How to pick up a paint spill on your wall to wall carpeting
Yes, this happens and for me it’s a true story.
Cut two pieces of cardboard from a box. Use the edges of the cardboard to corral the pool of paint. Then use the pieces to form a scoop, and lift the liquid back into the bucket. When most of the liquid has been cleared, get two more buckets one with fresh water and one empty. Saturate the remaining spill with the clean water, then scrape and scoop it up with a fat spoon and put it in the empty bucket. Work fast and continuously, replenishing the clean water as necessary. Rent a carpet cleaner to follow up; just be sure to keep the paint spot wet until it gets there.
Pull Out a Nail without harming the Trim or the Wall
Use a block of wood as a fulcrum under the claw of your hammer. The additional height will give you more leverage and the hammer head will push against the block without damaging the trim.
Catalog your home for insurance purposes
From my own personal experience of being flooded several times. I want you to have the answers to questions like. . . What should make the master list?
Whatever's not nailed down, from furniture and rugs to furs (yes even in S.FL), dishes, jewelry and art. If you kept the receipt when you bought these items, great; jot down the value. If not, note where and when you got it.
Then photograph, or better yet, video every room, from every angle. Burn the information onto a couple of disks and send one copy for safekeeping to Aunt Becky on the other side of the country. A tip: Go to knowyourstuff.org for free software that lets you create a virtual replica of your home online and then tally the value of what's in it.
How to Locate a Stud, No not a hot guy to help you!
Say you want to hang a shelf. Knuckling the wallboard can pinpoint a stud. But to better the odds when your electronic stud finder's gone missing, use deductive reasoning. Most studs are placed at 16-inch intervals, so once you know where one is, you can usually find the rest.
Start at a corner, where there's always a stud. Or take the cover plate off an electrical outlet and find out on which side it's mounted to the stud. From there, measure 16, 32, 48 inches, and you should hit a stud at each go. Eliminate all guesswork by using a thin bit to drill a test hole at the top of the base molding, which you can easily repair with a dab of caulk.
How to reuse Paint Thinner
Clean brushes used to apply oil-based finishes in a wide-mouthed jar filled with paint thinner, then cover the jar and let the paint residue settle to the bottom. After a few days, carefully pour off the clarified solvent into another jar. Cap the jar and save it for the next cleaning. Let the residue in the first jar dry and harden (keep it away from any flames), then discard.
Ask questions of your new Besties at the Home Depot, Lowes or your local Hardware Store!!
Home improvement is their job and in some cases their passion, and they really know a lot of very important information. Make this your business . . . make it a regular stop and chat, when you are there for essentials on the way home from work or in the afternoon; avoid Saturday mornings when they are bustiest. Make friends in his or her down time, and that way you're guaranteed special attention when you need it.
And my personal FAVORITE . . . Know when you are in need of a Handyman
Be honest with yourself when a task is out of your realm. Ask for friends, colleagues or your Realtor to find out who does the maintenance around town. Be sure to check references, with former customers and find out whether your town or state requires a license. Also ask if he carries liability insurance—otherwise, be sure your homeowner's insurance will cover him.
Pull Out a Nail without harming the Trim or the Wall
Use a block of wood as a fulcrum under the claw of your hammer. The additional height will give you more leverage and the hammer head will push against the block without damaging the trim.
Catalog your home for insurance purposes
From my own personal experience of being flooded several times. I want you to have the answers to questions like. . . What should make the master list?
Whatever's not nailed down, from furniture and rugs to furs (yes even in S.FL), dishes, jewelry and art. If you kept the receipt when you bought these items, great; jot down the value. If not, note where and when you got it.
Then photograph, or better yet, video every room, from every angle. Burn the information onto a couple of disks and send one copy for safekeeping to Aunt Becky on the other side of the country. A tip: Go to knowyourstuff.org for free software that lets you create a virtual replica of your home online and then tally the value of what's in it.
How to Locate a Stud, No not a hot guy to help you!
Say you want to hang a shelf. Knuckling the wallboard can pinpoint a stud. But to better the odds when your electronic stud finder's gone missing, use deductive reasoning. Most studs are placed at 16-inch intervals, so once you know where one is, you can usually find the rest.
Start at a corner, where there's always a stud. Or take the cover plate off an electrical outlet and find out on which side it's mounted to the stud. From there, measure 16, 32, 48 inches, and you should hit a stud at each go. Eliminate all guesswork by using a thin bit to drill a test hole at the top of the base molding, which you can easily repair with a dab of caulk.
How to reuse Paint Thinner
Clean brushes used to apply oil-based finishes in a wide-mouthed jar filled with paint thinner, then cover the jar and let the paint residue settle to the bottom. After a few days, carefully pour off the clarified solvent into another jar. Cap the jar and save it for the next cleaning. Let the residue in the first jar dry and harden (keep it away from any flames), then discard.
Ask questions of your new Besties at the Home Depot, Lowes or your local Hardware Store!!
Home improvement is their job and in some cases their passion, and they really know a lot of very important information. Make this your business . . . make it a regular stop and chat, when you are there for essentials on the way home from work or in the afternoon; avoid Saturday mornings when they are bustiest. Make friends in his or her down time, and that way you're guaranteed special attention when you need it.
And my personal FAVORITE . . . Know when you are in need of a Handyman
Be honest with yourself when a task is out of your realm. Ask for friends, colleagues or your Realtor to find out who does the maintenance around town. Be sure to check references, with former customers and find out whether your town or state requires a license. Also ask if he carries liability insurance—otherwise, be sure your homeowner's insurance will cover him.
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