In general:

• Don't underestimate the experience and effort a job may demand.
• DIY can be strenuous, and working when tired leads to accidents.
• Try to plan your day. Draw up a list of what you're intending to get done with time allocated for each task. That way if things take much longer than you have estimated, you can revise your list halfway through the day. Trying to rush a job is dangerous.
• Ask for help from family, friends and neighbours.
• Many jobs are much easier if you have help, and it's safer not to tackle some DIY jobs without an extra pair of hands - particularly those involving working with power tools, at height or with electricity.
• If you have to do DIY on your own, arrange to check in with someone on the phone every hour or so to let them know you're OK.
• Don't try to combine DIY with other duties. Minding children or pets while you're working will distract you and they can injure themselves playing around tools and materials.
• Take breaks during the day. It's hard to concentrate for more than a couple of hours, so a change or a rest will do you good.
• If you are taking medicine, check the label to make sure that it will not affect your alertness or balance. Hay fever drugs and cold remedies commonly have drowsiness warnings.
• Save alcohol for the end of the job! Look around your workplace for potential hazards.
• Accident victims rarely say 'I knew that was going to happen.'
• Familiarise yourself with any new or hired tools before starting work. Read any manuals or instruction leaflets, and practice holding and carrying any power tool before use. Guards and handles must be in good condition as well as switches, cables, and cable strain clamps (where the flex joins the tool).

GARDENS:

LAWNS
Mowing Lawn mowing can start as the weather becomes drier and milder in March and the grass has started to grow again. Choose a day when the grass is dry. Begin by raking the lawn to remove any fallen leaves. Do not be too vigorous because this can easily damage the grass. Set the blades in your lawnmower to their highest level so that only the top of the grass is taken off. If the grass is too closely cut the grass can severely yellow.  Moss Spring is the time to get on top moss in the lawn. Lawn sand is a good option as it will both kill the moss and provide a boost to the grass. After a couple a weeks rake out the dead moss and sow the area with grass seed.
Weeds It is best to start weeding in the early spring to stop the weeds from taking hold and setting seed and becoming a real menace. The quicker they can be stopped in their tracks the better.
Fertiliser It is vital to give the lawn a feed in spring to get it growing strongly. Make sure to use a fertiliser that has all the main nutrients - nitrogen, phosphates and potash - for all round health and growth. Check the weather forecast and apply the fertiliser when a showery period is expected. Applying fertiliser during a long dry period means the nutrients will not be absorbed and may just scorch the grass.

HOUSE PLANTS
Water Keep plants ticking over during the early spring months by watering sparingly, increasing as necessary as the plants begin to grow more quickly. Tidy permanent plants Clean leaves to remove dust from foliage of glossy-leaved house plants using a leaf shine. Remove yellowing leaves and fading flowers from all house plants. Repot congested plants into the next size of pot, using a good quality compost.

FRUIT
Check supports Check all fruit supports and ties to make sure they are secure and replace any as necessary.
Mulch It is a good idea to mulch around the base of fruit trees in the autumn, when the soil is wet. This will help the soil keep warmer for longer so giving the roots more time to grow and establish before the rigors of winter. Mulch will also condition the soil and add some nutrients for a really healthy tree. The best things to use are well-rotted farmyard manure.
Pruning tree fruit There is still time to prune tree fruit before new growth begins. Pruning of apples and pears in their first four years of growth is to train them into a framework which will ensure good cropping in future years so it is well worth putting the effort in to save trouble later. Bushes and trees should be pruned to encourage growth and in order to keep the shape open. Branches should be cut back by two-thirds, down to an outward-facing bud. As a rule, espalier and cordon-trained fruit trees (those that are trained along a fence in a ladder shape or in diagonals) are pruned in summer to keep them neat and compact. However, newly planted fruit can be pruned in their first winter. Any lateral branches that are more than 10cm (4in) long should be cut back to 3 or 4 buds, always cut back to an outward-facing bud so the branch that grows will grow outwards rather than back into the middle.