10 Things We Often Do Wrong and Should Stop Trying to Do Ourselves

Every one of us has probably been in a situation where we’ve tried so hard to do something, but in the end, it turned out that we simply wasted our time and effort. And sometimes, we just want to call the magical Mr. Clean or a fairy who can step in and deal with some of these problems. But we can also evaluate all the possible pros and cons and decide which things are truly more convenient to do ourselves, and which things we’d be better off delegating to professionals.

We at Bright Side believe that people shouldn’t be afraid to delegate some important household duties or self-care procedures to professionals. After all, free time is a precious source that can be spent with your loved ones.

1. Dyeing or bleaching your hair

Do it yourself: You can dye your hair natural colors with hair dye or temporary hair dye. Hair dyes are always sold with instructions that will help you to dye your hair yourself.

Go to a professional: If you need to bleach dark hair, it’s better to go to a hairdresser. Trying to make your hair several shades lighter can be very stressful for it, and the bleaching process has several stages. If you wash the hair dye off too early or leave it for too long, you can get a completely different shade or make your hair dry and dull. Going to a good hairdresser can save you from some very negative consequences.

2. Trimming your ends and your bangs

Do it yourself: You can trim the ends of long hair. Just put it in a high ponytail, flip your hair forward, brush your hair, and trim the ends. Or you can flip your hair forward, brush it, put it in a ponytail above your forehead, use an elastic band to fix the length you’re going to cut off, and then trim your hair with scissors.

Go to a professional: If you need to trim your bangs, it’s better to not do it yourself in front of the mirror. In the best-case scenario, you’ll have to hurry to the hairdresser to have them fix the haircut. And it’s better to spend 5 minutes in a salon getting your bangs cut, than an hour trying to fix the hairstyle you did at home. According to safety rules, your eyes should be closed when your bangs are getting trimmed. This detail determines the perception of your face, so it’s better to try not to ruin it.

3. Shaping your eyebrows and correcting their shape

Do it yourself: You can maintain the shape of your eyebrows at home. You’ll need a mirror and tweezers. You should only remove the hairs that have grown too much and are outside of the official shape of your eyebrows. The main thing is to not forget to apply a calming lotion to the areas where you’ve removed your hair, before and after the procedure.

Go to a professional: When you need to shape your eyebrows, it’s better to go to a salon. Determining the right shape for your face is as important as determining the proper architectural design. A professional will personally come up with the ideal eyebrow shape for you. Besides, professionals have numerous tools and beauty products that they can use to make your eyebrows beautiful.

4. Tinting your eyebrows and eyelashes

Do it yourself: Eyebrow tinting is a simple procedure that can be done at home, you just have to make sure to follow the instructions. Start by cleaning your eyebrows. Then apply a rich cream to the skin around your eyebrows and prepare the dye. Apply the dye to your eyebrows with a brush or with a stick, leave it on for 15-20 minutes, and then wash it off.

Go to a professional: It’s better to tint your eyelashes at a salon because it’ll be more convenient and also because this procedure requires you to close your eyes. It also reduces the chances of irritation or allergies because of low-quality products. A professional will come up with a dye shade that will look the best on you.

5. Hemming clothes made of various fabrics

Do it yourself: If you need to hem your jeans, you can do it yourself at home, since it doesn’t require any special skills.

Go to a professional: If you need to adjust the length of wool or cotton pants, or flared skirts and dresses, it’s better to go to a tailor. They’ll do it way better thanks to their professional experience and special tools. As a result, you’ll save not only your time, but the money you paid for your clothes.

6. Cleaning and washing your outerwear

Do it yourself: You should be able to wash clothes that have synthetic insulation at home, but you’ll want to check the clothing label to see if you can wash this item. If yes, fasten the jacket and turn it inside out. It’s better to use a liquid detergent for this, instead of washing powder and bleach. Wash your clothes on the delicate washing cycle at the temperature indicated on the label.

Go to a professional: All outerwear with natural insulation should be dry-cleaned. Manufacturers often use rubberized covers so that the feathers won’t pierce the fabric. After you wash down jackets at home, they’ll take too long to dry and the insulation may start to smell unpleasant. Besides, the insulation often gets lumpy and loses its fluffiness. To avoid these problems, it’s better to dry-clean your things from the very beginning.

7. Cleaning carpets and removing dirt after a renovation

Do it yourself: Vacuum your carpet regularly. You can remove fresh stains yourself. To do this, remember that the dark part of the carpet shouldn’t be cleaned with bleaching agents, like wet baking soda or citric acid, and industrial carpet shouldn’t be cleaned with water.

Go to a professional: Even if you vacuum your carpets every day, dust and dirt will still get stored in the carpet over the years, and this becomes a great environment for dust mites. To prevent problems with your health, it’s better to use professional house cleaning services from time to time. Along with the removal of the dirt, carpets will also get disinfected and mites, moths, and other living organisms will be killed. Thanks to getting them professionally cleaned, old stains will also be removed, and even frequently used carpet will look like new again.

After a house renovation, it’s also better to use a professional cleaning service. Professionals will remove dried-on glue stains without damaging the surface and stucco that got stuck in the corners. As a bonus, a cleaning company can also remove all the construction waste.

8. Organizing and zoning your house

How do you cram everything you need for life into a small apartment? How can you give each member of the family some personal space? How do you accommodate guests and or create a chill space to calm down an infant? Where do you store seasonal clothes in a small apartment?

Do it yourself: Reduce the number of large soft toys and hide the ironing board and the clothing rack when you don’t need them. Don’t forget to get rid of the stuff you don’t need any more from time to time. Try to visually make the space look like it has the right shape by arranging the furniture in the right way. Make the interior more monochromatic.

Go to a professional: A professional interior designer will create a project especially for your apartment, taking into consideration your needs and preferences. They will zone the space and recommend the furniture that you should choose.

9. Repairing your favorite things

Broken or cracked dishes can spoil the way your kitchen looks. In addition, dirt can accumulate in the cracks of your china. And old wood furniture (even if it’s nicely polished) doesn’t look good in a modern interior. Anything that is broken should be sorted out into 3 groups — things you should throw away, things you can repair yourself, and things you need to take into a shop to be repaired.

Do it yourself: If you’ve inherited polished wood furniture and don’t want to throw it away, but it’s too expensive to get a professional restoration, you can turn old furniture into something very cool.

Go to a professional: If you need to restore porcelain, glass, or solid wood furniture. Almost everyone has their favorite chipped cups and plates that we just can’t bear the thought of throwing away. Take them to a workshop so a professional can restore your porcelain and glue the glass back with materials that are safe for your health, and of course to make your old things look new. You can also restore wood furniture and replace the upholstery in these types of places.

10. Cooking a sophisticated dish

Do it yourself: When you cook for yourself and your family. You can spend hours on the kitchen coming up with new recipes. But it’s better to not welcome guests with dishes you’re not even sure you can cook well.

Go to a professional: The author of this article recently decided to surprise their guests with sushi. She had cooked this dish many times before, but in small quantities, and its quality was always great. She bought special kitchenware and products like wasabi and ginger in large quantities. She started making this dish but the process didn’t go very well, and the sushi rolls started to fall apart — which didn’t look very appetizing. And the author didn’t know what to do with all the spices she had left because she doesn’t make sushi every day. So the conclusion is that it is better to order a sophisticated dish for your guests, rather than try to make it yourself.

Which household chores do you delegate to professionals?