People across the UK are throwing away hundreds of pounds every year by binning items that could be fixed in minutes, as a growing “fix it” movement urges households to ditch the throwaway habit and pick up the toolbox instead.
From squeaky doors to scuffed furniture, many common household niggles can be resolved quickly and cheaply, yet people still often choose to replace rather than repair. With a typical handyperson call-out costing around £40–£50, learning how to tackle just five simple jobs yourself could potentially save £300 or more over a year, before factoring in the cost of unnecessarily replacing items.
From childhood curiosity to circular economy
Jamie Burns, a circular economy expert from Ailsa, works on principles focused on extending the useful life of equipment rather than unnecessarily replacing it. His fascination with fixing things began at a young age. As a child, Jamie regularly dismantled Walkmans, stereos, VCRs, and almost any electronic device he could get his hands on, simply to understand how they worked, although, by his own admission, putting them back together was not always quite as successful.
That curiosity eventually led him into electronic engineering and a career focused on understanding how things work, why they fail, and whether they really need replacing. He shared his top tips for embracing “fix it” culture, avoiding common DIY mistakes, and saving money
Always diagnose before you dive in
“The biggest mistake DIYers make is jumping straight in with a screwdriver. Before touching a tool, take five minutes to properly assess the problem. Is that damp patch actually a leak or just condensation? Is the drawer broken or simply misaligned? You might find that what looked like a broken drawer simply needs realigning or tightening, which could cost you nothing to fix. When a handyperson call-out can cost around £40–£50, those five minutes diagnosing the problem properly can save you money before you have even picked up a tool. A careful diagnosis also prevents you buying parts you do not need or accidentally making the problem worse. Quite often, the cheapest fix is simply understanding what is actually wrong first.”
Invest in the right tools, not more tools
“You do not need a garage full of kit; you need the right kit. A solid screwdriver set, a reliable drill, adjustable spanner, spirit level, and tape measure will solve most household issues. But do not fall into the trap of thinking DIY means spending £100 on a huge tool kit. Cheap, flimsy tools can make simple jobs frustrating, while buying dozens of tools you never use is just another form of waste. Invest in a small number of quality basics that will last for years, then build your collection as you need it. If a job requires something specialist that you might only use once, ask friends or family or see whether there is a tool library or Library of Things nearby. Borrowing one tool could save you buying something that spends the next five years sitting in the garage.”
Measure twice and then measure again
“Most DIY disasters start with bad measuring. Whether you are putting up shelves, cutting timber or fitting blinds, a few extra seconds checking your measurements can prevent a mistake that costs. Cut a piece of timber too short and you might need to buy another. Order the wrong size blind and you could be looking at another £25 to more than £130 depending on what you have chosen. Suddenly, a tiny measuring mistake means paying for the same thing twice. Precision is what separates a quick fix from a professional looking finish, and it can save on labour too. Professional blind fitting can cost around £20–£30 per blind, so if you have the skills and confidence to safely fit four straightforward blinds yourself, you could potentially save another £80–£120.”
Start small to build confidence
“Fix it culture is not about ripping out kitchens on day one. Start with small wins such as resealing a bath, patching a wall or tightening loose hinges. These are the sorts of jobs that build your skills and confidence, but they can also start saving you money almost immediately. Having a bath professionally resealed, for example, can cost around £50–£100. Learn how to safely do that one job yourself and you have gained a skill you can potentially use again and again. Once you fix one thing successfully, the next project feels far less intimidating. If you eventually become confident enough to tackle five or six basic jobs rather than paying a £40–£50 call-out each time, that could potentially mean £200–£300 staying in your pocket over the course of a year. Just remember that confidence and overconfidence are two different things. Gas, electrical and specialist work should always be left to appropriately qualified professionals. Saving £50 is never worth risking your safety or turning a small problem into a much more expensive one.”
Repair first and replace last
“We have become too quick to throw things away. If a chair is loose, tighten and glue it before you start shopping for another one. If a cabinet door is wobbling, check whether it needs a new hinge before deciding the entire cabinet needs replacing. That change in mindset can save serious money. If you have a £200 piece of furniture and the problem is a £5 or £10 hinge, handle or wheel, the sensible first step is to spend a few pounds fixing the part that has actually failed. Repairing instead of replacing saves money, reduces waste and keeps valuable skills alive. One broken component does not mean the other 99% of an item belongs in the bin.”
Search for the broken part, not the replacement product
“When something breaks, change what you search for. Instead of immediately searching for a new product, find the make, model or serial number and work out which individual component has actually failed. Handles, hinges, wheels, drawer runners and furniture feet are all good examples of relatively small parts that can make an entire item feel broken. If you have a £300 item and discover the problem is a replaceable £10 component, you could potentially save £290 by fixing what is actually broken rather than replacing everything around it. Obviously, not everything can or should be repaired at home, but it is always worth checking whether a safe repair is possible before reaching for your bank card.”
Check what you already have before buying more
“Another mistake people make is going straight to the DIY shop without checking what they already have. Screws, wall plugs, brackets, fixings and leftover materials have a habit of disappearing into sheds and drawers. Spending another £10 might not feel like much, but if you unnecessarily rebuy bits and pieces every couple of months, you could spend £60 over the year on things you may already own. Keep one organised box of useful leftovers and spare fixings so you can actually find them when something breaks. Sometimes the cheapest repair is the one where you do not have to buy anything at all.”
Use toothpaste to fill tiny holes
“White toothpaste can temporarily fill very small nail holes in white walls and tidy things up quickly before guests arrive. It works because it is something most people already have sitting in the bathroom, so for a tiny cosmetic emergency you do not necessarily need to rush out and buy anything. It is not a long-term solution or a replacement for properly filling damage, but for a tiny hole that needs disguising quickly, it is a free fix using something you already own.”
Rub a walnut on scratched wood
“Rubbing a walnut over light surface scratches on wooden furniture can help disguise marks thanks to its natural oils. It is worth trying simple fixes like this before assuming scratched furniture needs expensive products, professional refinishing, or replacing altogether. If the alternative is getting rid of a table that could cost hundreds of pounds to replace, trying something that costs pennies first makes sense. Just test it somewhere inconspicuous before treating the visible surface, particularly with valuable or specially finished furniture.”
Use a rubber band for stripped screws
“If a screw head is worn and your screwdriver keeps slipping, placing a wide rubber band between the screw and screwdriver can add grip. That extra grip can sometimes be enough to get the screw moving without damaging it further, and it is a good example of why DIY knowledge can be just as valuable as the tools themselves. If a rubber band you already have in a drawer gets the job done, you have potentially avoided buying a specialist extraction tool or paying a £40–£50 call-out for something that ultimately took five minutes to solve.”
Learning simple DIY repairs could save households more than £300 a year while preventing unnecessary furniture and equipment waste.