With rows of tawny-coloured tenements, massive student population, a surfeit of artsy cafés and…read moreindependent grocery stores, Marchmont's vibe falls somewhere between bohemian and genteel. It's bordered by the Meadows on one side, and the wealthy mansions of the Grange on the other, and has its own character as a fairly sleepy residential neighbourhood, disturbed only by the occasional blaring music of student flat parties. When I lived here, I loved its smallness, and the village-like quality - the fact that, whenever I left my flat, I'd meet someone I knew, and could survive for days at a time without ever venturing across the Meadows, getting all I needed from the cornershop, having a pint in the Argyle down the road, renting DVDs from Alphabet, and generally shying away from the outside world. Now that I've moved away, I feel slightly relieved to have escaped this insular community. Still, I'll always have a soft spot for Marchmont's leafy streets and turreted tenements.

Marchmont Hardware is a great handy business in Marchmont which provides a good range of cooking…read moreutensils, tools and even mini vacuum cleaners for hoovering up crumbs on the tabletop - an amazing invention. The guys who run it are pleasant, helpful and offer to find any products which they don't have in stock or recommend where you might find them. My only criticism is that some of the things which they sell are a bit gimmicky and pointless. For example, they were displaying an electronic rotating ice cream cone! Does that appeal to anyone? Possibly, but I can't help but feel that they'd benefit from specialising in stuff which people actually need. Nevertheless, Marchmont Hardware offers top service and a great range of products at good prices.

Everyone says that Stockbridge is like a little village within the city and if ever there were a…read moreshop to back that up - this would be it. This humble little shop isn't big, it isn't fancy, they don't carry more than one brand of anything. But when a frazzled 30 year old blows in waving a broken light fixture with no idea where to start, a old man in an apron pops out of the back room and saves the day. It's like walking into a hardware store from the 50's... I feel required to wear my hair in pin curls when i'm here. Does it look a little ramshackled? Yup. Did they have everything I was looking for? Nope (apparently I seek a very rare nail to complete this project). But did I walk out with enough to get my darn light back up and working? Yes.. yes I did. This isn't going to be your go-to for big projects and if you don't live in the area, you're probably never going to need to pop in here. But if you do live in the neighbourhood, this is a good local option for last minute handy needs like duct tape, electrical wiring and stubborn light fixtures. Cash only. Pin curls optional.

The shopkeeper at this store is unpleasant and rude. I have never written a Yelp review before, but…read morethis place is depressing and bad. I bought a pair of pliers, and just after walking out of the store, I had a closer inspection, they were not the right one. I asked for a return. His response- "what do you want me to do about it, own up to your decisions". My friend had a bad experience there too.

Very good range of DIY products, paints, tools, hardware, plumbing, electrics, insulation boards,…read moretimber sheets, power tools, joinery items, kitchens and bathrooms appliances, etc. Staff is always available for advice. Prices are reasonable and Wickes own brand products are cheaper than its high street names counterparts. Will certainly go back!

Lots of DIY equipment, gardening, bathroom area, floors, tools, all sorts of stuff. Very helpful…read morestaff, Parking for loading vans just outside the entrance, plenty of car parking spaces. Long hours open! Give it a go!

Good hardware stores are a rare breed these days. Good hardware stores that sell a range as…read moreextensive as Houseproud of Morningside are like dodo eggs. From compost to pans, screwdrivers to bird tables they have it all. Split into two parts, the left hand side sells all the things you'd expect to find in a hardware store and more. They have a nifty garden section, selling pots, trowels, compost, bird tables among other things. They also have the usual range of tools, light bulbs. All the things you'll ever need. The right hand side is dedicated to kitchen products, and they have a huge range. I bought myself a hand blender from there which, at £20, was a little on the expensive side but not too overpriced. Given this place is an independent shop in an affluent area of Edinburgh you can expect to pay a little more than you would in a major chain. However, the staff are engaging and helpful and the plethora of products makes it worth a visit next time you run out of tea towels.

