Monthly Archives: February 2018

Home Improvement: What Can You DIY?

Did you know there are a ton of things you can do to improve the value, quality, and livability of your home–without having to call in (or pay for) a professional?  That’s the point of DIY – “Do It Yourself!”

For some, this is no problem. For others, who may feel like they are all thumbs when it comes to “hands on” or creativity, it might not feel that easy.

Well I’m here to tell you it is! (Or it can be, anyway.) Just pick your projects carefully. Don’t start with remodeling the bathroom if you’ve never DIY’d before. But I’d say that, from decorative crafts to furniture to gardening, nothing is out of reach for the committed Do-It-Yourselfer.

If you’re looking to save money on home improvements, DIY is definitely the way to go. But even if money if no option, DIYing can provide a tremendous amount of satisfaction in self-sufficiency, creativity, and even therapy as you hone your skills.

For me, DIY is my creative outlet. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed building my woodshop, adding to my collection of tools and slowly but surely taking over the garage. (I can proudly say it’s the one place in the household that’s “all mine.”)

If DIY is something you’d like to try your hand at (or improve your skills with), here are some good websites that can provide encouragement and how-tos: *

1. April Wilkerson

This is my personal favorite–April is an engaging, creative individual who makes tackling any DIY or home construction project with a can-do attitude and a sense of fun. Check out her YouTube channel for inspiration and how-tos.

2. Instructables

Like many of the resources on this lister, Instructables is made by DIYers, for DIYers. That means nearly all the project plans and instructions are contributed by members of the community. Most Instructables feature clear instructions with plenty of pictures, along with detailed parts and materials lists. The active community offers suggestions and variations via lively comments beneath each project. If you can follow a recipe, you can follow an Instructable.

3. Make:

Make: is a quarterly print journal and a webzine. Each themed journal is stuffed with clever DIY projects for tinkerers of various skill levels. The website also includes a store, “The Maker Shed,” with books, journals and plenty of starter kits, perfect for beginning gizmo DIYers.

4. Apartment Therapy

“Saving the world, one room at a time” is Apartment Therapy’s official slogan, but it could also be “high design for small budgets.” The website features tips and advice for every room of an apartment or house, and lots of DIY projects for clever storage and sharp décor. The how-tos aren’t quite as thorough as those found on Instructables, but the projects are a little more polished.

5. Ana White

Ana White features a giant collection of furniture project plans from DIY doyenne Ana White and members of the community. Projects are sorted by type, skill level, style and room. Ana’s plans are typically detailed and well-illustrated. Contributor plans can be less refined in presentation, but still easy to follow. DIYers who make something following plans from the site are encouraged to share their results, too. They are often even more impressive than the originals.

6. The Family Handyman

The Family Handyman features simple projects and DIY home maintenance tips and advice. While the website offers plenty of how-tos and information, you’ll need a subscription (digital or print) to unlock all of the magazine’s instructions and resources.

7. Mother Earth News

From baking bread to solar rooftops, Mother Earth News has been covering the DIY scene in print and online for decades. The site and magazine feature lots of tips and advice about sustainable living, from growing and preserving food, to living off the grid. DIY projects range from sundials to solar food dehydrators.

What are some DIY projects you’ve tackled?  I’d love to hear! And if you feel inspired by any of these sites to tackle a project in your own home, please share. Good luck!

Doug Lawrence is a licensed real estate broker and avid DIYer. He’s proud to have inherited his love of tools and woodworking from his dad, Ken, along with a great collection Ken’s tools to add to his own woodshed. Current projects include a farmhouse table for the kitchen and a corn-hole game for family fun next summer! You can find Doug at www.douglawrencerealestate.com where he’d be happy to answer your questions about buying, selling, and investing in real estate in the Great Pacific Northwest … or about DIY!

* List of websites adapted from article by Lars Peterson, US News and World Report, April 2015

(c) 2018 Doug Lawrence. All Rights Reserved.

A New Grocery Store for Gig Harbor!

The last couple of years have been a bit tumultuous on Gig Harbor’s grocery store scene(!). Local shoppers watched not once but several times as stores came, went, came, and went: Safeway became Haggens and became Safeway again. (That one was almost comedic.) Main & Vine opened to packed crowds a couple of years ago, then closing abruptly in early January 2018 to give way to the new Fred Meyer store across the street at Gig Harbor’s most recent development, Olympic Towne Center.

When completed, Olympic Towne Center will be a 57,000-square-foot complex with restaurants (welcome Hop Jack’s, already open), bowling alley, gaming rooms, high-tech meeting facilities, and spaces for visitors to gather to enjoy wine, coffee, and or just hanging out. The developer of Olympic Towne Center, Troy Alstead, is the former COO of Starbucks, who left the international coffee scene to pursue this and other opportunities. He, his wife, and their four children are Gig Harbor residents.

“I grew up in the Puget Sound region and always have loved the mountains and beaches. I backpack in the Olympics and Cascades, scuba dive in the Sound, and at every opportunity enjoy this place around us,” Alstead said in an interview with the Tacoma News Tribune. “We have a responsibility to ensure that all this will still be around to be enjoyed by future generations.”

Troy Alstead may be the most high profile Gig Harbor entrepreneur, but he is certainly not the only one. In recent years, the region has seen new start-ups such as the Olalla Vineyard and Winery, Heritage Distilling Company, Ohana Coffee, Seven Seas Brewery, Wet Coast Brewery, and Zog’s on Fox Island. All that is great news for this rapidly-growing community. In 2016, Gig Harbor experienced a growth in population from 8500 to 9200 within the city limits, and was expected to reach 10,000 in 2017, two years ahead of the city’s previous projections for growth.

That growth was sure evident at the opening of the new Fred Meyer story on January 10th. This writer spent a good twenty minutes circling the parking lot trying to get a spot.  At last—success!  The free samples and cherry-picker specials provided a festive atmosphere and made up for the long lines at the checkout stand. But no one seemed to mind that.  More than anything, it was a resounding community welcome to a new neighbor. And in a small town, which thankfully Gig Harbor still is in many ways, a new grocery store and new neighbors are still a big deal.

Doug Lawrence is a Fox Island resident and licensed broker with Keller Williams West Sound in Gig Harbor. You can put his expertise and love for this region  to work for you for all your real estate questions and needs. www.douglawrencerealestate.com