Let’s get our hands dirty!

Nowadays, no matter which social media platform you open, tricks of making your own personalised things — Do It Yourself (DIY) videos — are hugely popular among millennials. And for many, it’s not just a fun watch, but something they feel strengthens their creative streak.

Sangte Taku, who is pursuing a course in Japanese from Delhi University, feels DIY videos give her new ideas and helps develop an eye for aesthetic things. “I am hooked to such videos. And it’s not that I watch them just for fun but I also like to get my hands dirty,” shares Taku, whose room is beautifully decorated with her handmade calendar and pinboards.

She also gifts her handmade artefacts to her sisters and friends. “I recently made an owl pen stand for my sister. DIYs are cost-efficient and environment-friendly as I use tetra packs and toilet paper rolls that would have ended up in a dumping ground.”

Another reason why these videos have been trending so much is that they cater to a wide range of audience — from children, grownups to the elderly, there are videos for each one’s preferences. Komal Shankaran loves gardening, and he is enjoying learning to make his own personalised planters. “I love following home decor videos and often try out ones I really like. I now make sure my planters are pretty and have something to say too. So, day in and day out I’m splattered in colour,” he laughs.

The fact that DIYs are both cost-efficient and reusable finds favour with a lot of students who live in rentals and are often looking for ways to economise. “They are pocket-friendly,” says Edith Dawa, who recently completed her Masters in History and is now studying for her M.Phil. “Why buy something that won’t be used for long? Rather than buying a bean bag, why not use your old clothes and make a cute cushion that goes well with your room’s colour palette? I made one yesterday out of my old clothes, which I had been collecting for some time, and it works perfectly,” says Dawa who loves creatively reusing stuff lying around her apartment.

Some of the popular decor vidoes are not Indian, and that sometimes proves tough since sourcing the requisite material can be challenging. “I wanted to make a headboard for my bed, but found it tough to find a hardware store that sells boards of a particular size. And where do you find a nail stapler that won’t exhaust your entire budget? So, even when I was interested in making one, my project came to a halt after weeks of trying to collect the basic raw materials,” shares 23-year-old Mayank Laleria, a third-year Chinese student.