This One Adjustment to Your KitchenAid Will Make it Run Better
I have not named my KitchenAid stand mixer, which is weird when you consider the length of our relationship. My beloved is a model from the 80’s, one of the few things I have that belonged to my parents. While it’s not a fancy newer model in one of the many fantastic colors KitchenAid offers,…
Here’s When Fixing Your Washing Machine Makes More Sense
Photo: New Africa (Shutterstock)Your parents are right: They don’t make appliances built to last anymore. So when your washing machine breaks down, or it becomes clear that it’s starting to fail, you’re faced with a decision: Should you pay to have it repaired, or buy a new one? Here’s what to know.Should you repair or…
Install a Stock Tank for a Cheap and Easy Backyard Pool
A pool is the sort of upgrade that can’t help but sound enticing—until you see the price tag. Add in the maintenance required, and your dreams of the pool life can fade quickly. With water use concerns also on the rise, a smaller plunge pool is an option more people are considering. To make this…
Don’t Make These Mistakes When Buying a New Dryer
When my wife and I bought our first house, the feature we were most excited about was the laundry. The machines in the house were ancient, but after years of schlepping to the laundromat every week, the most luxurious thing we could think of was the prospect of at-home, on-demand laundry.Naturally, the washer and dryer…
Why You Probably Shouldn’t Clean Your Dryer Vent With a Leaf...
Photo: Benjamin Clapp (Shutterstock)You should be cleaning your dryer vent about once a year, and while it can be a slightly inconvenient task, it’s important to know that the much-touted “hack” of clearing lint out with a leaf blower is a bad idea. In addition to not being very effective for a few reasons, using…
Grow Your Veggies in a Bag This Summer
If you live in a small space or are just a bit of a lazy gardener, grow bags might be the solution for your garden this summer. They’re inexpensive, light-weight, and easy to move around, plus they make great environments for a variety of flowers, vegetables, and herbs. Even if you’re stuck in a little…
What Your Garden Needs Is a Power Drill
The internet is losing its mind over using your drill in your garden. In short, you put a really long drill bit on and create holes to drop your bulbs into. But it gets even better: They make drill bits specifically for this—they’re called augers—and they’re even better than regular drill bit and you can…
A Pool Noodle Is the Best Way to Transport Knives on...
Before you head out into the wilderness for a little camping, you probably check all the essentials off your pack list—but might not think about the logistics of carrying some of them around. Knives, in particular, can dull without proper storage and care, at best, and can be dangerous without it, at worst. There are…
You Can ‘Dust’ Curtains in Your Dryer
Photo: VanoVasaio (Shutterstock)Curtains can go a long way toward making a room feel homier, while helping to regulate the amount of natural light coming in. But given that they’re long pieces of fabric hanging in the same place for months, or in some cases, years at a time, they tend to collect dust.Depending on the…
Don’t Use a Wire Brush to Clean Your Grill (Do This...
Photo: Jan von nebenan (Shutterstock)Not cleaning your grill can be dangerous, but how you clean it is important, too. Even if it’s the easiest option, you shouldn’t use a wire brush. Here’s why you should chuck that bristle brush in the trash, plus what you can replace it with.The problem with bristle brushesIf you’ve spent any…
