We've collected hundreds of home tips throughout the years to make life a little easier for our readers. Here are some of the best ones you need to know.
100 of the Handiest Home Tips
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Coffee Bag Ties
Small bags of fancy coffee have heavy-duty ties to keep them airtight. The ties are handy for securing small coils of electrical cable and rope. They're usually fastened to the bag with just a dab of glue, making them pretty easy to pull off. — reader Joe Gemmill
Plus: Quick and Clever Kitchen Storage Ideas.
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Wine Cork Caulk Saver
Synthetic wine corks are great for sealing partially used tubes of caulk. Drill a 5/16-in. hole into the cork about 1 in. deep. The cork fits perfectly and makes an airtight seal. — reader Susan Claussen
Plus: Tips for Caulking.
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Six-Pack Shop Organizer
Six-pack cartons are useful for storing and transporting items like spray paint, lubricants and caulk. — reader Gerald Fitzgibbon
Plus: 51 Brilliant Ways to Organize Your Garage.
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Draft Dodger
My house has round ceiling registers for the air-conditioning system. In the winter, we'd get cold air falling from the registers. Rather than put up with the drafts, I sealed the registers with those clear plastic saucers that you put under flowerpots. I temporarily glued them in place with White Lightning SEASONSeal Clear Removable Weather Stripping ($10). It's a rubbery sealant that you apply with a caulk gun and peel off in the spring. — reader James Herrrenknecht
Plus: Stop window and door drafts to save energy.
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A Sticky Solution
To keep my square from sliding on slick material when I'm trying to mark with it, I stick vinyl picture-frame bumpers on the back. This holds the square in place while I draw a pencil line. — reader Kelly Hicks
Plus: Learn how to Hang Artwork and Wall-hangings Straight and Level.
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Blister Buster
I rake leaves like I'm sweeping the floor with a broom. I always used to get a blister between the index finger and thumb of my lower hand. Now I just keep my thumb and fingers on the same side of the pole. You get just as much gripping power — without the blisters! - reader Kipp Beck
Plus: Make Yard Work Easier with these 12 Tools.
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Topsy-Turvy Door Painting
Here's how to paint a door without waiting for one side to dry before flipping it over: Drive one lag screw into the center of the top edge and two near the bottom corners. Set the screws on sawhorses, paint, flip and paint the other side.
Plus: How to Install a Door.
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Luminous Light Switch
A dab of glow-in-the-dark paint means no more groping for the light switch in the dark. You can buy glow-in-the-dark paint at hardware stores and home centers.
Plus: Wiring Outlets and Switches the Safe and Easy Way.
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Long Reach Shears
Slip PVC pipes over the handles of your pruning shears and tape them in place to extend your reach and clip high branches without a ladder.
Plus: How to Trim a Tree.
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Phone Shield
When you're painting or gardening, keep your phone clean and dry by sealing it inside a zip-top bag. You can still work the buttons right through the bag.
Plus: How to Boost Your Cell Phone Signal- 3 Ways.
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Monetary Measurements
A dollar bill is 6.14 in. long. But you don't have to memorize that; just remember that a buck is about 6 in. long and you'll always have an approximate measuring tool in your wallet.
Plus: Tips for Saving Money at Home.
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Tennis Ball Parking Guide
If you have ever wondered why a tennis ball was hanging from your friend's garage ceiling, here's why. To park your car in perfect position every time, hang a tennis ball from the garage ceiling so it just touches the windshield. It will show you precisely where to stop. No guesswork!
Here are 16 Easy Garage Space-Saving Ideas.
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No-Slip Seat Cushions
The rubbery mesh designed to keep rugs from sliding works on chairs, too. For outdoor patio cushions try this hack: IKEA Tip-Add Ties to Outdoor Furniture Cushions.
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Dust Catcher
Before drilling or cutting into a wall, tape a bag below the work zone and it will catch the falling dust.
Having trouble with dust in your home? Here are Cleaning Tips to Reduce Household Dust.
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Flash Finder
When your drop something small and can't find it, turn out the lights and shine a flashlight across the floor. Transparent items like a contact lens will glimmer. Other objects will cast a shadow marking their location.
