Build Stuff With Your Hands: How Small Projects Keep You Grounded

Benjamin Moxley
Aug 29
4 min read

Updated: Sep 6

There’s nothing like the feeling of standing back and looking at something you built with your own two hands. Maybe it’s a work bench that tamed the clutter in your garage. Maybe it’s a set of chairs for the firepit, or a new gun cabinet in the basement. Whatever it is, it’s more than wood and screws—it’s proof that you can still make something real in a world that’s gotten a little too easy to just click buy now.

I grew up watching my dad knock together projects that seemed simple at the time: a woodshed, a 3 tiered shelf, a set of sawhorses that somehow lasted twenty years. He never seemed to enjoy it unless I was helping, but that’s probably because he was a carpenter so he was doing all of this for a paycheck during the day. The act of working with his hands was just part of life. Somewhere along the way, a lot of us lost that. But the truth is, building—even something small—keeps you grounded in a way few other things can.

An ADK chair I built for a friend with a great view but nowhere to sit

Why Building Matters

Building stuff isn’t just about ending up with a finished project. It’s about what happens along the way.

Mentally, it slows you down. You’ve got to measure twice, cut once, and stay present. Each project takes planning, purchasing, changing plans, and purchasing again. It pulls you out of the endless scroll and puts you in the moment.
Physically, it feels good to swing a hammer or run a drill for a change. Most of us are living very sedentary lives compared to our ancestors.
Emotionally, it ties us back to tradition. Men have always built things—cabins, barns, boats. Even a simple shelf connects you to that lineage in some small way.

It doesn’t have to be perfect. The shelf might lean a little, the joints might not be square, but it’s yours. And that’s what matters.

Start Small

You don’t need to build a house to get the benefits. Start with something simple, something you can finish in an afternoon or a weekend. A few ideas:

Simple shelf or coat rack – Find a piece of reclaimed wood, sand it down, and hang it by the door.
Backyard fire pit – A few stacked stones or pavers and suddenly you’ve got a place for late-night stories with friends.
Chairs and benches – Provides utility, not only will you have a fun project, but you can continue to enjoy it for years after you’re finished. .

These projects don’t require years of skill or a garage full of tools. They’re just enough to give you a win and build confidence for the next thing.

A couch and table I built for our back patio (with the cutest model)

The Tools You Actually Need

There’s no need to outfit yourself like a contractor. My OCD won’t allow me to have a mixed bag of tools in seventeen different colors, but I also can’t afford to buy all Dewalt or Hilti tools. This is why I decided very early on in this journey that I was going to be a Craftsman guy. Lowes’ prices on Craftsman tools is almost unbeatable, and there is always some kind of sale going on. The line of tools is extensive and the batteries are interchangeable on the entire line for convenience. Here are the basics that you’ll need to get started on your journey:

Hammer
Tape measure
Cordless drill
Circular saw

If you want to go a little further, grab clamps, a hand sander, and a multitool. That’s it. Don’t overcomplicate it. The point isn’t to have the fanciest setup—it’s to start. If you’re a little further along on your building journey, you can jump into these tools to take your projects tot he next level.

Jig saw
Router
Miter saw
Palm sander
Brad nailer

(And yes, get a good pair of work gloves and glasses. Splinters are overrated.)

INSERT PIC OF WORKBENCH AND TOOLS HERE

The Ritual of Building

There’s a ritual to building something. You throw on an old flannel, set up your tools, maybe crack a beer. Your favorite Spotify playlist hums in the background. Hours slip by, and when you’re done, you don’t just have a finished project—you’ve got a memory. You’ll remember the Saturday you spent sweating over that bench or the time your buddy came over to “help” and mostly just told stories. You’ll remember the look on your dad’s face when the first time you built something for him and surprised him with it.

Compare that to scrolling Instagram for three hours. One of those leaves you with something to point at. The other just leaves you wanting more.

The Bigger Lesson

The point isn’t perfection. Nobody’s grading your joints or checking your cuts. The point is doing. You’ll get better as you go, but even your first wobbly shelf is better than nothing. Skills compound. Today it’s a shelf. Tomorrow it’s a shed with a shingled roof and a swinging door. Next year? Maybe a cabin in the woods.

Building stuff with your hands keeps you grounded, connected, and proud of your space. It reminds you that you’re capable of more than tapping a screen.

My first shed build (still have some work to do)

Ready to Start?

Pick one small project this weekend. Just one. Grab a few tools, a couple pieces of wood, and see what happens. Building with your hands isn’t about saving money or proving anything. It’s about making your world a little sturdier, a little more yours. And trust me—once you start, you won’t want to stop.