The Thrift Diving Podcast

When asked what their biggest challenge is when it comes to using power tools, most people will answer using terms like "fear" and "scared." While it's true that each tools have their own nuances to how to use them, there are some common safety tips that are true for ANY tool you'll ever pick up. In Episode #54, we're going to go through each of the 12 tips for h...

If you're always feeling like you have to do something with perfection, whether it's a DIY project, losing weight, working out, etc., then this episode is for you. This week I realized an important lesson about  what matters most when it comes to being successful in life (psst!....it's not at all about perfection!).  Have you been struggling with letting go of perfection? Share your...

Painting furniture isn't tough once you've got a little experience under your belt. But if you're a newbie, getting started can be overwhelming because you're not sure how to prep your furniture for painting! In this podcast (and blog post), I'm digging into how I typically prep my furniture pieces for painting. After listening to this episode and reading the blog post, yo...

This week was a terrible week for DIY: I hit a snag in a project and literally felt helpless as to how to move forward. It was a very lonely feeling that made me feel lost, frustrated, and anxious. It made me wonder if YOU have ever felt like this, too? Hear about what happen and what I think the solution is to this problem. Share your thoughts about this episode by sending me an email or send the...

When working with power tools and wood, the number one most important thing is to get a straight cut. (Of course, the next most important thing is that your cut is actually cut to the proper length!). Without a straight cut, you're spending more time, more money replacing materials you screwed up, and overall, simply getting frustrated that it's not working out well for you. That is not...

Have you ever used toxic paint stripper or learned the truth about a product that wasn't quite what you thought? Listen to hear how I discovered that my favorite paint stripper gel is actually quite toxic (and I had no idea!) Share your thoughts about this episode by sending me an email or send the email to serena@thriftdiving.com.  F ollow me on Instagram @ThriftDiving to stay connected! WAN...

Recently I shared some details on Facebook Reels about my electrical wiring project in my "she shed," only to be trolled by electricians and wanna-be electricians telling me that I did it all wrong, violated code, and am going to burn my shed down. Here how it went down and what I learned from this experience. Have you ever been trolled or bullied online? Share your own story with me by...

In this episode, we're going to explore all these questions and I'll share with you my own answers and insight for 2021 and beyond! :) What was my biggest achievement this year? What were my biggest weaknesses? What lessons did I learn this year? What skills did I learn/acquire? What skills would I like to learn next year? Let's jump into this discussion! Share your own answers with...

I've learned a few things along the way when it comes to finding good deals at thrift stores! There are a few things you can do to make sure you're always saving money and buying quality stuff, and not wasting money on buying things that collect dust or that you don't really need! Got a question or feedback? Email me: serena@thriftdiving.com . Remember to follow me on Instagram @Thr...

The only thing worth giving and getting, in my opinion, are tools for the holidays! Here are 10 ideas of tools that you can either buy yourself or start dropping heavy hints that you want these things! ;) Got a question or feedback? Email me: serena@thriftdiving.com . Remember to follow me on Instagram @ThriftDiving to stay connected! WANT TO LEARN TO USE POWER TOOLS? I'm creating an online p...

Imagine spending a weekend….or even months!….building a project or stripping and sanding a piece of furniture down to the bare wood….only to ruin the piece with the finish. Gah! You didn’t get the results you were looking for….or maybe it started peeling or cracking….or maybe the color is all wrong and now you can’t figure out how to fix it. Then you end up having to sand or strip it back to bare...

The new year is right around the corner and now is a great time to think about all the parts of your life that deserve your attention for 2022: Home, Money, Career, Self(Care), Marriage, Family, Health, Passion. In this episode, I'm sharing with you my 2022 goals in all these areas of life, and will hopefully inspire you to start thinking about what you'd like to achieve and focus on for...

