In the home there are many possible repairs that must be carried out periodically. In this circumstance there are two options: resort to the services of a specialized professional or repair the damage yourself. The DIY world refers to this last possibility.
A very practical leisure activity
Many leisure activities are carried out for mere pleasure and without any specific practical purpose. On the other hand, DIYers kill two birds with one stone, as they amuse themselves fixing the damages of their home and, at the same time, they manage to save an amount of money that can be significant. DIY enthusiasts usually have one aspiration: to set up a workshop in their own home.
Those who practice this activity usually have manual skills and a certain technical dexterity and for this reason they are popularly called handymen (on the contrary, when someone is clumsy or ineffective when it comes to fixing things, it is called sloppy).
Handymen are capable of fixing a window, assembling furniture, changing a lock, repairing a bicycle, or wallpapering a room. A DIY to-do list would be practically endless.
From a historical point of view, the passion for fixing, maintaining and decorating the home emerged in the 1950s. Instead of paying for the repairs, some chose an alternative route: to fix things themselves.
The DIY sector
All over the world there are specialized establishments in this sector. The idea of all of them is simple: that the hobbyist of home crafts can find all the necessary tools and utensils to satisfy their needs. These establishments are normally organized by sectors: gardening, carpentry, lighting, hardware, painting, drugstore, etc. To build customer loyalty, guides are produced and videos with practical advice are edited.
Fans have a new tool to answer their questions: YouTube tutorials. We must not forget, on the other hand, that some television channels broadcast programs in which it is explained in a didactic way how things are arranged and how to develop new projects at home.
With "g" or with "j"
In Spanish these two letters cause a certain controversy. A good example of this can be found in the word that gives the title to this note. It is a term that comes from the French, specifically bricolage (bricoler means precisely to fix).
However, when the word is adapted to our language, the g should be changed to a j, since words ending with the suffix aje are written with a j, such as toll, language, filming or wild.
Fotolia photos: SkyLine / Kzenon
