The Cardboard Template Trick That Saves You From Mis-Drilling Holes

I hung a shelf last month. Four mounting holes. I measured twice. I marked the wall with a pencil. I […]

How to Remove Crayon From Walls Without Repainting

My nephew visited for a weekend. He is three. I left him alone in the living room for approximately ninety […]

The Rubber Band Hack for Stripped Screws You Cannot Grip

I was trying to remove a stripped screw from a door hinge. The screwdriver just spun in place, making the […]

How to Unstick a Stuck Window in Under Five Minutes

I spent an entire summer with one bedroom window that would not open. It was painted shut by the previous […]

How to Fix a Running Toilet in Five Minutes With One Tool

A running toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water a day. I know because I checked my water […]

How to Paint a Room in Half the Time by Loading Your Roller Properly

I painted my first room by dipping the roller in the tray, rolling it back and forth twice, and slapping […]

How to Unclog a Slow Drain Without Harsh Chemicals

The bathroom sink in my old apartment drained so slowly that by the time I finished brushing my teeth, I […]

How to Fix a Wobbly Table Leg With a Wine Cork

The table in my breakfast nook wobbled every time someone leaned on it. Coffee cups rattled. Plates tilted. My wife […]

The Credit Card Hack for Smoothing Caulk Without a Finishing Tool

My first caulking job around the bathroom tub looked like I had applied it with my elbow. Lumpy. Uneven. The […]

How to Re-caulk a Bathtub the Right Way So It Lasts Five Years

I re-caulked my bathtub three times in two years before I figured out what I was doing wrong. The first […]