5 Things Every Single Woman Should Know How to Do

Single or not, there are some thing you should be able to do without his help. Here are 5 things every independent woman should know how to do.

Whether you’re single by choice or by chance, there are probably times when you wish you had a man around to help.

Not that you have to be totally dependent on the opposite sex to get things done that are typical male-associated, but sometimes it is just nice to hand off chores and duties and let him take care of it. However, not every woman has the luxury of having a man at her disposal to do the things she doesn’t know how to do.

To be fair, even if you do have access to a man 24/7, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be able to do certain things just because they are generally handled by men.

We can take care of ourselves, right ladies? Not that we have to prove this fact to anyone else or rely on others to take care of us, but it is comforting to know that we can handle things if need be.

So, what should you learn if you don’t know it already?

1. How to change a tire

When I was first starting out in my career, I worked at a domestic violence shelter. Because the environment was strictly women and children, we had to learn how to handle most everything ourselves as there was no man around to do these typical ‘guy things’.

While it certainly put me on unchartered ground, it was probably the best experience for me as I was forced to sink or swim.

One of the residents came in one day and announced that she was trying to leave for work and her tire was flat. For some reason, all eyes came to me. Being a good sport, I thought, “How hard could it be?” Well, as it turns out, it wasn’t… but it did require a little bit of knowledge.

Luckily, the care was in a driveway, off the road where it was safer (and away from spectators). With a little trial and error (such as learning where to put the jack and how to use it), the tire got changed and she was on her way.

Looking back, I am glad that I got the opportunity to change the tire in that situation versus one in which I was on the road and had to do it out of necessity as it was much less stress. And, it is better to know what to do before you need it, rather than when you’re stranded on a cold, winter night with a dead cell phone and no other cars in sight.

Grab someone that knows how to change a tire (maybe a father, brother, husband or trusted friend) and have them teach you. It won’t take long and then you’ll have the confidence to handle this unfortunate event if need be.

2. How to maintain for your vehicle

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In addition to knowing how to handle a flat tire should it arise, you need to know how to care for your vehicle to keep problems (and expensive repairs) to a minimum. For example, do you know how often your oil should be changed or how full your windshield wiper solvent is at this moment?

Most women shy away from this responsibility or let the man in their lives take care of it. And, if that situation works for you, great. But, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t at least understand it so that you can take care of your own car, truck or SUV at any given point in time.

This doesn’t mean that you have to have someone show you how to change the oil yourself, or anything like that. However, you are going to want to know where to go for the best oil changes (based on price, service and honest employees) and you’ll also need to know how often your vehicle needs it to run like a champ.

Yes, you may have a car that tells you when an oil change is due, but sometimes things malfunction so it is always best to keep an eye on it yourself too.

If you use regular oil, you’re going to change it around every 3,000 miles or so, but synthetic oils can last 10,000 miles or more.

3. How to operate the technology in your home

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Have you ever mistakenly hit a button on the remote and been without the television because you had no clue how to fix it? Or, maybe you even avoid the remote altogether so that you don’t have to take that chance.

There is no reason you can’t learn how to operate the televisions, DVD players, stereos and more that are in your home. The instruction manual may be a bit daunting, but this is where the internet can come into play and save the day.

There are several YouTube videos and easy-to-understand guides available if you search for them. And, if it is the computer or internet that you don’t really understand, just grab any kid. They’ll be able to walk you right through it with no problems.

4. How to unclog a drain

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Sorry, ladies, but we’re probably the main reason for clogged drains to begin with. With our hair trying to work its way down the pipe and out of the house, we’re often at fault for slow water drainage, or complete stoppage.

The best thing to do is to try to contend with problems before they start. You can do this by putting a cleaner (preferably a natural one) down your pipes on a regular basis to dissolve things before they present themselves to be a major problem. However, if it is too late for that, then you may have to get out the rubber gloves and wrench.

Again, ask someone in your life that knows what to do to show you simple plumbing basics. Of course, if it is too bad, you’ll likely have to call in a plumber.

But, you can always ask him or her to show you how to keep your drains clean so that you don’t have to rely on them to do something you can do for yourself easily enough.

5. How to cook on the grill

Although this is typically considered a “man’s job”, cooking on the grill is great for women too. It is healthier and involves much less kitchen cleanup, so it would definitely benefit you to learn how to use it if you don’t know already.

The main thing to remember is to get the grill hot enough at first so that you sear your food and it doesn’t stick to the grates. Then, you’ll want to reduce the flames to low (or medium) to cook your meat or veggies without scorching them.

You can wrap corn, green beans or potatoes in aluminum foil with a little bit of olive oil and onion for a great grilled side dish. And, if you marinate your meat in Italian dressing or mesquite rub prior to grilling it, you’re in for a flavor treat.

Although you are certainly a Queen and deserve to have these things done for you, it’s also nice to know how to do them yourself. That way you can rule your kingdom from a position of intelligence because there will be nothing that you either don’t know or aren’t afraid to learn.

Cover photo: tumblr.com

About the author

Christina DeBusk

Changing careers mid-life from law enforcement to writing, Christina spends her days helping others enrich their businesses and personal lives one word at a time.

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