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Trunk Bumpers
Keep a couple sections of pipe insulation or pool noodles in your trunk to protect both the car's paint and your oversized cargo.
Here are 25 Pool Noodle Hacks.
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Pre-Paint Lotion
Coat your face and arms with lotion before painting and the splatters will wash off effortlessly.
Here are more of our best painting tips and tricks.
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Touch-up Without Cleanup
No need to mess up a brush to fix a wall wound. Just dip an old washcloth in the paint and throw it away when you're done. A washcloth leaves the same texture as a paint roller, so your repair will blend nicely.
Here are tricks for storing paint brushes overnight.
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Tarp Trailer
With a big, cheap plastic tarp you can drag leaves, branches or mulch around your yard.
Plus: 11 Exceptional Wheelbarrows that Do Everything.
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No-Mess Epoxy Mixer
For quick, thorough mixing of two-part epoxy, put the components in a bag and knead them together. Punch a small hole in the bag to make a neat dispenser. Here's how to use epoxy resin like a pro.
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Keep Pictures Level
A pinch of mounting putty (that sticky stuff used to hang posters) prevents picture tilt without harming walls.
Plus: How to Use a Laser Level.
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Suck Out Drain Clogs
A wet-dry vacuum slurps clogs out of plugged drains. Even plumbers use this trick sometimes. If you need to increase suction, seal around the nozzle with a wet rag.
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Find a Flashlight
When the power goes out, you'll be groping in the dark for a flashlight — unless you wrap one with glow-in-the-dark tape. The tape glows for about eight hours after exposure to light.
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Solid Cord Connection
A knot keeps cord ends from pulling apart as you drag them around. Here's how to repair extension cords.
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Hidden Remotes
Adhesive-backed hook-and-loop strips let you stick remote controls under an end table. They'll always be handy when you're ready to watch TV but won't clutter up tabletops. Learn more about hiding home electronics and cables here.
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Clog Claw
Every homeowner should have a flexible-shaft pick-up tool for grabbing stuff out of hard-to reach spots. They're also great for yanking clogs out of drains!
Plus: Here are more tricks for how to unclog a drain.
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Extra Towel Bar
Not enough space to hang towels in your bathroom? Add a second shower curtain rod and you'll have plenty of room. Plus your towel will be within easy reach. Check out seven stunning bathroom makeovers that got done in a weekend.
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Stop Losing Socks
Stuff a strip of foam pipe insulation into the space between your washer and dryer or along the wall. That way, socks can't slip into the abyss.
Here's how to Organize a Laundry Room.
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Self-Selecting Key
Drill a second key ring hole near the edge of your house key and it will stand out from the others. No more fumbling with your keys in the dark. Or try updating with one of these keyless door systems.
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Secret Lock Code
If you have trouble remembering your combination, try this: Pick a secret number and add it to each of the combination numbers. Mark the resulting higher numbers on the lock. When you need to unlock, just subtract your secret number from the listed numbers to determine the combination.
Plus: Inexpensive Ways to Theif-Proof Your Home.
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Perfect Keyhole Template
When you're mounting something on the wall with keyhole slots, lay paper over the slots and make a template by rubbing with a pencil. Then level your template on the wall and you'll know precisely where to position the screws.
Plus: How to Hang Shelves.
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Gutter Inspector
Time to clean the gutters? You don't need a ladder to find out. Attach a hand mirror to the end of a PVC pipe. Cut the pipe at a 60-degree angle so the mirror reflects an inside view of the gutter.
Here's how to Install Gutters.
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Heat up sticky stuff
A hair dryer softens the adhesive under tape or bumper stickers and makes them easy to pull off. A dedicated heat gun also does the trick, if you have one.
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Pinecone Scooper
My pine trees drop cones all summer long, and my old back doesn't like me bending over a lot to pick them all up. I don't have a dog, but a pooper scooper has turned out to be this man's best friend! Gently squeezing the handle opens its jaws, allowing me to pick up pinecones with no back pain. — reader Don Greer
Plus: Easy Lawn Care Tips
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Dustless Drilling and Drum Sanding
Whenever I have curves to sand, I chuck a sanding drum into my drill press. The only problem is that the sawdust flies everywhere. I wanted to catch the dust with my shop vacuum, so I made a bracket to hold the nozzle. I glued together two 3/4-in.-thick pieces of medium density fiberboard (MDF) and cut out the curved shape with my jigsaw. When I want to use it, I just clamp it to my drill press table. I made the hole just big enough so that the tip of the nozzle fits snugly. — reader Doug Kaczmarek
Here are other woodworking projects.
