Darken Your Bedroom and Keep Out DraftsAfter our neighbors were vandalized, they installed outdoor motion detect cameras and flood lights. While I sympathize with their plight, I don't appreciate the blinding light that pours into my bedroom around the edges of my window treatments, keeping me awake.
Protect Paint Label While PaintingI purchased a quart of paint to do a job and used only 1/4 of the paint. I will be using it again soon.
Upgrading Old FurnitureAfter 47 years of marriage and 22 years in this house, I'd love to be able to buy new furniture, but we just can't afford to right now. Our red floral couch had gotten really worn in spots, so I put a leather-look slipcover on it, but never really liked that look. However, my son and daughter-in-law just bought new furniture, so they gave us their leather couch.
My Home Depot Van Rental ExperienceDo you need to move something quickly? Or purchase something nearby and need to get it home? Home Depot is really convenient and there is no purchase necessary so you can walk into Home Depot and rent.
Coordinating DecorThis is my frugal idea for decorating your home. I choose a picture that I like and then decorate the room based on the objects/colors of the picture. The decor that I purchase has been found at garage sales or thrift stores. The end result makes my home look well decorated but I am able to do it on a budget. These are some of the pictures and decor I have used.
Protecting Your Sink FaucetThere are lots of ways to help keep your kitchen sink looking new. Here's one more.
Paint Color Selection TipsI read on a Facebook group I belong to that it is not necessary to purchase sample-sized cans of paint, or to order the peel-and-stick 12 inch x 12 inch sheets. What the poster did was to get several cards with the paint chip colors she wanted and to tape the same color chips together.
Water Leak DetectorsInexpensive water leak detectors can save you a lot of money and trouble by alerting you to small household leaks before they become a major problem.
Must-have Tools for Cleaning GuttersThe arrival of the fall season brings many wonderful things like the changing of the leaves, an opportunity to wear scarves and sweaters, and pumpkin spice everything. It also means those leaves are falling off the trees and right into the gutters on your house.
Hanging a Picture FrameWant to learn a quick way to hang a picture frame or wall art? With some painters tape - line up where you want your nail to be. Then tape it down. Now you have your guide ready for you to make a dot to hang your nail!
Feng Shui Decorating IdeasFeng shui is an ancient Chinese practice for arranging items in a harmonious way, also called geomancy. Feng shui is directly translated as wind/water. It is believed that properly placed items will increase the chi or qi, which translates into life force energy.
Unusual VasesI like the items in my household to have functional uses. The items in these pictures also have a sentimental value. The jars are old canning jars from my grandma's old cellar. I use them for vases in my kitchen. The can is an old battery can from my grandpa's old plumbing truck. I am using it as a large vase in my family room.
Finding A Bottom for a Smaller Dish DrainerI wanted to give myself some more counter space. My drainer took up a lot, and didn't prevent water from going under and sitting there for days. So today I found the perfect size. It's sturdy, smaller and will encourage me to do my dishes more often. However, it didn't come with a drainer tray. So before I went to another store to find the perfect one, I looked around at what I had at home.
Protecting Hardwood Floors with Bottle CapsI recently broke down an etagere' because the back brace wasn't there. I got tired of it wobbling so I removed it. They come apart in the middle, so I found myself with a perfectly good shelf. I made it into a "end of the bed" shelf for clothes.
Elevated Outdoor Storage for Miscellaneous ItemsWe have extra miscellaneous wall blocks and pavers that we have been storing on a pallet. Not a good idea because a pallet makes the perfect hiding spot/home for mouses to live in!
Replace Chair Slides with Tennis BallsI had a problem keeping slides on the feet of my table chairs. Call me a redneck. I replaced them with tennis balls and they work so much better.
Hanging Temporary ShadesYou have probably seen those temporary paper accordion shades in your home improvement store. They are great while you are planning permanent window treatments in a newer home, but they come with a caveat about using on delicate surfaces and freshly painted walls, as they are hung with double faced tape. My tip is how to install them without damage when you are removing them.
