Fixing Things

Looking for DIY repair instructions and helpful tips for fixing things yourself around the house? Here, homeowners are sharing their personal experiences fixing things at home. You can learn from our mistakes! Our step-by-step home repair guides are for average people who would like to try to do the repair themselves, before hiring a professional. See how to do outdoor repairs (like lawn, garden, plants, gutters & swimming pool issues) and indoor repairs (like appliances, dishwashers, water heaters, garage doors, tub & shower issues).

Have Trouble Reading Small Print? Me Too. Here’s An Easy Hack That I Use All The Time (And It’s Already In Your Kitchen!)

If you can’t read small print up close and need a quick (and FREE) DIY hack when you’re at home, read this! This easy hack works every time. (I use it when I’m reading instruction manuals, recipes, the mail, and dosage instructions on prescription bottles.) I’ve also found a great magnifier for reading small print and tackling other household projects (like removing splinters and ticks, fixing jewelry, etc.) See the 7 reasons I think it’s the best magnifying glass for reading small print.

How To Get Rid Of Moles In Your Yard: The Ultimate Guide To Ground Mole Removal (From A Pest Control Expert)

As an entomologist and pest control expert specializing in both urban pests and agricultural pests for the past 25 years, I’m going to show you how to get rid of moles in your yard – from my most favorite to my least favorite methods. Lots of ground mole removal methods ranging from mole poison and baits more humane options. I’ll even show you how to get rid of moles naturally using items you already have at home!

I Fixed Our Dishwasher Water Not Draining! Here’s How I Did It…

Water won’t drain from your dishwasher? There are 2 reasons for this: 1) Food is blocking the drain basket in the dishwasher tub. 2) Food is clogging the drain hose under the sink. See how I fixed my dishwasher myself… and you can too! Here’s how to fix a dishwasher that won’t drain water.

My Old Dishwasher Runs Like New Again… After Cleaning Out All That Black Gunk!

This isn’t the first time I’ve had to clean out all of the black gunk and slimy food debris from the dishwasher basket in the far back. The first time, I was able to fix the dishwasher not draining. THIS time, there was no water backing up… just a bunch of food and grime buildup which was making our dishwasher run poorly. Here’s how to clean a clogged dishwasher and remove the black gunk quickly & easily.

Replacing A Toilet Seat? Here’s How To Choose A Size: Round Or Oblong… And A Style: Wood Or Plastic

Need to replace a toilet seat? I just replaced three. Here are the choices and characteristics of toilet seats that might affect your decision when picking out a new toilet seat and lid.

Things You Should Know Before Converting Your Swimming Pool From Chlorine To A Salt Water System

See how a swimming pool that’s been converted to a salt water system, rather than a chlorinated system, fares after 3 years. You might be surprised! If you’re thinking of converting to a salt water swimming pool, read this first to see a list of pros & cons that you probably haven’t thought about!

My Tips For Making DIY Dryer Lint Fire Starters For Your Fireplace Or Campfire

I like to repurpose things whenever I can, and I’m always wanting a fast easy way to start a fire in our fire pit — so I came up with this simple idea for DIY fire starters using dryer lint, tealight candles, and toilet paper tubes. It’s a good way to repurpose dryer lint and cardboard tubes from paper towels & toilet paper. Plus, these dryer lint fire starters work really well! Here’s how I make them…

One Mom’s DIY Little Tikes Outdoor Climber Makeover: See How To Paint Plastic Outdoor Play Sets To Make Them Look New Again

I found a Little Tikes outdoor climber for FREE on Facebook Marketplace — it just needed a little TLC. See what I did to give this old outdoor climber a new look. Here’s how to paint plastic outdoor play sets + My tips for making the job quicker & easier.

Are Invasive Species Of Insects Destroying Your Plants? Here Are 4 Ways To Rejuvenate Your Garden By Attracting Beneficial Insects

Are invasive species of insects eating your plants — maybe even starting to take over your garden? Instead of using chemicals to control pesky garden insects, here’s a list of beneficial insects you might want to release into your garden. They will naturally get rid of the pesky insects for you! Or, if you don’t want to release live predatory insects, then see our list of plants that attract beneficial insects naturally.

