In part 1 of our Dos and Don’ts of DIY series, we introduced the concept of saying, “Honey, Don’t” when you tackle your next home renovation project. Here, some important tips on smart shopping.

Do – Make frequent trips through the clearance aisles of your favorite home improvement store. You never know when you’ll find the perfect bathroom vanity or light fixture at half price.

When we remodeled our master bathroom, I was looking for a bathroom vanity that looked more like furniture than a sink cabinet. I was thrilled when we found this vanity on clearance. It came with a built-in granite top and undermount sink and a matching medicine cabinet. We purchased it at 50% off and stored it all in our garage until we were ready to tackle the project.

Same thing with the bathroom door. All the doors in our house are of the cheap, ugly, hollow core variety. Instead of spending a fortune at the home improvement store for a solid four- or six-panel door, we visited a local architectural outlet instead. We found this door at one-third the price!

Don’t – Buy anything just because it’s cheap. The fact that you can purchase an item at 70% off doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best choice for your space. Stick with your original plan, and you won’t be disappointed with the finished product. (And if you want a chrome finish for a bathroom mirror, I know where you can get one at a great price!)

Next in the series: Tackling new skills…and hiring a contractor for tricky jobs.