Protecting a Hammock Swing from the WeatherI love our hammock swing which we have on our screened in porch. I want it to last a long time. I have a cover to help protect it from rain and night humidity. I made the cover by cutting the bottom off a commercial size trash bag and cut the side to open it up. It gave me a 71 inch by 58 inch piece of plastic.
Prevent Sagging on Canvas Gazebo CoversMany people have gotten pretty metal gazebos for their back patios or yards, usually with a canvas cover. If left out during the rainy season, the water can pool and stretch the top in unexpected ways. This can result in an ugly, ill-fitting cover that leaks. Here is a great way to keep the cover in place, without damage or a lot of expense.
Mood Lighting for DepressionThe other day, I read an article on the increase of depression due to people having to stay in the house. I liked this one particular idea, it said to use mood lighting. I read on and they said to just get out some clear small Christmas lights and put them in a room where you spend a lot of your time.
Helping Artwork Do Double-dutyToday I was organizing my plastic bags, yes, I am that bored. But I stood up and bumped a metal frame off the wall. When I thought my little tiny bottle from last year's fair was broken, I decided if it was, I would move the rest.
Happy Accidental DecorI was cleaning the bathroom yesterday and was moving the plastic goblet full of marbles and glass nuggets. My brain went "It would be nice to get these up off the counters". I looked up and wondered if they would fit behind the towel rack.
Marking the Perfect Spot on Bathtub FaucetAs I age, I realize I can't handle as much hot water as I used to. But a hot soak that isn't hot, isn't a hot soak. So, I found the perfect temperature and marked the spot with a pretty gem you can barely see. As I am in a rental, I will be able to take it off when I leave.
Protecting Old GloryI love to fly my flag everyday, but it usually only lasts one year and then I have to replace it due to shredding, elements, etc. This time, I decided to protect one side of it with Heat and Bond (clear) to protect it. Since I just completed this today, I won't know how well it works until more time has passed.
Hanging Un-level Wall ArtI recently bought two wooden cat pictures. They were the exact same size, but I wanted them to be glued together in a staggered manner. So I got out the wood glue and went to town.
Breaker Keeps TrippingWe had this problem recently. A circuit breaker would trip as soon as we reset it. So, I set out to find the problem. I checked each outlet in turn through the dining room, down the stairs into the basement, and realized I was standing in six inches of water.
Table Runner on Washer and DryerI have lots of 72 inch table runners, but because my dog likes to take a corner "and run with it", I have found another use for them. They fit the top of my front loading washer and dryer set perfectly! I put a rug pad beneath, cut to size, to keep in place. What this does is prevent scratches to my very expensive machines, and it dresses things up in the laundry. A win-win!
Plastic Frosting Bag to Re-grout Floor TilesMy husband was dreading re-grouting some slate floor tiles where the old grout had broken into pieces. The area was in front of the wood stove so efficiency was needed. I came up with the idea to use a quality thick plastic frosting bag. He was hesitant to try it though afterwards agreed it was fast to apply and less mess to wipe off.
Schedule Home Maintenance Using Electronic CalendarWe all have things in our homes that require maintenance. Keep on top of things by scheduling periodic tasks on your phone (or laptop/tablet) electronic calendar. Most have a repeat feature, so setup is easy.
Hire a Licensed Plumber, Electrician and ContractorAlways do a project on a holiday when you can be sure stores are not open so you can't get necessary parts; gut everything especially if it's a bathroom. And by luck, the outlets in the living room will quit working.
Saucers For Moving Heavy FurnitureIt's so much easier to move a heavy table when you use saucers. Place a saucer under each of the legs of your table and it will slide easily and will not harm your rug. If you're moving furniture on tile, just place thick rags under the legs of your furniture and it will slide easily.
Wrapping Electric Cord for Under Cabinet LightsI have plug in LED under cabinet lights in my kitchen. The cord only needs to be about 12 inches, but it's about 30. I just had an idea to use a tension rod. Just wind the cord around the rod and snap into place. It cannot be seen by an average height person.
Keeping Out the ColdI live in a senior community and they pay the utilities. I am grateful for it and try to be frugal with the bill. I also like to keep my doors open for light. This can be a problem when the screen doors are older and don't close all the way.