Home Tool Kit List: A Basic List Of Tools That Every Homeowner Needs

Moving into a new house? You’re going to need some basic tools for small home projects! Here’s the list of tools that I recommend. They’re the ones I’ve used the most — after moving into my first home. This home tool kit list is my housewarming gift to you.

7 Essential Garden Tools You Need For Easy Gardening

I’ve been gardening for years and couldn’t survive without these 7 handy garden tools. Here’s what they are & what they cost. Info every beginning gardener needs!

Got Window Fogging Issues In Your House? (Me Too) Here’s The Best Window Condensation Fix I’ve Found

Window fogging in our house was driving me crazy – until I found the humidity levels in our home were too high. A dehumidifier and some Damp Rid turned out to be the best window condensation fix!

Make Your House Gutters Work Better In The Winter: 5 Ways To Prevent Ice Dams & Roof Ice Melt

Snow & ice can wreak havoc on your house gutters. See how to strengthen gutters to withstand even the harshest winter storms. No more ice dams & roof melt!

Should You Buy A Home Warranty Or Home Appliance Warranty? See What’s Covered & How Much It Costs

Buying a home warranty or appliance warranty to protect the systems & appliances in your house? Our friends rave about theirs! I’ve listed the pros & cons.

Shower Curtain Cling: Why Your Shower Curtain Blows In When You’re Showering & How To Stop It!

See why shower curtains blow in & stick to you while showering… scientifically speaking. Plus how to stop a shower curtain from blowing in once & for all!

DIY Fiberglass Tub Repair: Tips For Fixing A Scratched Or Cracked Bathtub/Shower

Is your fiberglass tub scratched or cracked? If done properly, a fiberglass repair can look as good as new and should provide many years of trouble-free service. Here’s how to repair a scratched or cracked fiberglass tub.

DIY Home Security: A Burglar’s 3 Main Targets And How You Can Avoid Being One Of Them

Do you fall into one of these 3 groups? If you’re a renter, a single parent, or a recent victim of a burglary, then here are some extra precautions that you need to take to avoid being targeted by burglars.

Drywall Tools 101: How To Fix Drywall With Spackle vs Joint Compound

If you’re about to undertake your first DIY project that involves installing or replacing drywall, then your biggest question is probably which of these you should be using: Spackle or Joint Compound. Here’s what you need to know about how to fix drywall using those 2 materials.

Home Wallpaper Removal Tips That Work (…DON’T Paint Over It!)

There are far better options than painting over wallpaper. Here’s how to remove stubborn wallpaper yourself.

Tankless Water Heater Cost, Pros & Cons, And Installation Tips

Tankless water heaters cost 3 times more than conventional hot water heaters to buy and install, so you’re probably wondering if they are really worth it or not. Following are the pros & cons and details about the cost and installation of tankless water heaters.

Garage Door Opener Repair: What To Do When Your Garage Door Opener Stops Working

If your garage door opener stopped working, here’s how to find replacement garage door remotes, plus info about garage door remote batteries and reprogram your garage door opener system.

Before You Hire A Home Repair Handyman… 9 Things You Need To Know!

Here’s what you need to know if you’re thinking of hiring a handyman for household repairs.

6 Ways To Have Efficient Hot Water ~ Energy-Efficient Hot Water Heaters

In addition to tankless water heaters, there are a number of other ways you can have more efficient and cheaper hot water in your home. Here are 5 more alternatives that are worth considering.

Whole House Surge Protectors vs Power Strip Surge Protectors

Most power strip surge protectors provide the minimum level of protection for everyday household items. But is that really enough protection for your home electronics and appliances? Are power strips the best way to protect your things from lightning strikes and sudden jolts of electricity? The fact is, you might want to consider a whole house surge protector. Here’s why.

How To Choose A Ladder: Wood, Fiberglass & Aluminum Ladders Compared

Odds are, you may keep one or two ladders around. But with so many different styles, what’s the best ladder for your needs? How, exactly, do you go about choosing the RIGHT ladder anyway?

How To Drain A Water Heater (…And Fill It Too)

You should drain your water heater once or twice a year, otherwise sediment will collect in your water heater — resulting in less hot water and a less efficient water heater. Here’s how to drain and fill your water heater.

