The strangely satisfying DIY jobs bringing comfort to the nation
7th Apr 2020
According to the latest Draper Tools research, many people across Britain are finding DIY to be therapeutic right now, with several tasks cited as being ‘strangely satisfying’ in the current climate.
DIY therapy
Our study found that mowing the lawn, jet-washing the patio and polishing surfaces until they shine are among the nation’s most satisfying DIY jobs.
Putting the finishing touches on a final layer of paint and digging out troublesome weeds also appeared in the top 10.
Elsewhere in the top 40 list were organising a chaotic toolbox, filling in holes with polyfilla and cathartically smashing down a wall.
Others love cleaning paint off a paintbrush or stripping wallpaper.
Finding the silver lining
Kev Smith, Head of Marketing at Draper Tools said: “While it’s true that we are living in unprecedented and uncertain times, it does appear that many people are trying to find the silver lining in all of this and using the time at home to take on new DIY projects or tackle long put off household jobs. In fact, just over half of those in our survey, told us that making their home a nicer place to be is a priority right now.”
The study revealed other jobs that bring satisfaction include fixing wonky floorboards, and hammering nails into wood. Almost a quarter of people also enjoy the freeing sensation of getting started on a plain wall with a paint roller.
Just under a third of adults (31%) have spent time watching ‘oddly satisfying’ DIY videos online, like filthy patios being slowly blasted clean. The same amount also believe DIY is one of their favourite ways to relax and switch off from everyday life.
In fact, during a typical week, the average person spends more than two hours watching DIY programmes, with three in 10 finding them ‘relaxing’.
They’ll also take nearly three days off each year to tackle DIY that needs taking care of around their homes and gardens.
Tackling to do lists
However, with the majority of the population now working from home, seven in ten people feel the next three months will be the perfect time to start a new project.
A quarter of Brits plan to clean their patio, while just under four in 10 have some garden weeding to attend to. Almost three in 10 want to tidy their garage or shed, and 15 per cent are planning to go through their toolboxes and sort them out.
Inside the home, one in six have pictures they want to frame and hang, while a quarter are going to paint whole rooms. One in 20 adults is even planning on fitting a whole new bathroom, according to the OnePoll.com research.
Kev Smith of Draper Tools added: “That’s the great thing about DIY – the jobs are as big or as small as you want them to be.”
“And while not all of them are satisfying while you’re doing them, there is always satisfaction to be had at the end of a project.
“No matter how stressful our lives are, or whatever’s going on in the world – finding that perfect screw out of the hundreds in the box, or hanging a sheet of wallpaper perfectly straight is always going to feel great.”
THE TOP 40 MOST SATISFYING DIY JOBS
- Planting seeds / bulbs / plants
- Mowing the lawn
- When flatpack furniture slots perfectly into place
- Weeding
- Jet washing the patio
- Painting with a roller
- Hanging up a picture perfectly
- Painting a fence
- Painting the final layer of paint
- Oiling a noisy hinge
- Stripping wallpaper
- Filling in holes with polyfilla
- Polishing surfaces until they shine
- Fixing something with glue
- 'Cutting in' - perfect lines when painting
- Getting wallpaper perfectly lined up
- Trimming a hedge perfectly
- Getting a shelf perfectly lined up
- Hammering nails into wood
- Smashing down walls
- Using a drill
- Organising tools
- Successfully removing a screw which has lost its thread
- Using power tools
- Sorting through a massive pile of screws/nails and finding the one you need
- Using a tape measure
- Sanding wood
- Sawing wood
- Varnishing furniture
- Cleaning paint off a paint brush
- Fixing a crooked shelf
- Laying grass seed
- Using sealant
- Cutting a tile so it fits perfectly
- Plastering to a smooth finish
- Laying grass turf
- Planing wood
- Fixing a wonky floorboard
- Perfectly laying a patio
- Watching paint dry
Are you planning on tackling any home improvements any time soon? Which household jobs do you find therapeutic? Tell us in the comments or let us know on social media.
Research carried out by OnePoll, March 2020. Sample size 2,000 UK adults.