Removing Dried Paint from Wallpaper and Other SurfacesIt's easy to get a bit of paint on your wallpaper when doing touch up to your ceiling or trim. If you notice right away, you can likely just wipe it off with a damp rag. But if you don't notice it for days or even weeks, the paint can be trickier to remove. Try these steps to remove the paint stain.
Glue Dots to Secure Photos to the WallI was working on a really cool photo wall in my room and I just couldn't keep a few of the photos up on the wall. I tried everything from tape to sticky tack. Then I found out that these Elmer's glue dots from Walmart work great!
Painting and Staining TipsI'm certainly not an expert when it comes to painting but I have learned a few tricks that have been a help to me.
Light Bulb Wattage NoteI purchased a new home that was (sort of) a model. As expected, the builder and contractors used medium-priced light fixtures and low-wattage bulbs. I replaced all the curly CFIs with a yellowish-cast with bright white LEDs. The enclosed ceiling fixtures were somewhat of a challenge; new bulbs had to fit inside as well as not create too much heat.
Marking the Sprayer on your Kitchen FaucetI recently replaced the normal head of the faucet with one of those that you can change from one to the other. Sometimes I want the stream for filling water bottles, etc. Then sometimes I want the sprayer to clean the sink. But I don't want the sprayer when I want to fill a bottle and I too often forget which setting it's on.
Fairy Lights for a Dreary DayYou can brighten up a sad corner by reusing white Christmas lights. "Fairy" lights are all over shops and YouTube right now, why not have them in your house to lift up your spirits? :) I smile because it gives me a little reminder of Jesus' light all throughout the year.
Dress Up a Vase With RibbonChinese New Year is tomorrow! Instead of buying flowers, we used flowers right from our yard.
Birdseed to Prevent Slippery StairsI am not supposed to use salt on my front steps. Instead, I use wild bird seed and find that it works very well. The birds love it and it keeps me from slipping!
Extra Sheet on Guest BedAfter washing the dusty spread on the bed in the spare bedroom, I thought about using one of the extra sheets, I have accumulated, to cover the bed to keep it from getting dusty.
Water Floral Arrangement with StrawWhen I receive beautiful flower arrangements, my first thought is "How am I going to water this without getting water all over the table or tablecloth that it sits on." In fact, it worries me so much I don't water them as often as I should. All you need to do is save your plastic straws. Insert one of the straws into the floral form and pour the water through it. No more water on the table and it's easy enough that you can do it every day until the flowers need to go out to the compost pile! Works on all floral arrangements. If your hands are shaky, use a smaller glass to pour the water into the straw.
Don't Underestimate Your Car's Trunk CapacityMy fiancé and I learned over the weekend is to not underestimate our trunk, but to work with it. We saved time and money from not renting a truck (or borrowing) to haul this bookcase home - that we got an incredible deal on from Target!
Easy to Hold Paint ContainerI used a 35.3 oz. Nestle Coffee-mate container to apply water proofing sealer to our deck. The container is comfortable to hold and it made the job much easier. After I finished, I put it in the trash.
Using Natures Own For Decorations, While Going GreenI love creating decorations from items that are free! Not only is it free, it smells nice, adds earthy freshness, and can be changed out and composted, eaten, or dried for arrangements. With apples from the tree, pine cones, and my favorite magnolia leaves, all of earth's freshness, can go back to the earth.
Hot Water Heater Installation ReminderDate your installation! A hot water heater sits quietly in a closet, basement or garage. Forgotten until it breaks. Well, when our hot water heater needed to be replaced, I was left with water on my basement floor and in a panic to get a replacement. This could have been prevented if I knew when it was installed.
Keeping Colored Water from EvaporatingI change water in two glasses by the season. Right now they are red and blue. But they seemed to be evaporating really fast. So today, I refilled and re-colored them, and made some plastic disks to sit on top of each.
Keep Your Sun Shade Cords in PlaceI have a very cheap sun shade. I pull it up in the evenings just to keep the breeze from blowing the shade and letting the loops underneath come loose.
