There are so many special little DIY touches you can make around the house to beautify your home. You can improve its organization, and increase its storage for little or no money.
1. Pool Noodle Ladder Guards
If you have a few old pool noodles laying around, cut two one-foot lengths and use them as cushions to keep your ladder from scratching your gutters. Simply slit the pool noodle lengthwise and fit them over the legs of the ladder near the top where they rest against the gutter.
2. Makeshift Hammer Cushion
To protect the surface of your furniture or woodworking project, attach rubber caps to the head of your hammers. Start by cutting a small hole in the cap to allow the metal of the tool to hammer in nails. Then, hammer in the nail until the rubber strikes the wood. Finish driving the nail in with a nail set.
3. Pool Noodle Door Bumper
Another use for pool noodles is as makeshift bumpers for doors around your home. Cut a short, 3-inch section off of the pool noodle, and then slit one side lengthwise. Next, fit the pool noodle section over the edge of the door, cupboard, or gate to help protect your home’s walls.
4. Kitty Litter Tool Box Hack
Believe it or not, you can use kitty litter to keep your tools rust-free. Place a scoop of silica crystal cat litter into a piece of breathable fabric. Secure the fabric closed with a zip tie, and place it into your toolbox. The cat litter should absorb any excess moisture, keeping it off of your tools.
5. DIY PVP Pipe Fastener Tray
To make this handy storage idea, cut a piece of 4-inch PVC pipe to 2 feet in length. Cut off the top half of the pipe, leaving a little more than half of the pipe’s diameter. Glue 1/2-inch thick partitions into the pipe, spaced out at intervals to create compartments. To keep upright, screw a piece of 2×4 cut to the curve of the pipe to one side of the pipe.
6. Makeshift Trenching Tool
If you need to use a tool, such as a pry bar, to dig a trench around your home without killing your knees in the process, consider this hack. Attach the pry bar to a long handle, such as from an old hoe or shovel, using a few metal band clamps. This should give you the leverage you need without having to get down on your knees.
7. PVC Pipe Sprinkler Socket
If you need to water your yard, but don’t want to install a permanent sprinkler system, you can use spike-type sprinklers set into PVC pipes instead. Insert 1-inch PVC pipes into the areas where you want your sprinkler heads. Then, simply insert the sprinklers into the pipes when you want to water your lawn. When finished, remove the sprinklers.
8. Easy-to-Make PVC Pipe Storage Solution
Make a storage system in your basement or garage using nothing more than a 2-inch PVC pipe and some fittings. Attach the whole thing to the floor joists in your home using 5/16-inch bolts. For more on this project, check out PVC Fittings Online.
9. DIY Rake Handle
You can use this next hack to make yourself a back-saving handle for your rake. Slide a PVC pipe with a tee fitting over the handle, attach a cap to the open end of the pipe, and install a screw through the tee fitting into the handle of the rake to secure it.
10. Blister Prevention Hack
To help prevent the blisters that often accompany using a broom or rake, use some bubble wrap. Simply wrap the handle with bubble wrap and secure it using a rubber band on each end. When using, make sure to grasp the bubble wrap to prevent blistering.
11. Easy K-Cup Storage Solution
To keep the K-Cup Pods for your coffee maker handy, install this K-Cup holder underneath a cabinet near your Keurig. Then, the next time you want to make a cup of coffee or tea, slide the holder down to get a single K-Cup and then back out of the way when you are finished.
12. PVC Pipe Storage
You can also use short pieces of PVC pipe as a storage solution in your work area. Simply cut multiple 3-to-4-inch-long sections of 1 1/2-inch, or larger, PVC pipe, making sure to cut one end at a 45-degree angle. Next, drill a screw through the angled end into a 2-foot by 4-foot board. Secure the board to a pegboard in your work area. Store small items in the pipes, such as paintbrushes, pencils, and small tools.
13. DIY Cardboard Spray Paint Booth
If you have an empty medium-to-large-sized box, turn it into a spray paint booth. Cut a hole in the top of the box and cover it with clear plastic to let in the light. Poke hangers through the cardboard to give you something to hang the objects you want to paint.
14. DIY Drill Holder
To better organize your drills, consider installing this DIY wall-mounted drill dock. Not only does the dock give you easy access to your drills and drill attachments, but you can also store batteries, drill bits, and other accessories on the shelves.
15. Edge Clamp Hack
Avoid buying extra clamps by using this great hack. Instead of buying specialized clamps to hold hardwood edging in place, use regular spring clamps modified with rubber bands instead. The rubber bands give the spring clamps the extra strength they need to hold the edging securely in place.