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Mirror and Message Board
My family is always on the go, so staying in touch with one another can be tough. We thought about putting a whiteboard near the door so we could write messages, but we wanted something better looking. So we bought a full-length mirror, turned it on its side, and mounted it on the wall. Now we can write on it with dry-erase markers and give ourselves one last look before heading out for the day. — reader Matthew Kelly
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Robin Hood Curves
When I build woodworking projects with curves, I often turn to my trusty homemade curve tracer. It's made from a long, 1/4-in.-thick strip of straight-grained, knot-free wood with a 1/4-in. hole drilled in one end and a narrow V-notch cut into the other end. I tie mason's string to the drilled end and bend the strip to whatever size curve I need, tying a knot in the string that I slide into the V-notch. Then I just hold the bowed wood on top of my workpiece and trace the curve. Leave it unstrung between projects or it'll become permanently bowed. — reader Bruce Philbrook
Plus: Woodworking Projects
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Cardboard Sawhorses
I use cardboard appliance boxes as collapsible sawhorses. They're lightweight and plenty strong for many tasks. They hold heavy workpieces like doors without wobbling and fold up flat in seconds. You can cut them to a comfortable working height with a utility knife. — reader Guy Lautard
Plus: Savvy Sawhorse Tips.
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Poop Pipe
My dogs and I have an arrangement. They poop; I pick it up. But rather than make daily trips to the trash can, I built this poop pipe. It's just a large piece of 4-in. PVC drainpipe sunk into the ground a foot or so, with a trash bag lining it and a cap sitting loosely on top. A rubber band holds the bag in place, and the cap helps keep odors at bay. When the bag gets full, I just take it to the trash bin and put a new one in the drainpipe. — reader Kelley Griswold
Plus: 19 Cleaning Tips Every Dog or Cat Owner Should Know.
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Spray-Bottle Pipe Pump
When soldering a fitting onto a copper pipe, you have to get the water out of the pipe or the solder won't melt. But removing the water from vertical pipes is tricky. That's when I grab the spray nozzle from a plastic bottle. I just stick the plastic tube down into the pipe and pull the trigger a few times. It helps to have a small cup to shoot the water into. — reader Dean Debeltz
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Stir-Stick Paint Organizer
When you buy custom-mixed paint, the paint clerk slaps the mix label on top of the can. I always ask for an extra label to wrap around a stir stick. When I'm done with the project, I let the stir stick dry and drill a hole near the top of it. Then I label both the stick and the can with the name of the room where I used the paint. I hang the stir sticks near the cans of leftover paint. With both the color formula and a dried paint sample in view, I don't have to pull down every can to find the right one for touch-ups.
— reader Perry Parson
Here are 8 Great Painting Tips.
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Wet-Saw Marking Tip
Use a crayon to draw the cutting line on tile before using a wet saw. Unlike a pen or pencil line, a crayon mark won't wash off and is easier to see in the muddy water. — reader Mike Winter
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Pull-Tab Picture Frame Hook
If you're hanging pictures and run out of those sawtooth hangers, just grab the nearest pop can. Bend the pull tab back and forth until it breaks off. Then screw it to your picture frame. Bend the free end out slightly and hang the picture.
- reader Carrie Tegeler
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Tape-Tearing Tip
Here's an easy way to tear tape and get a starting edge at the same time. Simply fold the tape under at a 90-degree angle to the roll. Then, with a snapping motion, pull the tape against the edge of the roll. The tape tears, leaving a triangular starting tab. This won't work with plastic tapes; those must be cut. — reader Chris Henrichs. Plus: How to Tape Drywall
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Milk Jug Scoop
Cut off the top of an empty gallon or half-gallon milk jug with sharp scissors. It helps to draw the cut line with a marker first. Clean up the cut to make sure there are no sharp or rough edges. Replace the jug cap and you have a handy (and pretty much free) scoop for pet food, potting soil, etc. Remove the cap and you can use the scoop as a funnel!