Vinyl Placemats as Shelf LinersI purchased vinyl placemats from the Dollar Store to line my cabinets. Easy to measure and cut to your exact specifications. These liners can be wiped with a damp cloth and will last a lifetime. I have also placed these liners in my bathroom vanity drawers and on my refrigerator shelves and drawers.
Use a Wedge to Hold Freezer Door OpenWe gave up our ice maker years ago. I have used ice trays ever since. All these years, I have been quickly swinging my body around, with my hands full of stacked ice trays filled with water, in time to catch the freezer door with my shoulder before it closed. Just a few minutes ago, the thought occurred to me that a wedge might work to hold that door open.
Don't Discard Weather Beaten and Discolored Outdoor FixturesOur dilemma was the case of the cream yellow fence caps with lights. When we purchased our fence (white), we also needed the caps to go on to the tops of the fence post. The caps were from a different provider and were great for the first 2 years. Then the caps began to turn more and more this creamy yellow color and the lights no longer worked.
One Dollar Bill for Emergency MeasurementsI've done this many times and it will work in a pinch. A dollar bill measures barely much over 6 inches of length. When a measuring tape or ruler is not within reach, a 6 inch dollar bill can give you a close figure. Fold in half, and it would be 3 inches. It is kind of handy to measure lengths of nails, bolts, screws, etc. It's not as precise as a tape measure, but will work.
Free Small Wastebasket LinerI save all plastic merchandise bags. I use the bags for liners in small wastebaskets. Usually, small size waste containers are found in bathrooms, bedrooms, recreational vehicles and near cat litter boxes. I use the bags for returning empty bottles and cans. It saves buying rolls of new plastic bags and work very well.
How to Keep Telephone Cords from TanglingI loved the long cord for our wall phone until it started getting tangled up. It was at least 25 years old and I thought it was time to purchase a new one.
Water Glass as Emergency LevelI use a glass with water instead of a level. It works. I was leveling up a stove and the glass of water, you can visually see how the level of the appliance is. I also can determine the level of how my camper is.
Plug a Leaky Tub DrainWhen I fill the tub for a hot soak, I lose water over time.
Hole in Top of Trash Bag for Easier FillingI use Dollar Tree bags for trash. I love that I can seal it around the edges with a rubber head band. However, it billows inside and sometimes causes the trash to poke a hole or two in the bag.
Shower Rod for Towel RackI purchased a shower tension rod from Wal-mart for $9.88 to hang over the back of the bathtub. It is out of the way and working great. I'm enjoying the extra space for hanging towels to dry.
Keep Shower Curtain Lining from BillowingI have a Dollar Tree shower liner. It's almost not worth it but my shower curtain is lace, so, for now, I have to have one.
Extending Candle Life and Cleaning CandleholdersA great way to extend the life of a candle is by putting it in the freezer for a day right before you use it. Keeping the wax cool will make it burn slowly. When you're done burning the candle and you're left with a waxy mess on your candleholder, pop the holder in the freezer for about an hour, then you can chip the wax right off.
Camouflaging a ThermostatI don't use my radiant heaters. So the thermostat just seems to sit there, being annoying. And truth be told, quite ugly. So, today I sat about disguising it. If you have a small basket and something cute to set on it (or not), you have won the day. I had two colors/sizes so I showed you both. N-JOY!
Hanging a Frame with an Easel BackI moved to a place where I don't have many places to sit photos. So I decided to hang some on the walls. This is a good example. Just make a yarn loop, tie it tight, and hang it around the easel. Make sure it doesn't come up too far but isn't too short, either.
Comparing CFL And LED LightbulbsI have three 48 inch double fluorescent lamp fixtures mounted under an upper kitchen cabinet. I use them to start seedlings during late winter. Over time, all the 40 watt lamps have dimmed. Even when new, these 6 lamps did not produce near the light my plants needed. At a cost of $30.00 to replace all lamps. I decided to go a different route.
Remove Nails with the Hammer Claw Facing UpWhen you take out your nails, face the claw up. This might be a bit harder if they are up high and you don't want the nails to fall.
