Grief & healing: A handyman and a list

My most recent household repair challenge was a hall closet door off the tracks. An accordion type door that hangs by wheels on a track.

Such folding doors are rather fragile and can fall off the track or otherwise break or get out of alignment.

Well, this one was not just off the track, but two of the three wheels that hold the door in the track seemed to have broken off. Something was wrong and the door was not working.

My dear husband, Baheej, and I were never any good at fixing things around the house. But we were blessed for 30 years with a dear friend and helper who could fix almost anything. A handyman. He can’t do this sort of work anymore, and I’m at a bit of a loss when something happens, such as a door off the track.

Well, I was lucky that on a previous repair, part of the fix needed was drywall work, and part of their work included carpentry. So I was able to schedule a carpenter through the drywall company to come fix the hallway closet door.

A carpenter came and fixed the hall closet door and a couple other problems while he was here. He realigned a bolt on the laundry room door and installed new cabinet door magnets on some of the kitchen cabinets.

If you are a householder or own a condominium, you will need helpers. Finding reliable repair services takes networking, much as job hunting needs networking. It’s the same process. Start asking around.

In the case of household repairs, what’s needed is a list. A list of good and trustworthy helpers. Plumbing, heating, air conditioning, appliance repair, carpentry, electrician, yard work, car repair and so on. Ask friends or other companies you trust to build up a list of specialist resources.

Beware of just picking an unknown company off the internet. I’ve been stung! You need a reliable, personal referral.

And If you are lucky to have a handyman helper, that person can often fix many problems that crop up. They also probably know many of the local companies or qualified professionals who can help you. But many household problems need a professional, thus building this list; especially if you are on your own or responsible for a relative’s house, is very important.

So the point is: Over time you will have a valuable list that will greatly reduce unnecessary stress when something goes wrong around the house. Just go to the list and get the help you need. You must be willing to ask for help. And be sure it’s reliable help.

• Susan Anderson-Khleif of Sleepy Hollow has a doctorate in family sociology from Harvard, taught at Wellesley College and is a retired Motorola executive. Contact her at sakhleif@aol.com.