See what you can do with a milk jug in the garden as well.
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Organize Small Cords with Toilet Paper Rolls
To keep small cords organized, try this handy hint: Fill a shoe box with as many empty toilet paper rolls that will fit vertically; then place a single small cord in each tube. It'll keep your cords free of tangles and in one place.
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Greenhouses from the Salad Bar
Reuse a plastic clamshell container from the salad bar as a mini greenhouse for starting seeds in the spring. After washing the container, punch a few holes in the top. Fill the bottom with potting soil and plant your seeds. Close the lid and place the container in a sunny spot. It acts like a mini greenhouse, allowing the sun to reach the plants while holding in moisture.
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Paper Towel Boot Shaper
Insert one or two empty paper towel rolls inside each of your tall boots to help them keep their shape while in storage. When tall boots are back in season, you won't have to spend time ironing out creases.
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Tin Can Glue Bottle Storage
Reuse a tin can for storing glue bottles upside down in your workshop. Then you won't have to wait for the glue to slowly reach the top of the bottle in order to squeeze it out—it'll be ready to go when you reach for it.
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Oil Change Trough
Make changing the oil in your lawnmower, snowthrower and outdoor machines less messy with this handy hint: Cut off a piece of an empty cereal box and fold it into a trough. Then tip the machine and use the trough to guide the oil into the waste pan. The glossy coating on the cereal box keeps the oil from soaking through.
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Dish Soap Glue Bottle
Reuse an empty dish soap container as a refillable glue bottle. The small size and screw-on top with attached cap are perfect for squeezing out wood glue. Be sure to rinse the inside of the container thoroughly (including the lid) and let it dry completely before filling it with glue.
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Milk Jug Furniture Movers
When you have to move heavy furniture on carpeting, don't just drag it around. That's hard on carpet and you might damage the furniture legs. Make the job easier with these homemade moving pads. Cut the bottoms off four plastic water or milk jugs with a utility knife and rest each furniture leg on its own slider. The rounded, slippery bottoms make them perfect for furniture moving. Yes, you can buy fancier versions of these things—for 15 bucks or more! But these work just as well, and best of all, they're free!
Click here for more furniture-moving ideas.
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Pie Plate Dustpan
Create a quick disposable dustpan out of an aluminum pie plate. Use tin snips or heavy-duty scissors to cut the pie plate in half. Sweep up the mess and toss it in the trash!
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Paper Towel Roll Hanger Hack
Make a hanger for storing your dress pants crease-free. Use scissors to cut open an empty paper towel roll. Slip the tube over the horizontal bar of the hanger and tape the opening closed. That's it—no need to purchase expensive padded hangers!
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Grass Seed Broadcaster
When it's time to clean out the refrigerator, be sure to save those plastic berry containers for repurposing ideas. You can toss the mushy raspberries, but wash and dry the container—it's perfect for spreading grass seed on your lawn!
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Coffee Carryall
You can reuse those takeout coffee four-pack cartons. They're made of stiff cardboard and offer 3-1/2-in.-wide square bins for jumbo plastic drinking cups. They're handy storage spots for nails, screws and other small stuff.
I loaded my carryall with a 10-year supply of four styles of drywall fasteners—I always need them but can't find them in my heap of surplus hardware. Heck, now that I think of it, I gotta head out for another four-pack of coffee. I'll be wired, but I'll know where my wire spools are for years to come!
Click here for more workshop storage ideas.
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Cardboard Drop Cloth
Save large pieces of cardboard from boxes that you bring into your home. Store them along a wall in your garage or workshop so they're at the ready when you're working on a messy project such as refinishing furniture or changing the oil in your car. A large slab of cardboard makes a perfect disposable drop cloth.
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Grocery Bag Shoe Covers
Reuse plastic grocery bags as shoe covers. The plastic keeps dirt and water contained, and the handle loops can be tied around your ankles to keep them on when you step inside your house for a quick break.