Continued Fragrance from Used Jar CandleI figured out that I could use the warmer setting on my stove to get the most out of a jar candle that had burned down to the point where the wick was useless. The jar still had 1/2 inch of wax left and I thought I would put it on the warmer and give it a try. Within 10 minutes, the house was filled with a lovely fragrance.
Preventing Caulk from Drying OutPut a nail into the cut edge. This will keep air from coming in and drying the product out.
Change Decorative Colored Water SeasonallyI have had blue in these jars for almost two years. It's my "signature color" for my blue and yellow kitchen. But today I thought "I can have these different colors for each season, even for each holiday". So that is when I took the glass nuggets out and changed the water color.
Hide House Key Outside with Pill BottleEveryone knows most people leave a key under the mat or in a plant. Instead, put your key in an empty pill bottle and glue a rock to the top of the bottle. Dig a hole big enough for the pill bottle, then slide the bottle in the hole and leave the rock sticking out. Tell everyone in the house where to find the key. Try putting it in the garden so it is easier to find.
Straining PaintI had a partially used can of paint, that I took to Lowes to be re-shaken. This caused the dried paint inside the can to be mixed back into the paint.
Wrapping Paper as Drawer LiningMany times I have thought there must be a cheaper and easier way to line drawers/cabinets. With my young toddler daughters determined to help, I began using inexpensive wrapping paper.
Prevent Sun Damage on Leather FurnitureIt is important to keep leather furniture away from direct sunlight if possible because it could fade, crack or damage the leather. We have a large window with direct sunlight, so we just open enough to brighten the room and cover the areas that have sunlight with a blanket.
Protect Your Electrical Cord from RainHere is a way to protect your electrical cord from the rain when you need it outside. Get a container with a lid. Slit each side of bowl. Slide both cords through each slit and secure the lid. Then it is protected from rain.
Wet Concrete to Stay CoolOur central air conditioning unit broke a while ago, but even when it was working, we didn't use it too much in order to cut costs. One of our favourite things to do to keep cool is spray the backyard concrete with cold water when the sun starts going down and open the back doors.
Buy Faux Quilts to Save MoneyI love quilts so much because they are not only warm, but they are colorful and useful, and they are a part of our history. I was at Walmart and I found this colorful pillow sham and I had to buy it. The sham looks like a quilt but is not sewed like a quilt, but rather just a print.
Secure Your Sliding Door and WindowsSliding doors and windows are an easy way to attract burglars when they are open and unsupervised. To prevent the thought of burglars and feel safe in your own home, you can purchase pieces of wood or PVC pipe.
Frosted Privacy Window FilmFrosted privacy window film is fairly inexpensive. This film is ideal if you are living in a rental home, do not want to damage the windows or close the curtains. With the film, you are still receiving natural sunlight.
Upgrade to a Security MailboxBy having a secured mailbox with a key lock, it can prevent people from attempting to steal your mail and provides you a sense of relief if you are expecting urgent or important mail.
T-Shirt as Pillow CoversHere is a way to make pillow covers with t-shirts. Whether they are too big, bright, or loud, they can be reused as fun and funky decorative pillows.
Use Plastic Wrap When PaintingIt's that time of the year when we will be pulling out the paint supplies and doing some painting. I had to do a little touch up painting with latex paint, using some ceiling paint and also some Kilz.
Use Fabric Paint for Slip-ProofingI like to draw little designs with fabric paint on the bottoms of certain objects like desk supplies, organizers, and pen holders. The fabric paint gives the objects a bit of grip and acts as a slip-proofing agent.
Keep Your Washing Machine From RustingThe former owners of our home told us to leave the lid open on the washing machine after using. This prevents rust from forming, thereby extending the life of the machine.
Clip Curtains ClosedOne of my pet peeves with curtains is that when you close them, they do not close seamlessly.
Bathtub SafetyI am visually impaired with vestibular organ eye dysfunction which causes balance/vertigo problems. For safety measures and as a suggestion from my doctor, my husband built this wooden pole beside my bathtub near my bath bench for assistance in getting in and out of the bathtub.
