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A reader question came into my inbox last week:
Hey there, Sarah! I’ve been reading your blog for about a year now and I really love so many things about it. One of the things I love most is that you’re a single gal doing all the work yourself. I was wondering if you have any recommendations for other blogs to check out that are written by single ladies like us. I mean, don’t get me wrong…I love reading blogs written by mommies (mostly because I love me some cute babies), but it would be nice to hear more stories from a more relatable point of view. Any recommendations you can send my way would be awesome.
Thanks much! Keep up the good work! :)
Ryan
Austin, TX
Great question, Ryan – but to tell the truth, I wish I knew the answer! There are two single gal DIYers that I regularly read, and those are DIY Diva (who I did the first Dueling DIY challenge with – and yes, first, meaning I’m planning more!) and Brick City Love. As you can probably imagine, I haven’t had much time to scour the internet for more, and I would LOVE to find a few new ones. And not surprisingly, if there are other single DIYers like us out there, they probably haven’t found the time to connect to other blogs in the same niche either (because, ahem, we’re kinda on our own and a little busy, here).
So, for today’s post (and heck, I’m still recovering from the Haven conference, so this is perfect timing!), I want to offer up a link party (which I think I’ve only done once before) for other blogs to add themselves to this list. Ladies (and guys, too – living alone and remodeling a house isn’t easy no matter the gender) – if you are a single DIYer and blogging about it, please go ahead and post your URL to the link party below.
There’s only one caveat: please ONLY link up if you’re single. As in, living by yourself (we all get helping hands occasionally, but living in a house alone is a big part of my experience with DIY – the lack of having someone else to “hold that right there” or get my lazy ass off the couch). I know there are LOTS of married DIYers (some with kids, some without) who do plenty of DIY on their own and blog on their own, and I don’t want you to think I don’t enjoy reading these blogs either. I certainly do. But I’m just as curious as Ryan to see how many there might be in a situation very similar to me. And I’m with ya, Ryan – there don’t seem to be many ladies who went “I think I’ll buy a house today and renovate it… and completely eff up my dating life while I’m at it.”
Hey Sarah!
Great post. I was a diy’er and single mom for 21 years. Got re-married 6 years ago – darn it! Just kidding. I became a diy’er because I was single, a mom and totally broke. Have fun with your blog hop and good luck with the continued work on your house.
p.s. I loved being single – enjoy it. Married is awesome too.
I am single and not even a pet lives with me, I haven’t done much DIY because I haven’t had any motivation to continue, but now I do, my cousin has left the home and I am alone again.
I live in a condo not a house, hope that doesn’t make a difference because I don’t have “storeys” like an upstairs and basement or anything, but all my rooms are all on one floor (I do have two bedrooms though, one is geared to be the office/craft room)
With thoughts of painting the rest of the place and building my own couch and bed and furniture, knocking down walls, changing up light fixtures… I am ready to blog again but this time with more regularity.
I included my blog with my name.
Thanks for the push!
Can you try to include your link again? I don’t see it on the list. It’s probably my fault – I never do link parties so I wasn’t sure about the embed code and had to correct it. Thanks!
The reason I found your blog is because I asked this question on the YHL forums and someone recommended you! I was finding it hard to relate to so many people with babies. I am completely single, bought my first house last October and finally moved in three months ago (after a lot of help from my Dad!). Still got lots to do, and managing to juggle housework and job work and family and friends means I have very little free time… Thank god I’ve now finished post-grad!
I am a bad blogger, but I do fit the single lady diy profile. I want to blog more and better, I really do. But like you said, when you do it all yourself that leaves little time for anything else! I have spent the last 4 years trying to get my personal life in order and it hasn’t seemed to work out for me. So I am turning once again to the power of DIY – I hope to have a new home to work on by the end of this year!! -GG
GG – I remember reading your blog years ago (with the lake house, right?) Your blog is invite only now so I haven’t been able to catch up in a long time, but I hope things are going well!
wow! i had no idea that my query would actually make a post! i’m excited to dive into some of the great blogs posted in the link party…only while waiting for coats of paint to dry, of course. yay for single ladies getting their DIY on. maybe it’s time i start a blog…
Let’s hear it for the “single” people! :)
I am sooo looking forward to visiting those that link up! What an awesome idea.
I have renovated my kitchen, my bathroom, installed flooring, tiling, painted every space imaginable and redone furniture for several years now, knowing that it wasn’t going to get done by someone else. I relish the challenge of just getting it done and the pride that comes with saying “I did it myself”. I actually prefer to work alone, anyone else feel that way?
I have found your blog through pinterest- and have followed you for awhile- you have such great ideas. I am living in the cutest little rent house ever and am working with my landlord to do some updating. I am asking him if I can do the work so I am starting to be a new single DIYer! I am planning on adding a new page to my blog to show the progress as i go but just have not had the time to get that done just yet! The first entry will be about how to and what tools to buy to do some upkeep as well as I am going to be able to use the same tools for my crafts that I am working on! Oh the list keeps growing of things that need to be done! If anyone has any ideas on what tools I will not be able to live without then I can start to add the cost to my budget!!
You may be in luck – I have a post written on that! Check it out here to get you started. I should probably create another for the next tier of tools, $50-125.