I have always found that good DIY stores, outside of the major chains, are hard to find in…read moreEdinburgh. Houseproud of Morningside are the exception to this rule. Situated on Morningside Road in a visible on-road location, they stand head and shoulders above all others I have tried in the city. As DIY shops go, they stock pretty much everything you would expect to find. From paints to Polyfilla, screwdrivers to sandpaper, they cover all the bases. I've visited this store on two occasions. Firstly, I went to pick up some expanding foam to fill in mouse holes in the flat. Not knowing exactly what I was looking for, I asked the assistance of a member of staff. He helpfully pointed out to me all of the different things they offered, showing a range of prices and uses. He helped me to find the product that was ideal for what I needed it for, and didn't automatically go for the hard sell on the most expensive. The second occasion was to buy a bradawl - something that is like a screwdriver, but has a point on the end rather than a screw head. Whilst this time I didn't need help finding it, the shop assistant at the counter still engaged me in some light-hearted chat whilst I was paying. It's these sort of things that I really appreciate in a small shop like this. They don't view customers as more money for the tills, but engage with you as a person. I will definitely be using this place again, as it saves a trip out of town to one of the larger chain stores. This shop is a must for all your Morningside DIY needs!

Dropped in a couple of minutes before closing time on a Friday afternoon, half expecting doors to…read morebe closed or at best a cold reception. To my surprise I was given a warm welcome by staff who then proved to be extremely helpful in finding exactly what I was looking for. Staff members and the service they provided a fine example of a rapidly dying art - where customer satisfaction is everything.

Needed a single nut for a sink stopper. The guy in the shop spent time with me finding the nut I…read moreneeded and didn't change me. Super friendly and helpful. Anything I need in the future I'm headed to Edina.

A & A Traders is one of a number of shops in Edinburgh which seems to sell almost anything you need…read morefor you home! The shop is crammed full of home ware goods and gardening items. This shop reminded me of the Edinburgh Bargain Store in Newington, however, this shop is smaller and seems to be struggling to modernise itself. Now, don't get me wrong, these kinds of shops are very handy to have in the city if you don't want to travel to a retail park to visit a Homebase or B & Q. However, just along Easter Road there is a B & Q, so you would most likely get what you need there than from this shop. With just looking at the window display you can tell this shop is stuck in time. It advertises that it sells Video Tapes and its windows are full of clutter that no one is really going to need to buy (Including that dodgy yellow coloured kettle). Not the best home ware shop I have been in to, there are many other similar shops which are better, but this shop is still a handy place to buy that odd item you need!

This is a shop selling cookware, electrical goods and a bit more thrown in for luck It's well…read morestocked and holds a good range so you can choose between a few models and makes for each item. The prices here are also very good so if you do have a flat or house that needs furnishing it is worth going out of your way to come here - you rarely see such good value for money. As a shop it's hard to fault; they offer a large range of models at reasonable prices selling almost everything you might need.

Another cracking little outlet on my favourite street in the whole city, Adeel's is one of those…read moreelectronic stores that does pretty much everything, including services that appear to be of dubious legality such as phone unlocking. Filled with bits and bobs from computer hard drives to obscure mobile phone accessories, it's a charmingly shifty store and the kind of place that becomes a godsend when your archaic old computer breaks down again.

I've already reviewed the fantastically bizarre Adeel's on Easter Road, so I was delighted to find…read moreanother one in Leith, although this one seems to be Easter Road's bigger, more mature brother. For a start, the whole shop looks more sleek, less like a jumble sale. It sells mainly electrical goods and computer hardware, so it would be a handy place to take your laptop if you were experiencing problems. They also do mobile phone repairs and all that unblocking and locking Sim nonsense that I have no idea about. As well as that, you can buy sims and phone covers, and they sell cool Blackberry covers which are sometimes hard to come by elsewhere, for good prices. Ideal if you need some technological help, which I usually do!