Where to start to work on yard and house? Tips?

Keisha Fleming
by Keisha Fleming
I am a beginner. I have no tools. What can I do?
  10 answers
  • Dee Dee on Mar 28, 2018

    you need lopers to trim the tree. Not expensive. check out garage sales. A good shovel you can prepare the side for a nice flower bed. I would also buy some bricks for edging.

  • Take classes at Home Depot, Adult Extension or Community College. Watch a lot of You Tube videos, get friends to teach you. Save money for tools you want to purchase. There are tool rental companies too for specific projects. Read, read, read and practice on scraps until you are ready to start a project.

  • Janice Janice on Mar 28, 2018

    Get acquainted with your neighbors and ask for advice. You can often find used tools at garage sales in the spring & summer. Start with the basics such as a rake, a hoe, and a couple of shovels for your yard. Yard clean up can be done with a hoe to chop off smaller weeds, a shovel to dig out bigger ones and then a rake to smooth the area and get all the weeds, trash, etc. into a pile to be put in the trash. For the inside start with a metal tape measure, hammer, screw drivers, pliers, nails and perhaps picture hanging materials. Little by little you will be able to learn how to do repairs, clean up if you go on line and use google to ask a simple repair question. Several sites will appear and you can click on those sites and learn a lot. Right here on Hometalk is a good resource as most people who post here have excellent practical knowledge to share so you can learn. Good luck and kudos to you for wanting to get started. You'll do well by observing and listening to others.

  • Sharon Sharon on Mar 28, 2018

    I agree with taking classes, you can also ask friend and family for tools! I started with painting furniture, mistakes are just happy accidents lol! Painting can always be sanded if you don’t like it! Try starting on smaller items! Chalk paint some mason jars! Look in hometalk search bar! Good luck and don’t forget hometalk is always here to help!

  • AmAtHome AmAtHome on Mar 28, 2018

    Planting, in the ground or in pots, can be done with very few tools and semi-reasonable costs. Cleaning and washing all surfaces doesn't require many tools, either. (Though your house looks good in the photo) If you're friendly with your neighbors, maybe you could use their tools in exchange for helping them with projects?

  • Melanie Czoka Melanie Czoka on Mar 28, 2018

    Dollar Tree actually has some great starter tools

  • Melanie Czoka Melanie Czoka on Mar 28, 2018

    Dollar Tree also carries gardening tools and tons of my favorite DIY stuff

  • Janet Panos Janet Panos on Mar 28, 2018

    Hello. You have the most important item to get started, which is the desire to make your property look better. Visit a local garden supply store and talk to the owner or sales representative. Find out the basic tools needed to get started. Typically, gardening gloves to protect your hands, a shovel, some type of border or edging material, flower seeds, and a hose will get you going. Good luck!

  • Joy30150932 Joy30150932 on Mar 28, 2018

    Start with the little and easy jobs first. As you gain confidence and knowledge while working with tools you will be able to tackle the larger jobs. To start, your tool arsenal should consist of a small sized wrench, hammer, saw, screw drivers in various sizes, a small 12V battery operated drill, drill bits. A Swede saw is the tool you need to level that stump.

  • Michele Michele on Apr 01, 2018

    Go to local hardware store and pick up garden gloves, spade shovel and pruning clippers. You might need help getting those trees cut and out, that are next to your foundation. Look at magazines and online for what look your going for but clean up has to come firs.