When I was in college, my roommates had no idea how to fix basic things around the house. My mom is a carpenter so growing up, I spent more time knocking down walls than playing with dolls. (Seriously, I got to knock down a wall in my bedroom.) Knowing how to do basic fix-it tasks is a really important skill to have in life, especially before you head off to college to live on your own.
Fortunately, I knew how to do basic household repairs so we rarely had an issue. I was really shocked though that no one else had learned these things because they were taught to me when I was young. I thought everyone knew how to spackle! Unfortunately, there still seems to be a common idea that repairs are a man’s job, which is stupid. My dad does the cooking in my house, and my mom does the fix-it stuff. The message that women can also do household repairs (shocking, I know) is finally coming across. According to a new survey in the UK, 60 percent of women are now taking on fix-it roles in their homes instead of their partners.
Don’t be part of the percentage who can’t fix things. One day you’ll be home alone in your house with an overflowing toilet with no one around to help you. Check out these super important fix-it tasks you NEED to know before you go to college:
How To Reset Your Circuit Breaker
Have you ever been drying your hair while listening to music when suddenly the power went off? You tripped your circuit breaker! This may seem like an unsolvable problem, but it's super easy. Head over to your circuit breaker and reset it. It should be labeled so you'll be able to find exactly which one to reset, but if it's not you can just flip them all off and back on. If the power doesn't come back, then you should call an electrician.
How To Fill Holes In The Wall
This is especially important if you hang things up in your dorm when you're not supposed to or if you want your security deposit back on a house or apartment. All you need is spackle. Just apply enough to fill in the hole, smooth it over and paint the patch the color of the wall if you need to match it.
How To Replace A Doorknob
True story: one of my roommates got locked in her room because the doorknob fell off. Don't let this happen to you! Replacing a doorknob isn't that difficult, it just takes a little time. I highly recommend looking up a video on YouTube so you can actually see it being done.
How To Unclog A Toilet
Whenever you move into a new place, you should always buy a plunger. And you should always know how to use it!
How To Fix A Leaky Faucet
That dripping sound can be super annoying, but it can also get expensive! You might think a dripping faucet is no big deal, but it can really up your water bill.
How To Find Studs In The Wall
Studs are where you should hang things so they don't fall. Hanging pictures and light objects on dry wall is usually fine, but you should never hang shelves or anything heavy on drywall alone. To find a stud, knock on the wall. When you hear a hollow sound, there's no stud. When you hear a thud, there's a stud! Or you can just pick up a stud-finder.
How To Put Up Shelves
You can put up shelves by using L-brackets, triangular brackets or installing floating shelves. But being able to put up a level shelf is a great skill that everyone should have.
How To Fix A Clogged Sink
Most sinks these days have a U-shaped pipe at the bottom. If you have a clogged sink, don't just reach for the Drano right away. That can actually destroy your pipes! Instead, take off the U-bend to find your clog.
How To Fix A Running Toilet
This is one of the most annoying things ever! If your toilet runs all the time, you better go catch it. (Sorry, I had to!) Seriously, you probably have to replace the flapper, which isn't that hard to do.
How To Replace A Showerhead
This is great to know if you want to get better water pressure or if you have some gross buildup in your showerhead. Also, it's great to know in case yours breaks. One of my exes roommates broke their showerhead, and they had no idea how to fix it. Instead of calling me or looking it up online, they waited three days for maintenance to come.
Do you know how to do any of these things? What else would you add to this list? Tell us in the comments!
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