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Wine Cork Wobbly Table Fix
Next time you open a bottle of wine, save the cork! You can use a slice of synthetic cork to brace a wobbly table leg. Just mark the amount of cork needed, slice it off with a utility knife and glue it in place.
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Bread Tabs for Labeling Cords
Not sure which cord goes with which electronic device plugged into your power strip? Save yourself the hassle of following the cord from the plugin to the device for each item you need to move by labeling them. Plastic bread tabs are perfect for labeling cords that are plugged into a power strip because they're sturdy, have enough room to write on and can easily clip around the plugin end of a cord. Plus, they often come in different colors. You'll be able to easily identify and move your electrical devices.
Plus, learn how to use a Surge Protector for Electronic Device and see why plugging your electronics into a surge protector is a smart way to save money.
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To-Go Coffee Cup to Water Plants
Use a clean to-go coffee cup with a lid to water plants. The hole in the lid is small, so water pours slowly. It's especially useful for plants such as aloe vera and cacti, which don't require much water and are at risk of overwatering.
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Reuse Nursery Containers
Plastic nursery pots have so many uses that it's a shame to throw them away. Recycling them is good, reusing them is even better! You can save money gardening by reusing plastic nursery pots and cellpacks to raise new plants. Larger containers can hold hand tools. Or remove the bottoms and place the pots upside down around prized plants that are prone to rabbit browsing, as seen here.
Click here for more tips on easier gardening.
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Cardboard Spray Booth
Prevent paint "overspray" with this clever spray booth made from a cardboard box. Cut a hole in the top of the box. Cover the opening with plastic wrap and position a shop light above to illuminate your project. You can use coat hangers, poked through the cardboard, to hold and rotate the objects as you're painting them. Not only will your shop be neater, but your paint projects will now be thumbprint free.
Click here for more spray painting tips.
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Toilet Paper Roll Hair Band Organizer
Keep elastic hair bands in one place—not scattered in drawers or in the bathroom sink or all over the floor. Slide them onto an empty toilet paper roll, which can then be neatly tucked into a drawer. The small cardboard tube keeps the circular hair accessories organized yet still easily accessible.
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Plastic Bag Dispenser
To make it easy to stow and reuse plastic bags, make a dispenser from a discarded 2-liter soda bottle. Cut off the top and bottom with a razor knife. Trim any jagged edges so you don't tear the bags when you pull them out, then screw the dispenser to a cabinet door or closet wall (or attach with hook-and-loop tape).
Click here for more kitchen storage ideas.
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Rx Bottle for Earplug Storage
After losing the storage tube that his pack of earplugs came with, Mike Yalch discovered an alternative: an empty medicine bottle. It keeps his ear protection clean and on hand at all times, as the small container fits perfectly in his pocket.
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Laundry Jug Watering Can
Instead of throwing away empty laundry detergent containers, rinse them out thoroughly and then recycle them for watering plants. Drill 1/8-in. holes in the top of the cap, and a 1/2-in. hole just above the handle to relieve pressure so the water flows freely.
Click here for more watering tips.
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Paper Towel Roll Bag Storage
There are many uses for plastic grocery bags in the workshop. You can use them to seal up brushes and rollers during a painting project, so you don't have to wash so much stuff between coats. The point is, it's worth keeping a handful of plastic grocery bags on hand in the workshop, and here's a great tip for storing them: Stuff as many plastic grocery bags as possible into an empty paper towel roll. Then toss the roll in a drawer or cabinet. The cardboard tube keeps the bags contained, and it's easy to pull one out at a time when you need it.
Check out more home hacks using cardboard tubes.
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Egg Carton Painting Props
Keep a few empty egg cartons with the rest of your painting supplies. They're great for lifting a small project off of a work surface, making it easier to paint nooks and crannies and along the base of the project.
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Six-Pack Shop Organizer
Six-pack cartons are useful for storing and transporting items like spray paint, lubricants and caulk. — reader Gerald Fitzgibbon
Plus: 51 Brilliant Ways to Organize Your Garage.
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Tin Can Water Bottle Holder
Keep cold water within reach when mowing the lawn on hot days. Simply attach an empty (and clean) tin can to the handle of your walk-behind mower using zip ties. Be sure to select a can that is large enough to fit your water bottle!