How To Insulate Your Water Heater

There is one very simple thing you can do to help save on your energy bills each month: insulate your water heater! Here’s how to insulate your water heater, using step-by-step instructions.

Moisture Levels Inside Your Home: How To Tell If You Need A Humidifier Or A Dehumidifier

If you are experiencing dry skin, cracked lips, itchy eyes, or you are getting shocked every time you walk across the carpet, then chances are you don’t have enough moisture in the air and you might benefit from a humidifier. If rooms in your home feel stuffy, you have rotting wood, or wet stains on the walls or ceilings, then you might benefit from a dehumidifier.

When It Pays To Hire A Professional For Home Repairs & Home Projects And When It’s Better To Do It Yourself

In the end, doing everything yourself will usually cost more — in terms of money, wasted time, and errors due to inexperience. Tackling too many DIY projects will also cost you in terms of the amount of time you could have spent with your family and the time you could have spent taking care of yourself.

Instead Of Patch Perfect, We Like Scotts PatchMaster Tall Fescue Seed Mix

Last year, we seeded some bare spots in our yard with Scott’s PatchMaster Seed Mix. It worked so well that this year, we decided to use it to cover a much larger area. Here’s why we chose Scott’s Patch Master Grass Seed Mix instead of Patch Perfect.

How To Fix A Dripping Toilet For Less Than $5 …No Tools Required!

Here’s how we fixed our leaky toilets by replacing the toilet flappers. Replacement toilet flappers cost less than $5 apiece and no tools are required to do this job!

Toilet Tank Constantly Running Or Leaking?… Toilet Tabs With Bleach Might Be The Problem

Do you hear the sound of dripping water coming from the toilet tank? If, like ours, your toilet is leaking, then you might be surprised by exactly how MUCH water you’re wasting. We learned the hard way. We also learned that those toilet cleaning tabs might not be such a good idea after all.

Need A Repair Manual? Are You Looking For An Owners Manual? Or Replacement Parts?

Lost your owner’s manual? Need another repair manual? Looking for an old furniture assembly manual? Find user manuals and repair guides here…

Fun With Furniture Made Out Of Cardboard

Some fun DIY stuff you can do… make your own furniture out of cardboard boxes!

How To Attract Attention & Boost Attendance At Your Yard Sale

What can you do to call attention to your garage sale? Here are some unique things that you can do on-site at your yard sale to stand out from all the other yard sales in the area!

Tips For Pricing Yard Sale Items

Here are some great tips for how to price yard sale items — both ahead of time, and on-site during your garage sale. Plus, how you can find the true value for any item, so you know how much to ask for your yard sale items.

Garage Sale Tips: Do You Have A Rain Plan? Here’s What To Do If It Rains!

When it comes to having a successful yard sale, you should always have a rain plan. Otherwise, if it rains, you’ve gone to a lot of work for nothing! So be sure to check the weather forecast. However, overcast days are often more successful than sunny, hot days!

How To Make Creative Yard Sale Signs That Attract Attention & Really Work!

In addition to neighborhood and directional signs which tell people how to FIND your yard sale, you’ll also want to hang a number of signs on-site at the yard sale itself. This will make it easier for people to find the prices AND locate similar items by ‘theme’. Here are some tips for making both types of yard sale signs — neighborhood & road signs, and price & description signs.

Why The Little Giant Ladder Is The Best Ladder We’ve Ever Used

We’ve used a Little Giant ladder. This is our review of the Little Giant ladder.

Dozens Of Unique Uses For Leftover Blue Painters Tape!

In my opinion, blue painter’s tape is utterly INDESPENSIBLE around the house! It’s great because painter’s tape sticks to the surface, but leaves no sticky residue when it is removed. Alright, here we go… 10 unique uses for blue painter’s tape!

Turn Old T-Shirts Into A Cool Quilt

Got t-shirts? We all do… Some — like those from concerts & sporting events — have never even been worn at all. They’re simply stored away as mementos or souvenirs. Now there’s a company that will turn all of your precious old t-shirts into a one-of-a-kind custom quilt or duvet cover!

Fixing Things

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