What is "do it yourself"

n. The practice of doing home improvements and maintenance oneself rather than employing a professional

Do it yourself, also known as DIY, is the method of building, modifying, or repairing things without the direct aid of experts or professionals. Academic research describes DIY as behaviors where "individuals engage raw and semi-raw materials and component parts to produce, transform, or reconstruct material possessions, including those drawn from the natural environment (e.g. landscaping)". DIY behavior can be triggered by various motivations previously categorized as marketplace motivations (economic benefits, lack of product availability, lack of product quality, need for customization), and identity enhancement (craftsmanship, empowerment, community seeking, uniqueness)

The term "do-it-yourself" has been associated with consumers since at least 1912 primarily in the domain of home improvement and maintenance activities. The phrase "do it yourself" had come into common usage (in standard English) by the 1950s, in reference to the emergence of a trend of people undertaking home improvement and various other small craft and construction projects as both a creative-recreational and cost-saving activity.

Subsequently, the term DIY has taken on a broader meaning that covers a wide range of skill sets. DIY is associated with the international alternative rock, punk rock, and indie rock music scenes; indymedia networks, pirate radio stations, and the zine community. In this context, DIY is related to the Arts and Crafts movement, in that it offers an alternative to modern consumer culture's emphasis on relying on others to satisfy needs. The abbreviation DIY is also widely used in the military as a way to teach commanders or other types of units to take responsibility, so that they'd be able to do things themselves just as a preparation for their own future.

Do It Yourself is the only album by the Seahorses, an English alternative rock band that John Squire, formerly guitarist in the Stone Roses formed. The album's cover features a photograph of Squire's 1996 sculpture in the shape of globe made of puzzle pieces and also named Do It Yourself.

The album was released to mixed-to-positive reviews, but was well received by the British public. It entered the UK album chart at #2, behind Gary Barlow's solo debut Open Road, and went on to gain platinum status after selling over 300,000 copies in the UK alone. The album featured three charting UK singles: "Love Is the Law" (#3), "Blinded by the Sun" (#7), and "Love Me and Leave Me" (#16), the latter of which was Liam Gallagher's first songwriting credit. NME readers voted The Seahorses the fourth best new act of 1997; Guitarist magazine readers voted Do It Yourself the tenth-best album of the year.

A short UK tour in December 1997, with support from American alternative rock band Third Eye Blind, promoted the album's release, as did subsequent support slots with The Rolling Stones, U2 and Oasis. Ongoing recording sessions, which yielded the single "You Can Talk to Me" (UK #15, US Modern Rock Tracks #30), were aborted in January 1999, and the band split soon after, without completing the planned follow-up to Do It Yourself.

Do It Yourself is a 1979 album by Ian Dury & the Blockheads. It was the first album to be credited to Ian Dury & the Blockheads rather than Ian Dury alone, although Dury had used the full band name for the "What A Waste" 7" single of 1978. The album was released in the wake of the chart-topping hit single " Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick", and reached number two in the charts, behind ABBA's Voulez-Vous. Do It Yourself sold around 200,000 copies, and was Dury's second Platinum album (after its predecessor New Boots and Panties!!).

Do It Yourself may refer to:

• Do it yourself (DIY), a term used by various communities that focus on people creating things for themselves without the aid of paid professionals
• DIY ethic
• Do It Yourself (Ian Dury & the Blockheads album), a 1979 album
• Do It Yourself (The Seahorses album), a 1997 album
• "Do It Yourself" (song), 2007 single by Uniting Nations
• "Do It Yourself" CBC TV Series (1982-1985)