm DIY-ing something simple like a vase or a pillow cover, I don't put too much stock in the quality because I know I'll probably want to change it out before long. If it's something like recovering a chair or building a shelf, I will opt for the nicer fabric or the materials to make sure it will hold up against wear and tear!
Q. Do you primarily DIY to save money?
A. Yes!!!! I definitely appreciate people on Etsy who put a lot of effort into the things they make and who are trying to make a living, but if I can make it.... I am going to!
Q. What are some of the things you think about when deciding to Buy vs DIY?
A. I usually think, "Is this within my abilities to make?", "Is it worth the time and effort?" or "Am I going to spend so much in excess of supplies that it's worth it to just buy?"
Rachel Andersen
Rachel is an
Instagram + DIY extraordinaire. She has turned her 1950s Mid Century Modern house into an amazing home and has carefully curated each detail. She also has a huge passion for city exploring and meeting other makers. See her handmade projects at her site,
Unanchored Studio.
Q. How does quality factor into your Buy vs DIY decisions?
A. Well, I'm a DIY addict. 9 times out of 10, DIY will win out over Buy. I love working with my hands or challenging myself to stretch and learn something new.
Q. Do you primarily DIY to save money?
A. Definitely, and especially when I started out years ago! DIY-ing can get so expensive with the supplies and tools needed for the variety of projects out there. So instead of chasing all the different styles to DIY and needing every tool under the sun, I settled into somewhat of my own DIY style where I invested in a couple of key supplies to keep on hand.
Q. How does time factor into your Buy vs DIY decisions?
A. Not a ton, unfortunately: ) Typically it's more about, will this look exactly how I've envisioned it? Does it fit the overall feel of my home?
All in all each DIY situation is different and likely there will be many deciding factors on whether you Buy or DIY. Always evaluate what's important to you in each project so you set yourself up for success. I hope you found this helpful! Let me know in the comments below!
Happy Homemaking!
Sallie
