Is “Good Enough” Good Enough in DIY?
I woke early this morning, about 3:47, moments before my 4 a.m. alarm sounded, which is unusual.
But thanks to GERD, which sometimes can be a natural alarm clock (total sarcasm intended, LOL), I was up and alert and decided to spend a couple of hours this morning researching: How to Properly Lay Pavers.
As you read in my previous post, I’m creating a walkway around the side of my house, leading to my patio, which has been the focus of my Patio Makeover Challenge this month.
BEFORE
IN PROGRESS!
I excitedly worked on it yesterday until we were hit with thunderstorms, at which time I disappointedly put everything away. But I was glad for the break because I’ve reached a point in the walkway where I’m not quite sure how to proceed correctly.
Let’s just be clear that I’ve never done this before. I’m a DIY walkway path virgin! 🙂
So I’ve spent the morning scanning YouTube, looking for confirmation that I’m doing this right.
I’ve Googled, hoping that my walkway isn’t going to fall apart months after installing it.
I’ve Pinterested, crossing my fingers that I’m not creating an ugly design that nobody would want to pin.
And then I stopped researching and asked myself:
“What if ‘good enough’ is good enough?”
Is “Good Enough” Good Enough in DC?
The following questions are what many DIY’ers ask when they tackle a project, especially one that they’ve never done before.
And it’s what I spent the morning asking myself as I prep my walking path for the final installation of the pavers and 36-inch stones.
What if it’s not perfect?
What if there are gaps?
What if I have wasted money?
What if it falls apart?
What if it doesn’t last?
What if nobody likes it?
What it _________?
We could fill in that last blank space with any doubt or question was want, just as I have been doing this morning while doing my research.
But then I realized the question that I should be asking is:
What if “good enough” is good enough?
The Only Real Questions DIYers Should Be Asking
In addition to asking myself if good enough is good enough, the only other questions I should be asking are:
Is this safe for me and my family?
Does it look acceptable considering I’ve never done this before (or have done it very few times)?
Am I happy with it?
What have I learned from this project?
As long as we’re not going to stub our toes or trip and break a knee, it’s safe.
And yes, I’m totally loving how it’s coming along so far, even if my bricks aren’t 100% straight. Compared to the weed-infested jungle of the “BEFORE” picture, this is definitely an improvement!! (Just got to get rid of those pesky wires hanging down!).
And what have I learned?
Well, I’ve learned that this is back-breaking work.
I’ve learned that it’s expensive and often requires a lot of materials (this path has already used up about 26 bags of 40-pound rocks!!!) so it’s best to have these items delivered in bulk.
I’ve learned about using different gardening tools I had never used before.
I have learned that when you take care of the outside of your home, your pride of homeownership increases.
I have learned that you can simply dig up and replant trees and shrubs, instead of feeling like you have to work your design around them.
So….what I’ve learned has been valuable, even if the project hasn’t been perfect. Even if in the next year, if it crumbles and I have to start over, I will have learned something!
Instead of moving forward with doubt and worry, I feel pretty good that I can say, so far, this project is good enough for my family and me.
Have you ever worried about a project, and then realized, it’s good enough? Leave a comment below and let’s talk about it!
Download the 5 freebies!
Thrift Diving inspires women to decorate, improve, and maintain their home themselves...using paint, power tools, and thrift stores! Use these 5 printables, checklists, and ebooks to get started!
When I teach gardening classes, I make sure to emphasize that plants can always be moved, divided, replaced. The same thing for most DIY projects. Nothing is written in stone (ahem, unless it’s concrete – and even then it doesn’t have to be “forever”) and anything can be changed or re-done. Every time you make a mistake, or if you would do it differently next time, you have learned something. So then you get to make the decision to do it over/again or not! So good enough IS good enough – for NOW. Next week, next year, you might be willing to make changes. I really like the way your side yard is coming along. Where did you get your bricks? I still need some more old bricks and I will be in your part of the world this weekend. (Oh my – have you been to American Plant??? My favorite)!