Awesome! That is just what i needed to see. i actually already have some of the tools in my tool box – YEAH! The most expensive one I will need is the drill- I need it for my craft stuff too and am looking forward to making that purchase! My birthday is coming up – I am putting that on my list! Thanks for the help!!
Thanks for the link love!! YAY single peeps!
Thanks, sooooo much for doing this! I’m a single DIYer and it’s hard to relate to all the other blogs I read sometimes. I’m so looking forward to checking out each and every blog that links up here!
I just posted the link for one of my favorite blogs, Addicted 2 Decorating. Granted, she’s married, but she does EVERYTHING herself (you’ll find in her posts that that becomes part of her problem-solving process). It’s no exaggeration! For ex, she had to carry the butcher block counter in this post (http://www.addicted2decorating.com/my-diy-built-in-bookcase-wall-is-finished-before-after.html) in and out of the condo by herself.
I am just one of your loyal followers (the mom with two girls who stays at home, has an etsy shop, and recently thought your rug was “dirty velcro” on a wood board) and I think that it is so cool that you received that email! Now you (and others) have a whole new group of bloggin’ buddies to connect with! I think this is so fun for you all:) Hope your August project has gotten off to a great start!
So glad you like the idea too – I don’t want to alienate the readers who aren’t single as if there’s something wrong with having a partner – but until today I really did suspect that the list might only comprise of maybe four in the DIY blog world. Happy to see I’m wrong!
I love this post and the single DIYer aspect is one of the things I love about your blog—it’s inspiring! My husband is in the military and I spend a lot of my sudden free time when he deploys tackling projects solo so I definitely know what it feels like to go at it without an extra set of hands.
Hey, Sarah!! So awesome meeting you at Haven! I wish we could have hung out more! Now that I’ve got some awesome Ryobi tools, I’m going to follow along more closely to figure out from you how to USE them :) Let’s keep in touch, okay?!
Serena @ Thrift Diving
Single lady in my late twenties here, but no blog. Most of my DIY angst and accomplishments over the last year of owning my own house has been funneled through FB.
Not going to lie, not having somebody to “hold that right there” is the most demotivating thing ever. I’m lucky my mom lives 3 miles away and loves DIYing as much as I do.
Great idea! I would have loved this a bit ago! I am in the newlywed category, but we don’t plan on having any children. I love children and love reading about the other bloggers kids and families, but it’s just not in the cards for us. I DIY and my husband watches for the most part (except when it comes to landscaping.. then it’s my turn to watch). He’s just. not. handy. So, while I may not be single, I am loving the DIY single ladies linkup idea and look forward to reading through the blogs above. Thanks!
So, the dog and cat are pretty po’d right now…but woo hoo for single ladies gettin’ it done! I have less DiY skill than enthusiasm but love this post!
I love this! I just got engaged in May, so I guess no linking up for me, but when I started my blog I was living alone and loved having you and the DIYDiva as single lady inspirations!!!
Congratulations! And thanks for following along :)
Well, I don’t have a blog but I do fit the single DIYer. And I’m a mama too. Seems I straddle both worlds. :) I’ve enjoyed both your and Kit’s blogs; I actually gravitated toward them after becoming burnt out on the happy couple/family blogs. There’s nothing wrong with DIYing as a family (and some day I hope to do it again), but for now it’s just me and my little 5-year-old helper (who, by the way, has recently learned how to spackle. Mama’s girl, what!!!)
Heck yeah! I’m so glad you are reading along. And your little girl should be very proud of herself for learning these essential life skills so early! ;) She’s way ahead of me at that age!
…I just came across your blog accidently and I love it! I will definitely look through a lot of your posts in the next days!
And I love this list – Although I’m not living alone I am the only one DIYing here – my flat mate doesn’t do a thing and all things that came into our apartment are only made by me. (With the ordinary help by my parents, of course, but this means often only financial help. I’m only a broke student after all ;))
Love, Midsommarflicka
I’m a long-time lurker, first time commenter here. I’m a different demographic from all of you young, single ladies tackling home ownership, DIY, and blogging. I’m in my 40s, divorced, raising kids, and fixing up a 1939 Colonial. But I have so much admiration for your determination and independence, something I wish I’d had at that age. It’s an inspiration, and sometimes I not only borrow hints but guts from all of you. Thanks for this idea and helping me find some new sources for blog reading!
while i’m not a single lady, the roles are flipped in my relationship from the expected, as i am the handy one who loves trips to home depot, and my partner couldn’t tell you the difference between a flat head and a phllips head. as much as i wish sometimes that he was handy or had interest in diys/home improvement, it does give me 100% creative control >:)
I’m a single DIY lady, but I have no blog, (its coming soon I promised myself). I work hard for the money, but I still have no house by my own, just renting, but really love transforming this space of mine into something homey and pretty. I’m learning every day and revealing my skills and capabilities managing new tools (I love drilling!), and painting furniture. Right now Im into the “white mood” with pops of bright colors. I like your blog very much and this is a great post! Im a mexican girl, so I don´t speak english so well, but hopefully you can understand me!
Understood you just fine! Glad you’re following along, and I’d love to check out your blog when you start it!