‘Girl Measuring’ DIY hack goes TikTok viral but expert warns to take caution

After the 'girl math' phenomenon took over TikTok, there's a new trend in the form of 'girl measuring' as a DIY hack - but does it actually work?

It seems that girl measuring is a thing as #girlmeasuring has raked in over 21.3 million views on TikTok and is currently going viral, Magnet Trade reported.

As a result, Google searches for ‘What is girl measuring’ have skyrocketed by 83 per cent over the past month.

TikToker @amurphym appears to have kicked off the trend, as her video where she says ‘‘Girl math is fun but don’t forget about girl measuring" has received more than 16.3 million views.

So, what exactly is ‘Girl Measuring’?

‘’Girl measuring is essentially a term being used to describe people using their arms and hands to gauge things like room dimensions, wall lengths, or pieces of furniture," Jen Nash, Head of Design at Magnet said.

However, there are better alternatives to this method...

‘’Using your hands or arms can offer a quick and convenient way to gauge the size of something. But, it’s important to recognise that it will only provide a very rough estimate of measurement that is not very reliable," she added.

As "girl measuring" doesn't use pinpoint accuracy, using this "hack" could result in subpar room aesthetics and unnecessary expenditure of time and money.

For example, measuring a wall with your arms to centre a picture frame can easily result in an off-centre finish due to minor variations in how you extend your hand or arm.

It can also cause further hassle if you have to return an item because you relied on arm measurements to determine the purchase of a new piece of furniture.

This method doesn’t account for factors like precise furniture dimensions and room layout - critical considerations for successful furniture selection and placement.

"In contrast, a tape measure is one of the most precious items when it comes to measuring walls and buying, installing or moving the likes of furniture, artwork and so much more. With accurate and standardised measurements, you’re sure to make the right purchase, or ensure that any time and effort spent moving furniture in your home is not wasted.’’

If however, you don’t have a tape measure to hand, Magnet Trade reveals that there are some alternative measuring methods you can use that are reliable - due to their standardised measurements.

But if you're looking for some DIY measuring hacks, here are four reliable and expert-approved hacks...

Here’s how to measure when you don’t have a tape measure:

‘’If you don’t have a tape measure to hand, the best items to turn to are those with standardised and non-variable measurements.’’

A £5 note

"All £5 notes have dimensions of 125mm x 65mm, translating to almost exactly 5 inches in length and 2.5 inches in width. When you need to measure smaller dimensions, a £5 note can prove exceptionally useful."

Your smartphone

‘’Not only can a physical phone itself serve as a unit of measure if you look up its dimensions, but they also offer a wide range of apps that provide an actual ruler scale. These let you measure small items laid on the face of the phone. There are also apps that let you scan a room to measure its dimensions.’’

A piece of A4 paper

‘’Standardised in size, and measuring precisely 210mm by 297mm, A4 paper can serve as one of the best alternatives for a measuring tape. Plus, a simple fold in the centre transforms it into an A5 sheet, measuring exactly 148mm by 210mm.

You could easily and accurately measure how long a table is with sheets of paper. If for example, it ends on a half or quarter sheet, simply make a mark on the paper or fold it.’’

A shoe or your foot

‘’People often use their stride as a make-shift unit of measure. However, this method is notably inconsistent since the length of a stride can vary with each step. A more dependable and consistent unit of measurement is the use of your feet.

If, for example, you want to measure the length of a sofa, position the heel of your foot at one end and place your other foot in front of it. Repeat until you reach the opposite end.

"For accuracy, take your shoes off and align the edge of your feet with the sofa edge to ensure you are walking in a straight line.’’

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