My Favorite Home Improvement Resources
Here are some of the places I go most often to get advice and inspiration for my own home improvement work. I hope to add more soon! I don’t receive any compensation for these...
Fix a squeaking, sticking dishwasher rack
Our six-year-old Whirlpool dishwasher (similar to this model) has performed pretty well, except that recently the top rack started sticking and squeaking when we moved it in and out. Internet research suggests that dishwashers...
Setting up a rain barrel
This past summer I set up my first rain barrel. Rain barrels have gotten popular in recent decades as more people have become interested in conserving water. I think of them as a kind...
A frost cover for a raised garden bed
I’m never ready for gardening season to end, and here in the upper Midwest that end can come quickly — the average first frost in my area happens in mid-October. So I’m using a...
Installing a metal raised garden bed
This summer I put a Best Choice metal raised garden bed in our side yard. It was a good option for our needs — and might work for you, too! Raised garden beds have transformed...
Making a suet log bird feeder
For the past few years, I’ve used an unusual bird feeder made from a log. This is how I give my backyard birds suet to help them get through the winter. Strictly speaking, suet...
Hanging a plug-in pendant light
In older houses like ours, lights aren’t always where you need them. Lately we’d been noticing the lack of a light over our dining table (which also serves as homework table, jigsaw puzzle table,...
Getting started with smart light bulbs
I’ve generally been skeptical of “smart home” technology and the so-called Internet of Things. Though computers have enriched our lives in many ways, they don’t need to be everywhere. We’ve all heard the stories...
How to get rid of mice
Mice. They’re cute. They have important roles in animated movies. They lead us to reflect on the differences between urban and rural life. All that said, we don’t want actual mice in our houses....
Open shelving in the kitchen
Everyone needs more kitchen storage. Our kitchen has built-in cabinets, a freestanding china cabinet, an Ikea island, and a pantry, but it wasn’t enough. So we decided to use our last open expanse of...
Splitting firewood with an electric log splitter
In a previous post I described a few methods that I’ve been using to split the giant pile of logs left by the previous owner. I was able to split the smaller pieces with...
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