Easily Hang a TapestryTo easily hang tapestries on your walls, just take a clothespin and add a Command strip on the back of it. Stick the command strip to the wall and clip the tapestry in the pins. Add decorative tape to make the pins match your design and color.
Make Your Own SachetsI make my own sachets. They don't last for months like the old timey ones did. I'll settle for a few weeks. I buy tiny plastic bags from Walmart. I use them for storing seed. I saturate the tips of a couple of swabs with my earthy Aqua Velva and put them into the bags, making sure they're sealed well.
Lighting Candles with Matches SafelyAll winter long, I burn candles but it gets harder to light them with an ordinary match when there is only a little left. I buy fireplace matches at Home Depot. They are much longer than regular matches, and prevent me from burning myself.
Fireplace TipsAll my life, I have lived in a home where the heat was supplemented by a fireplace. Typically, fireplaces have a bad rap of letting more heat out than they produce, but there are a few ways to offset that.
Cut Your Candle Wick for Cleaner BurningCut your candle wick before you relight it. It will not smoke as much. That smoke adheres to walls, making it necessary to paint sooner. The picture shows one wick cut, so you can see the difference.
Storing Paint Chips for Easy Touch UpAs a result of buying the wrong paint, I developed a system for touch up paint. I now keep a paint chip card in each room. I also keep a duplicate of each in my calendar book as well, to have with me should I be shopping and see something to know if it would match or not.
Dress Up Your RefrigeratorI found the locker wallpaper window clings at Staples in their clearance section this week for $.50; what a screaming deal! I bought three different color schemes. I decided to dress up my fridge a little.
Elastic Band Across Paint PotBy simply wrapping an elastic band around your paint pot, you can save yourself a lot of mess. This has two useful purposes. You can rest the brush on it and you can wipe off excess paint.
Window Privacy Without Losing LightI have a west facing window I don't have to worry about blocking till July! So, in order to have some privacy, but still let the light in, I did this with some lemonade jars and flooring planks.
Revamping the BathroomUsing what I had and spending zero money, I improved the bathroom in my home by making things uncluttered and rearranged. I had an etegere' I sold, took all the crowded medicine out of the glass sliding mirrored cabinet, crocheted for about an hour and, voila!
Make Your Bathroom Cabinet PrettyI have a ton of room in my bathroom for medicine and such. Hiding it all behind mirrored doors that often didn't close properly was a pain. So today I decided to combine what I had on my cabinet shelf on top and on the counter to inside and on top of the cabinet itself.
Warm Cold Feet in BedI bought a car window screen at the dollar store for the summer. I don't need it for the winter so I brought it in, folded it in half and put it under my sheet at the end of the bed. It reflects my heat perfectly to keep my feet warm.
Cinderblock Mailbox SupportOur mailbox came out of the ground one summer evening. Instead of putting it back, I decided to put it within two cinder blocks. It has worked out really well. There is room for packages on the side or a pretty potted flower.
Keep Your Freezer FullOur garden did not do well this summer. Our freezer has more bottles and jugs of ice in it than it does food.
Staining an Old Deck To Match The NewWe wanted to extend our deck to make it bigger. The old deck just needed cleaning. The new extension was built. We found this great product called Behr Deck Over Textured Stain, from Home Depot. Because of the old and the new deck, this blended all of the deck to look like it was all built at the same time.
Hang Posters with Washi TapeTo hang posters use washi tape. Washi tape leaves behind no residue on the wall like regular tape. It easily rips off the roll or you could cut it for a straight line. You might have to replace the tape eventually, but it won't take off the poster's ink.
Unplug Your Paper Shredder After UsingPlease remember you unplug your shredder after each use. There have been reports of curious children and animals injuring their fingers (paws) and tongues because they inadvertently turned on the shredder. Even adults who forgot to unplug have been injured. Be safe!
Cooling Down the Stove Eye (Burner)I'm trying to stay cool in this hot weather. I blanched a pot of peas for freezing and it put off a lot of heat. To cool the stove eye quickly, I set the frying pan, with ice water in it, on the eye. It cut the heat down instantly. Afterwards, I just poured the water out, dried the pan, and put it away.
