7 Essential DIY Skills You Should Have ...

One of the essential DIY skills you should master is basic car maintenance. Learn how to check the oil, water, and tyre pressure. It's also incredibly useful to know how to change a tyre. Knowing these basic skills can avoid the inconvenience of breakdowns and expensive garage bills.

You might need someone to help you if you're building furniture, but you should be able to handle most of it yourself. There's no need to sit back and look helpless while your male friends or relatives do the hard work. Putting furniture together isn't always as complicated as it's made out to be. Read the instructions carefully and make sure that all the pieces are there.

This is a disgusting job. Honestly, it's gross. It stinks. But when I had a problem with blocked pipes, a helpful friend showed me how to do it. So now when the pipes get blocked I can usually deal with it myself. Occasionally the problem needs dealing with by a professional, but it'll save you time and money if you can sort it out by yourself.

Once you've learned how to handle a drill you'll love being able to use it. You can put up shelves and hang pictures. It can also be handy for putting furniture together. One thing you need to watch out for are gas or water pipes in the walls, but you can buy gadgets that will detect where the pipes are.

Know how to decorate your house and you will save a fortune, so you should learn how to paint and hang wallpaper. Your first attempt at hanging wallpaper may not be the best, but you'll learn from your mistakes. Painting isn't as simple as it may seem, so learning to prepare walls and paint them properly will ensure a satisfactory result.

Central heating is essential in most places, but the problem with radiators is that air gets trapped inside them. This means that cold spots build up and the radiator isn't working efficiently or warming your room. Bleeding them, or letting the air out, is a really simple job that can be done with an old towel and a radiator key.

So you have a dripping tap driving you crazy? Plumbers tend to charge hefty callout fees, and those that don't won't be too keen to come out just to spend two minutes fixing a simple leaking tap. It's usually just a question of changing the washer.

Knowing these DIY skills is good for your wallet and gives you a sense of achievement. It will also save time looking for a professional and hanging around waiting for them. So pick up as many DIY skills as you can. Are you handy with a hammer or absolutely hopeless?