Get handy with instructions that let you DIY anything from pet toys to patios.
You can find just about anything you can imagine (and some things you never have) on the internet—which makes it that much harder to figure out where to go when you need to retile the bathroom, change your oil, or find a perfect birthday present. So it's only natural that you'd pay someone else to do those things for you—but no more. These ten DIY websites can show you how to repair, knit, sew, reuse, redecorate, or renovate anything; in the process, you'll save a bundle of money and countless resources while preventing needless waste.
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1. Instructables
Instructables users upload step-by-step instructions for everything from solving a Rubik's cube (without moving the stickers) to packing a suitcase—but it's the reuse of unwanted items and the make-your-own-anything instructions that keep the eco-minded occupied.
Image courtesy of Instructables.com.
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2. DIY Network
DIY Network's detailed videos and instructions make home repair a cinch by making it easy to tackle wallpaper application, drywall hanging, or kitchen remodeling. Easier projects—like hanging holiday decorations or learning to knit—get the same treatment.
Image courtesy of iStock.
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3. 5min
The staff at 5min started with a simple idea: that anything can be explained via video in five minutes. Polish your kitchen skills with the food videos, hula hoop your way to fitness, or save money on heating your home. All of these—and many of the other videos—help you save time, money, and resources.
Image courtesy of iStock.
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4. Lifehacker
Lifehacker is all about "getting things done"—and if you like getting things done with your own two hands, check out the site's list of projects that include links to how-tos on making your own butter (hello, eating local), creating a postage scale with office supplies and spare change, and turning spare materials into electronics cases.
Image courtesy of iStock.
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5. Gizmodo
Lifehacker's more technologically-oriented brother, Gizmodo scratches the DIY itch for the geeks in your life, with instructions for building your own PC or making an iPhone charger out of a classic rotary phone. Bonus: having obsolete electronics do double-duty cuts down on waste (and on buying new).
Image courtesy of Gizmodo.com.
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6. Craftzine
If the projects in your digital subscription to Craft magazine aren't enough to keep you busy, put the publication in your RSS feed: the frequently updated blog is heavy on fabric crafts, like knitted scarfs, hand-sewn stuffed animals, and baby shoes with light-up firefly appliques.
Image courtesy of craftzine.com.
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7. Do It Yourself
Do It Yourself tackles the bigger home improvement projects that always look so doable on Home Depot commercials—like adding light fixtures, putting in a patio, and building kitchen cabinets—plus basic car maintenance, interior decorating, and woodworking (among other jobs).
Image courtesy of Doityourself.com.
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8. Plenty magazine
Looking for DIY projects with a green spin that goes beyond putting your own two hands to work? Plenty magazine is the perfect alternative, with recipes for chocolate organic biscotti, jewelry handmade from organic cotton string and recycled glass beads, and totes made from plastic shopping bags.
Image courtesy of Plentymag.com.
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9. Green Upgrader
While Green Upgrader offers tips and tricks for greening every part of your life, the DIY blog makes change easy and accessible: fold used cereal boxes into gift packaging; upcycle mini blinds for a chic lampshade—or find links to stores and products that help you upgrade to green.
Image courtesy of Greenupgrader.com.
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10. Pet Project
While not exclusively a DIY website, Pet Project (which also covers animal news and trends) offers a variety of easy—and handmade!—toys, beds, and clothes for kittens and pups. And while some—like the detailed hooded pet bed—are better suited for pet owners handy with a sewing machine, others like the felt feathers cat toy, require nothing more than some fabric, a pair of scissors, some jingle bells, and a curious cat.
Image courtesy of iStock.