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Better Bucket Storage
Stacked 5-gallon buckets fit together so tightly that it's almost impossible to pull them apart. Prevent the problem by placing a large plastic pop bottle (with top on) or milk jug between each pair of buckets. You can still nest the buckets together, but they won't stick together anymore.
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Paper Towel Cord Storage
Give empty paper towel rolls new life as cord wranglers. Fold small extension cords neatly before slipping them into their own individual storage sleeve. You can even label the cords by writing on the cardboard.
Be safe and learn How to Prevent Electrical Overloads!
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Plastic Bag Holder
An empty rectangular tissue box makes a convenient holder for small garbage bags, plastic grocery bags and small rags. Simply thumbtack it to the inside of a cabinet door. It's one of our favorite kitchen storage ideas.
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Recycle Peanut Butter Jars
Plastic peanut butter jars work better for storage than glass baby food jars because they hold a lot more hardware and won't break into shards if you drop one. Attach the lids of 28-oz. jars under a shelf with two screws (so the lid can't spin when you loosen the jar) and screw on the loaded jar. For quick access, cut away half of a 64-oz. peanut butter jar with a sharp utility knife, leaving the neck intact, then attach the lid and jar to the side of a cabinet. If you load it with lemon drops, we won't tell.
Click here for more workshop organization tips.
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Tape Containers for Furniture Glides
Don't have any furniture glides on hand when you need to move a piece of heavy furniture by yourself? Dig into your painting supplies and use the base of a FrogTape container under each leg on the furniture piece. It'll then slide smoothly across the floor. Transform the look of a chair, table or dresser with these DIY tips on how to paint furniture.
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Clean a Sluggish Toilet
If your toilet flushes slowly, the rinse holes under the rim may be clogged with mineral deposits. (Get a refresher on the parts of a toilet.) Use a hand mirror to see the holes under the rim of the toilet. Bend a coat hanger flat and probe the tip into the holes to poke out any deposits. You can clean out those clogged holes without ever getting your hands dirty.
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Brush with a Drill
Got a big scrubbing job on your list? Chuck a brush into your drill and save the elbow grease. You'll find drill-ready brushes for all kinds of scrubbing from Drillbrush.
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Use a Rubber Band to Grip Stripped Screws
We've all stripped a couple of screws in our day. And it normally isn't a big setback until you need to unscrew it, that is. So the next time you're in this situation, try a rubber band for a screw grip.
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Hot Glue Gun Uses: DIY Nonslip Hangers
No more rewashing clothes because they fall off of hangers and onto the floor! Rather than go out and buy expensive specialty hangers, simply apply a bead of hot glue to the top arms of your existing hanger and let it dry completely. The rubber-like dried glue will keep your clothes in place, even when you're in a rush and can't decide what to wear.
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Hands-Free Door Trick
Need to go in and out the same door a bunch of times while carrying stuff? To keep the door from latching shut, I loop a rubber band around one doorknob or handle, then twist it once and loop it around the other knob. The rubber band holds the latch in. Now if the door closes, I can push it back open with my body whenever my hands are full. — Nick Paone
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Under-Sink Archives
Don't file away the manuals and spare parts that came with your kitchen and bath fixtures. Instead, put them right where you'll need them, in zip-top bags hung on hooks at the back walls of cabinets.
For more simple life organization hacks click here.
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Move Clothes Masterfully
To save time packing and unpacking your clothes during a move, simply take a handful of your hanging clothes and wrap the tops of the hangers together using bendable electrical wire. Then throw a garbage bag over them, pulling the tops of the hangers through a hole in the bottom of the bag. Tie the garbage bag handles together to keep your clothes extra clean during transportation.
Whether you're toting heavy furniture, packing up fragile items or prepping for the big day, these 18 tips will help to make moving stress-free!
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Spice Gripper Clips
Unless you love opening your spice cabinet and having little bottles of cinnamon and paprika fall on you all of the time, this is definitely one of those kitchen organization hacks you are going to want to try. These spice gripper clips keep spices in neat rows inside a cabinet or on the back of a door.
