Going Back to the Basics

When you share your DIY’s publicly, people are always wondering what you’re going to make next. There’s a pressure to be perfect, and a pressure to continue to make more and more complex & large builds. But what if we went back to what makes us love DIY in the first place?

The heart behind this week was to go back to my DIY roots, and invite others to create with me. I started building because I love trying new things, it was fun for me to create, and I believe in a calling to create. Giant room reveals are great and glamorous, but can definitely be overwhelming. They take so much time, energy, & money that it can be too much to always keep up with. I wanted to get back to that feeling of joy that comes with simply creating, and lead a group build that would be accessible to people at all levels of DIY. From this, the first ever #wediytogetherweek was started, and a bench build was first up.

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This bench is simple 2×4 construction, and comes in at a relatively cheap material price point. It only required a miter saw, drill, & driver in very basic applications. People sometimes call projects like this “instant gratification” projects, because you can see the fruits of your labor pretty quickly. With just a handful of chop cuts on the miter saw, and a box of screws later, this bench was done.

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With this build, I was able to slow down. I focused on my boards & the grains in the wood. Each cut was made with care and each step was celebrated. Teaching a build from start to finish really made me appreciate the entire process, and understand all the work that even goes into something deemed basic or simple. I enjoyed letting go of the pressures, and danced in the garage again. It brought a huge smile to my face thinking about what I had built, and would hopefully help others build.

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It has been amazing to see people get behind this idea of a group build, and a week to support one another instead of focusing on competition. I’m thankful that we can enjoy this build together, and I cannot wait to see how everyone decides to finish their bench. Let’s get back to more moments that bring us joy through creating together.