21 Jan How to Avoid Pinterest Fails

Have you ever taken a stab at a Pinterest DIY, failed miserably and felt kind of bad? Yea, me too and it turns out we’re not alone. A lot of people have tried Pinterest DIYs resulting in some hilarious fails {for some serious laughs check out Bored Panda’s 20 hilarious Pinterest fails}.

Pinterest is an amazing resource for DIY inspiration, but can we expect the same results when we try it ourselves? And most importantly, can we expect it to always be money-saving? Probably not and here’s the truth:

A lot of Pinterest DIYs are created by skilled people and photographed by an experienced photographer in order to showcase and market their abilities. And who knows, they may try the project 10 times to get it right before posting the final results.

Realistically, we don’t have 10 times the patience or 10 times the $$$ to put into a project that could potentially look as sad or as limp as the wreath above. So, how can we choose the right Pinterest project, you ask.

Don’t worry, it’s easy! Choosing practical Pinterest DIYs is as simple as remembering a few key thing.

Let me tell you from experience. Not all DIYs save you money! {Oops} Make sure you research the cost of each material you need and decide whether the savings of doing it yourself is worth the extra effort. Also, be prepared to spend a little extra if there’s an unforeseen set back in the project.

Be careful when choosing a project that’s very “now” or “trendy,” as it could be a temporary fad and not worth the time or money. {For example, the ombre and gradient furniture below, don’t get me wrong I love me some ombre, but this design is very current and may look dated in a few years.}

Image Source: Jake and Maya

Remember that time = money. Take into account every single aspect of the project {shopping, prep, execution, clean up, etc.}. Decide if spending a little more money for the store bought product is worth the valuable time you’ll save.

Decide if it’s just something nifty/kitschy that you want to try on impulse or if you need it. Since it’s not guaranteed to work, do you need/want it enough to risk it not coming out right?

Image Source: Muse Decor {Although this one was a fail, Muse Decor has some really amazing, successful DIY projects}.

And there you have it. Want some practice? Try these questions on my post 5 Ways to Reinvent Secondhand Furniture and see if one of those fabulous ideas could be your next project!

Have you tried a project and been successful? Or unsuccessful? Do you have a project you’re thinking of trying? Do you think most Pinterest DIY projects are easy enough for the average person to do?

About the author: Taylor Gordon is a freelance blogger from D.C. When she isn’t obsessively searching for deals you can find her Instagramming photos of her cat Zeus and blogging about personal finance and budget living on her blog, TrendyCheapo.com. Like Trendy Cheapo on Facebook or follow her @TrendyCheapo on Twitter.