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Working Safely: 8 Tips for Working Solo

There’s a lot to love about living alone,  there are also quite a few challenges that come with having just one pair of hands available. As an amateur, there’s going to be a lot you can’t—or shouldn’t—do alone when it comes to home improvement projects. And then there are these eight things that you can tackle solo.

Make a String Bucket Elevator

Working in an attic or up on the roof could mean lots of trips up and down ladders with heavy equipment. Take a tip from treehouse living and rig up a big bucket on a string to help you take everything up at once. eHow →

Make DIY Cabinet Jacks

Yes, even installing kitchen cabinets can turn into a solo job with the right tools. These handmade jacks hoist cabinets up into place for one-man installation. This is Carpentry →

How to Snap Chalk Lines Solo

Marking straight lines for laying tile or a similar project doesn’t need to be a team task. Here one way you can work a chalk line solo. YouTube →

How to Test a Circuit Breaker by Yourself

The best tips are the ones that make you go “duh.” From Family Handyman:

Find circuit breakers by plugging a loud radio into the outlet you’re working on. You’ll know you have the right circuit breaker when the music dies.

How to Handle Extension Ladders

With the risk of injury, it’s best to have a spotter when you’re working with a tall ladder. But if you’re going to do it alone, make sure you’re well-versed in the proper technique for using extension ladders safely. WikiHow →

How to Make a Furniture Dolly

It can be simple or sturdy, but a wheeled dolly will make fast work of moving furniture or other heavy materials. All you need is a solid frame and four wheels. The easiest DIY dolly? A Skateboard.

How to Build Levers and Pulleys

Taking it back to grade school with this one. Simple machines are easy to build and can help you lift and move several times more weight than you could handle alone. DoItYourself.com→

How to Carry Plywood by Yourself

You don’t necessarily need a buddy to carry a 4′ by 8′ sheet of plywood, all you need is some rope and this clever trick. Porch →

For the Pros

Too often, workers are forced to work alone, creating an unsafe work environment that leads to injury. If you become injured on the job and lose your income, you may qualify for legal funding

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Focus on several things when aging in place

Many homeowners plan to stay in their homes over the long term, and some may plan to live independently at home rather than moving into a retirement community, if possible.

Living at home as you age does require advance planning, however. All homeowners wishing to continue living in their home past retirement should plan early for aging in place.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, aging in place is defined as the ability to live in one’s own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably regardless of age, income, or ability level.

While the goal of remaining in one’s own home is shared by many, it isn’t always feasible due to declining health and changes in finances.

Top Four areas to focus on:

Safety updates:

One of the most significant obstacles to remaining in one’s own home is safety. Updates to consider may include a walk-in shower, safety rails, stair lifts, widening doorways, installing non-slip flooring or adding ramps, if a wheelchair is necessary.

Obtaining provisions:

Getting the necessities like healthy food and medications to your home can be an issue over time. Luckily, grocery stores and food-delivery services are growing in popularity, and medical delivery services seem to be developing as well. Certain non-profits offer food delivery services too.

Preparing for emergencies:

While emergencies may be stressful to envision, it’s best to be ready for them before they occur. Living alone can make it difficult to get aid promptly following an accident, but technological innovations can help. Home surveillance cameras and medical alert systems can be a fast and easy way to summon assistance. Establishing a contact, perhaps a family member or friend, to check in on you regularly also could help without the technological investment.

It is important to have access to quality health care and some mode of transportation, too.

Budgeting for expenses:

Making changes to your home and any continuous maintenance or repair work can get expensive, so you will need to examine your financial situation and retirement savings to see what is feasible.

It would also be wise to seek advice from a trusted financial counselor as early as possible.

On a final note, if you are considering any of these changes to your home and need to hire a remodeler, financial counselor, home security company, or any other business or charity, remember it is always important to research the company thoroughly first.

Aging in Place Useful Links

Ultimate Guides

Design Resources

Aging in Place Ideas

Americans with Disabilities Act Resources

General Information

Other Resources