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Hanging Shelf Divider Storage Basket
Save space (and the state of your dishes) with a few of these cabinet baskets. They hang right underneath your kitchen shelves to make better use of vertical space. Instead of stacking multiple dish sizes, separate them with this great kitchen organization hack.
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Under-Cabinet K-Cup Organizer
Love your Keurig, but hate having to always reach for the coffee pod boxes? This under-cabinet organizer makes reaching far for those boxes a thing of the past. This cabinet k-cup holder can slide down for an easy grab, and back up so it's out of your way Organizer.
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Keep Deer out of the Garden
Solutions for keeping deer out of the garden and yard has become like trying to find ways to keep squirrels out of bird feeders. But according to some folk tales, when deer step on Bubble Wrap® it will spook them. Discover if bubble wrap is recyclable or not.
See how to keep pests out of the garden humanely and other home remedies to keep pests away.
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Blister Prevention
Bubble Wrap® can help prevent blisters by placing some on the handle of a rake or a broom.
Discover the best rakes for dealing with leaves and how to make yard work easier.
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Easy-Grip Tool Handles
Improve your grip and comfort when using hand tools by wrapping the handles of hammers, chisels, turning tools, clamps— just about anything with a handle—with the self-clinging tape used on hockey sticks (sold at sporting goods stores). The absorbent, textured surface keeps the handle from slipping around in your hand as you work, and you won't have to grip it as firmly. It goes great on wheelbarrow handles as well and is just one of those common household items in some homes.
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Cricket Trap
From a Family Handyman reader: A lot of cricket-like bugs had taken up residence in my basement. I'm concerned about chemicals in bug sprays, so I came up with this simple trap—duct tape. I set out a long strip of duct tape sticky side up in my basement. When I returned a couple of days later, I found it had about 15 to 20 bugs attached. Since then, I have set tape out several times with the same results.
Matt Langford
Editors' Note: To permanently banish crickets, seal entrances by caulking around basement windows. Also dehumidify your basement—they like damp areas.
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Magnetic Office Supplies Holder
Organize your small office supplies in this great-looking holder. Here's a perfect way to organize all those paper clips, rubber bands and pushpins. All it takes is a magnetic knife/tool holder strip, small jars with lids and a few fender washers.
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Skinny Laundry Room Cart
A lot of laundry rooms have a narrow wasted space either next to or between the washing machine and dryer, and it's usually a hideout for socks and lint. To take advantage of this space and organize your laundry room, build a simple plywood laundry room cart on fixed casters to hold detergents and other laundry supplies.
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Hang Spray Bottles Under the Sink
Hang spray bottles from a rod to keep them upright. It can be hard to keep spray bottles from falling over and making a mess under your bathroom and kitchen sink. To keep them upright, hang them from a short tension rod (about $12 at discount stores) in your cabinet.
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Put a Lazy Susan in Your Fridge
A lazy Susan in your fridge keeps small items close at hand. If your refrigerator door shelves are filled with salad dressing and mustard and the rest of the condiments get lost behind leftovers on the top shelf. Keep everything in plain view by storing overflow condiments on a lazy Susan on one of your fridge shelves. One spin and that small jar of capers will be a cinch to spot. See why you should put a lazy Susan in the workshop, too.
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Wine Dividers
Don't throw those cardboard wine dividers in the recycling bin just yet! If you struggle to keep shoes organized in your child's closet, try inserting those dividers into a basket or tub and use it as a clever DIY shoe storage solution.
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Clothing Storage Solutions: Turn Your Hangers
Once you're gone through your closet and weeded out the unused items, turn all hanging clothing with the hanger facing outward. After wearing an item, return it to the hanging rod with the hanger facing the back of the closet. After one year, all articles of clothing still facing outwards were not worn, and you can consider getting rid of them.
Find out how to get rid of anything.
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Couch Caddy
Keep everything you need within arm's reach. This clever IKEA hack couch caddy can hold your remote, a beverage and a magazine or newspaper. Find instructions at instructables.com.
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Make a Homeowner's Journal
Buy a ring binder and keep insurance papers, repair receipts and all other paperwork pertaining to the house in it. Storing all your house information in one handy place makes life easier for the homeowner and can be a sales 'plus' when selling the house later.
– reader Debora Emmert
