There are many different ways to do DIY and just about anything can be classed as DIY, as long as you are doing it yourself obviously, putting up shelves, fixing doors or whatever needs doing around the house, or should I say whatever you make an excuse for to do around the house.

DIY has never really been my forte, I couldn’t put anything together, especially those “easy to assemble” wardrobes and chest-of-drawers from Argos and Ikea etc, one thing my husband has got is one of those laser levellers or whatever you call them thingies, he uses it to judge a straight line across a wall when he needs to, so he can lineup some wallpaper etc.

There are many tools around at the moment and I’ve got to say my personal favourites are the ones on the home shopping channels, they always seem to come up with the really advanced tools which never go wrong at all and always do everything above and beyond what they are supposed to, luckily my husband is out a lot doing his Document Scanning at work, so I can just sit down on the couch and watch my daytime TV.

I do recommend anyone to just get up on a saturday and get that urge to do something around the house.

I have recently been looking at my back garden with the idea that either I call the local zoo at the thought of what lays in wait for me out there. Well Charlie Dimock I am not so I have thought what can I do do opt for concreting it all over? go for paving or decking or just a way to make it look more appealing? Where do you start!

In true tradition fashion I am now more confused than when I started. I have done the endless weekend DIY shopping, read numerous books at WHSmiths and have signed up to countless website to get ideas and inspirations. The result being stressful Sundays with packed filled car parks. I am on numerous business email lists telling me about the best teeth whitening product and plastic surgeries all the while my garden grows deeper in weeds!

Well as I decide and save up for my personnel landscape gardener. get my flymo out for now and try my hand at a simple window Box / planter box.. hey don’t mock its a start!

So what to do:-
Depending on the size of your window ledge I think the good to start is the width and dept on a shoe box and twice the standard length.
Based on this size a 1 inch thick plank into the required pieces:
Two pieces front and back.
Two pieces for the sides.
One piece for the bottom.

Pre-drill guide holes in the front and back pieces, at each end.
Screw the front and back pieces to the sides with 1-1/3-inch screws into pre-drilled holes

Glue the bottom piece to the bottom of your window box and screw that into place as well. Then sand, prime and paint the window.

Fill with what ever you like I’ve gone for a herb garden

Everyone knows about carbon footprints these days but what can you do to reduce the impact that your home has on the environment? Central heating systems are a large source of carbon output. You can just reduce the level of heat to decrease the output. Also it is better to have your heating on a lower setting but for a longer time than to turn it up high for shorter periods. Have the thermostat checked on your heating system and if it’s not functioning correctly change it for an energy efficient version. Apart from helping the environment, these changes will also reduce your heating bills.

Another thing you can do to decrease your bills and carbon footprint is to check that your house is well insulated. Do you have cavity wall insulation? What about your loft? All lofts should have at least 30cm as a minimum depth. You may find that there are grants available in your area to help you pay for the work. Contact your local council or Energy Saving Trust to find out.

An easy way but effective way of using less energy as to make sure that your appliances are not left on stand by. Turn electrical equipment off at the wall or unplug them to be sure that no power is being used.

Once you have done all you can to make sure that your home is more energy efficient why not display energy certificates to remind yourself and your family of the good work that you are doing.

Following on from the last post about improving the security of your home, we wanted to tell your about another service, laser marking, that could be used to identify your DIY tools should they ever be stolen.

Laser marking can also be used on other valuables such as silverware as only the surface of the material is marked unlike more traditional methods which remove part of the material of the object.

How this process works is that the metal to be marked is covered with a metal marking paste. Once the paste is dried the item is then lasered as required.

The paste is then washed off and the metal is polished. The mark that is left behind is where the metal and paste have reacted with each other.

Laser marking is best used on metals such as stainless steel, silver, brass and bronze. Poor quality metals can react badly to the process so are best avoided.

Every DIY fan has a beloved tool kit that would probably cost a fortune to replace so it’s important that your protect your processions by ensuring that you’re home security is up to scratch.

The following tips should give you some ideas of how to help prevent the theft of your equipment.

• Always lock the doors and windows on your house even if you are just going out for a short time
• External doors should have three locking points. Mortice locks will add extra security
• Window locks can help prevent break ins. Particularly on non double glazed windows
• Use deadlocks. They make it harder for thieves to leave the premises
• French /patio doors should have locks fitted to top and bottom
• Spare keys should not be left in a shed or garage or under a doormat!
• Sheds and garages should be kept locked to prevent loss of your hand tools
• Don’t leave keys on display in your house
• Always remove keys from door and window locks
• Shut your curtains at night so that valuables aren’t easily visible
• Use timers for internal and external lighting
• Visible deterrents such as burglar alarms and CCTV systems are a good idea
• Don’t leave ladders or tools in your garden that could be used to aid entry into your property

If you would like more help on making your property secure you can contact your local neighbour hood watch scheme or crime prevention police officer.