Pretty much so many things we do in life can be life lessons if we think to regard them that way. Simple things we do can be regarded that way and thought of to teach our children if they are attendant at them.
Not sure I would tackle that project but then would depend on how much I wanted it done.
From what I saw in photos you had accomplished a hard task very well, as well or better than a man, good for you. You deserve to feel good about job you finished. And yes laughter is good in any situation, no matter what. Also any project you attempt does in fact matter. as for other people observing what you’ve done, who is anyone else to judge your accomplishment?
Am so glad I found your blog. Have wonderful week
You’re absolutely right-I do ask myself this question and sometimes, more often than not, good enough is good enough. Many years ago I heard the expression “Good enough for government work” and I run that through my mind whenever I’m worrying about things lining up exactly or finishes not being smooth enough.
I do this work for fun. Sometimes I create something that someone wants to buy, but usually I build for family and friends. What I’ve come to realize is that the “flaws” that I see, they usually see as that which makes the piece unique and custom and special, just for them. Weird as it is to me,still, they value the thought, time and effort that I put into whatever I’m building for them. I recently had someone ask me if I’d signed the table I’d made and sold to them. This person considered my work a piece of art (it was a burl slab table-so it was definitely nature’s artwork!). I was so stunned by her request; she definitely made my day and cleared from my mind any doubts I had about that table being “good enough”
What a wonderful compliment
It’s looking good to me! You deserve hearing “a job well done.”
You are so hard on yourself! I think most women lean that way unfortunately. I LOVE your upbeat take on things and really appreciate your honesty. For the record, I don’t read your blog because I am looking for perfection. The opposite actually, I prefer real life. A lot of the blogs I have read make me feel completely inadequate. Too perfect, too expensive. I like that you seem like a friend that I could sit down with and discuss our successes and remind each other that perfect is overrated. Thanks for that! And your walkway looks fantastic, I have no doubt it will look great for a long time to come!
I love what you are doing. Our niece just purchased a home with a backyard very similar to yours, (she lives in Silver Spring). I’m forwarding your email to her, in hopes she and her husband will be inspired by your project as much as I am. Keep up the great work, and be sure to take lots of water breaks, boy has it been hot here in MD.
I can see where your GERD is coming from…you are definitely over-thinking. Your walkway is beautiful, as are all your projects. I look forward to your posts. We have a motto at our house “Good enough for the Ackermans” (that’s us.)
I’m the kind of person who REALLY hesitates before beginning a DIY. (I also have a perfectionist hubby who LOVES doing his own DIYs….and doesn’t appreciate mine) 😉 So, I loved your article. You are very correct that Good Enough is Good Enough! And then stand back and LOVE the work you’ve done! Thanks, Serena!
I ask myself this all. the. time! I’m so glad you brought this up and discussed it. I love your positive attitude and how to look at the project realistically!! I think the walkway looks amazing!!
Thanks, Karen! Glad this resonated with you! I think we do this all the time, and the reason why we question is because we care about what other people think and we are trying to live up to some unrealistic perfection when we do projects. Part of our questioning comes from being a blogger! We have the public watching what we’re doing, and if it “doesn’t look right” or “isn’t magazine-quality” we worry it won’t be good enough. But the truth is that it’s totally good enough–as long as it’s safe and we can’t totally screwing it up. The fact that we start and FINISH a project (which most people cannot do) is something to applaud ourselves for! 🙂 Thanks for reading and for commenting, Karen!
Things you’ve taught me.
1. Your honest about cost. I love that.
2. DIY doesnt have to be prefect as long as it meets my personal standards.
3. Its ok to start a project over if its not working.
4. Laughter is good
Oh wow, I love this, Moon!! 🙂 I’m so glad you’re getting little nuggets of lessons from this blog! 🙂 I feel like I should copy and paste these so I can always remind myself that the things I talk about here and show on my blog do, in fact, matter. Thank you for that!!