Margaret Foley

Contributing Writer & Editor

Highlights

  • Specialties: Cleaning best practices, household repairs, classic house styles
  • Education: Bachelor of Arts in English from Bryn Mawr College; Master of Science in Education from Queens College
  • Other work: Home magazine (defunct); Discover magazine

Best DIY Advice

After almost 25 years of living in an old house, Margaret can say with certainty that whatever you’re DIY-ing—even if you’ve planned carefully, measured accurately, and bought everything you think you’ll need—it’s best to assume that it will take longer than you think. That fence that you were going to paint over a few weekends will take all summer; the escutcheon for that new light fixture won’t be large enough to cover the existing hole in the ceiling; the old doorbell wire won’t be long enough to reach the new bell…and then the washing machine will back up and there will be 4 inches of water in the basement.

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