(PART 2 of 2) - Imagine you’re painting wood furniture: an amazing, gorgeous dresser that belonged to your grandmother….and only minutes after painting it a beautiful soft white paint, it starts to turn yellow. Or you’re about to finish painting your oak dining room chairs and realize that you have messy paint drips down the backs (and even worse–they paint has already dried!) Painting wood furnit...

(PART 1 of 2) - Imagine you’re painting wood furniture: an amazing, gorgeous dresser that belonged to your grandmother….and only minutes after painting it a beautiful soft white paint, it starts to turn yellow. Or you’re about to finish painting your oak dining room chairs and realize that you have messy paint drips down the backs (and even worse–they paint has already dried!) Painting wood furnit...

Cleaning up a room is the easy part. Keeping the room clean feels nearly impossible, doesn't it?? But it's not impossible. In fact, over two years ago I discovered the most important question you should ask yourself in order to keep a room clean. I asked myself this question and since that time, my kitchen has remained cleaned. It's not rocket science. I'll share with you the s...

This week I heard some friends on Facebook talking about how hard it was to get rid of sentimental clutter. It sparked a thought that this is something we should definitely be talking about as we're about to begin the 90 Days to Neat Challenge, which I introduced in Episode 38 . Have you ever thought about the advice that gurus give, telling you that you should "get rid" of things t...

Are you tired of your house being cluttered, too, and you just want a neat and tidy home?? Earlier this week, during my frustration with pockets of clutter around my home, I came up with a great idea for a challenge: the "90 Days to Neat" Challenge! If you're someone who keeps saying "I wish I had time to declutter this whole house," then this challenge is for you! In this...

I don't consider myself a decorator, but after living in an older 1973 home for nearly 11 years--a home that needed lots of fixing up and updating--I've done my share of room makeovers and have learned some things along the way about how to save money, how to get started, what you should consider while tackling the room, and more. Room makeovers can be frustrating and challenging, as the...

If you've gotten a quote from a professional recently to do a project for you, or if you're considering doing it yourself, I've got 5 additional tips for you to consider before making your decision! In Episode 32, Should You DIY or Hire a Professional? , we covered when those times are that you might want to tackle a project yourself versus hiring a profession. But this week I'...

I've been planning for a 16' x 26' "she shed" in my backyard for 6 months. Finally, yesterday it was delivered and installed! This process of ordering a "she shed" has opened my eyes to things I didn't even consider before jumping into this process. In Episode #13, I shared with you 10 questions you must ask before buying a "she shed" for your back...

Have you ever become defensive or felt you had to explain to your friends and family why you spent money on something for your home? Have you ever thought about what's most important to you about your home? Does your home really represent your core values?  In today's episode, I'm sharing with you my top 6 core values about "home" and why I feel you should never have to fe...

Just recently I hit 400K subscribers on YouTube and to highlight this accomplishment, I asked my YouTube subscribers, "What's ONE thing you have always wanted to know, either DIY or personal?"  And the questions started coming in (be sure to click on the Chapters to jump around to get to each Q&A! What's an easy first project I can do with a nail gun? Do you ever suffer fro...

As much as I know we love to DIY everything, there are certain times when you should not  DIY something yourself. Let's jump into the discussion with my points about when you might just want to pay a professional and the benefits of hiring out. Got a question or feedback? Email me: serena@thriftdiving.com . Remember to follow me on Instagram @ThriftDiving to stay connected! WANT TO LEARN TO U...

Most people think it's difficult to start a blog, but it's an easy process that can literally be done in just 1 day or less! The difficult part is growing a blog to be a thriving collection of your projects and posts. However, getting a blog up and running is the easy part. I'll walk you through a very high-level overview on how it's done! Got a question or feedback? Email me:...

One of my biggest challenges when it comes to DIY is just getting started . Why is it so hard to move from "idea" to "done"? I believe it boils down to one of three reasons. And in this episode, we're going to talk about those reasons for procrastination, and some solutions to help us move forward, if you struggle like I do! Got a question or feedback? Email me: serena@thr...