Tausi Insider

Image : Mega Pixel ( Shutterstock ) While power tools maybe be the most exciting components in your tool collection, basic hand tools can be every bit as enticing, and perhaps even more essential. There isn’t always a powered solution for every problem you’ll run into over every job that needs doing in the shop, and keeping the low-tech essentials on hand will make your home improvement projects go easier and get done faster. Here are six of my favorites to get you started. A spring-loaded nail set It’s not exactly sophisticated, but a spring-loaded nail set can really come in handy when you need to take care of nails that are popping out on molding or to finish off a project that has some protruding nails. You place the tip of the nail set on the head of the nail, pull back on the end, and release. This efficient little thing will help keep your nails flush without a hammer, and it won’t mark the surface of your wood. You can get one for about $14, and it fits in your pocket. F...

Photo : daizuoxin ( Shutterstock ) Black Friday is coming and with it, you may end up with more shopping bags than usual . And d epending on where you live, where you shop, and how prepared you are in advance, there’s possibly to be some plastic among them. If you find yourself with an abundant supply, h ere are some easy ways to reuse them— besides just lining your small trash cans or picking up the dog’s poop (although those are fine, too). Put some in your suitcase for traveling Plastic bags come in handy on trips. In a pinch, you can use them instead of cling wrap to seal your bottles before a flight, for instance. You should also always have a few in your suitcase to help you separate shoes from your clothes and dirty clothes from clean ones throughout your trip and especially to keep wet stuff, like swimsuits, away from your other goods. To that end, toss a few in the beach bag you use for quick summer outings, too. Put some in your car for road emergencies If a kid ha...

Photo : Ground Picture ( Shutterstock ) Crumbs and dust have a nifty little talent for refusing to actually slide into your dustpan with a broom . However, there’s an easy way to collect them up that you probably never thought of. T his hack has been all over TikTok for some time now and has, since its revelation sometime last year, spawned a number of reaction videos from people who want to try it themselves and see if it works. Spoiler alert: It does work. All you need is a paper towel, water, a broom, and the dirt, of course. How to sweep up that last bit of dirt W et one side of a paper towel, then lay the towel down next to the dirt, dust, or debris you’re struggling to sweep up. Gently sweep the mess over the paper towel, where the dampness will make it stick. Cleanup is easy now, as all you have to do is gather up the soiled towel and toss it in the trash. In a pinch, you can use other paper goods, like newspapers, which will do essentially the same thing. Just be care...

Photo : The Toidi ( Shutterstock ) If you’re making your own built-ins, hanging cabinets, or just putting up art, a stud-finder is a must. Although there are ways to measure for studs, they’re not fool-proof, so using a stud-finder is always a good idea. This one from Zircon will not only find the stud, but also locate the center and edges for you, avoiding misses that can result in collapse and damage to the walls. https://www.tausiinsider.com/11-of-the-best-gifts-for-the-diyer-on-your-list/?feed_id=331440&_unique_id=6454a667d7d15

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Photo : REDPIXEL.PL ( Shutterstock ) There are so many sm art ways to use a vacuum besides just running it over your carpet, but there are also some things you really shouldn’t be sucking up . You can avoid damaging your expensive machine by learning what can’t be vacuumed . Here are the things to always avoid vacuuming up: Glass Element Electronics , which manufactures vacuum cleaners, recommends never vacuuming up glass . The sharp pieces can do internal damage, especially if your machine has bags or hoses. If you’re worried about stray shards of broken glass that could damage you , try some upgraded sweeping hacks, like this one , to make sure you get it all contained. Large quantities of hair A little hair in your vacuum is fine, and likely unavoidable, but there’s a reason you see stylists sweeping after their shifts: Too much hair is not good for a vacuum. Per Element, long hair can tangle around your brush and lead to clogs, so you should get rid of the majority of it...

Having a good trowel is a must for gardeners, and having one that will measure depth, help with harvest, and stand up to the test of time is even better. A Hori Hori tool like this one from Nisaku is a knife, a trowel, and a depth measuring tool all in one. It has one serrated edge to cut through stems for harvest and roots while digging and comes with a sheath to protect it while not in use. As a versatile tool, it’s a great addition to any gardener’s tool kit. https://www.tausiinsider.com/11-of-the-best-gifts-for-the-plant-lover-in-your-life/?feed_id=330410&_unique_id=644b05f5013fa

Photo : ben bryant ( Shutterstock ) If you have noticed a wobble in your toilet seat, you might think you need to have a lot of experience to fix it, but it’s easier than you might think to do it yourself. All you’ll need is a few simple tools and some elbow grease. All you need is a screwdriver, an adjustable wrench, and some gloves. To start, t ake off the plastic caps on the hinge part of the seat that cover the hardware that attaches the hinges to the toilet. Some of these caps will have tabs that push in to release them, while others will come free with a firm tug. Once these are removed, you might need to clean underneath them before getting to work on the bolts—and if you notice corrosion, it might be time to swap hardware. How to t ighten or replace a toilet seat’s hardware The primary reason a toilet seat will wobble is because the bolts holding it onto the toilet have become loose. To fix this, use the screwdriver on the top side and your adjustable wrench on the ...

Photo : Christian Delbert ( Shutterstock ) You’re on vacation and stop by a liquor store to get some wine before you head back to the hotel room. You’re hanging out with your friends late into the night and decide to open a bottle of the good stuff. You have a first date at a BYOB restaurant and pick up a bottle on the way. Any of these could seem like a dreamy scenario, until it turns into a nightmare: There’s no corkscrew to be found . It’s OK. T here are actually several ways to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew—and some of them are pretty fun. Here are some tactics you can try to get that bottle open and keep your night moving along more smoothly than a long pour. https://www.tausiinsider.com/7-ways-to-open-a-bottle-of-wine-without-a-corkscrew/?feed_id=330322&_unique_id=644a322ef17ce

Photo : Mila Rachmania ( Shutterstock ) The holidays are a season of giving to others, but it’s also an opportunity to give a little something to yourself—that is, the freedom from your insurmountable pile of reusable totes. The thing is, no one else wants more totes, so you have to be sneaky-sweet about it. The best way is to present it as part of an otherwise generous gift. I first started gifting totes because I needed extra packing material for the Christmas cookie tins I was shipping to friends and family. I was running low on paper bags and spotted my bag of bags. Perhaps you have one of these too: a reusable tote bag full of simply more reusable tote bags. I have my favorites, but the rest just take up space. Maybe some of them are even lovely and sturdy, but sadly, never used. It turns out, though, that they do keep cookie tins from sliding around. Neatly folded, or bundled around the main present, they looked like part of the package, and provided a buffer when getting to...

Photo : Golubovy ( Shutterstock ) While wrapped presents are a big part of the joy of holiday gifting, all that disposable wrapping paper can seem pretty wasteful, not to mention expensive. Bringing in some reusable alternatives that actually look nice can add some sustainable and cost-effective beauty to your holiday gift-giving routine. The best alternatives to paper can even be a part of the gift itself. Here are some of the best ways to upgrade your wrapping skills with a sustainable twist. Towels Using cloth napkins, dish towels, or tea towels as wrapping can be both festive and reusable. During the Christmas shopping season, you can often find good bargains on these, and you might be surprised at how little you’ll spend on something that it’s hard to imagine anyone having too many of. Dish towels can be found in sets, as well as cloth napkins, making this practical, multi-use “wrapping” even more cost effective. Leftover fabric If you’re a crafter, you probably have leftover...

Photo : wavebreakmedia ( Shutterstock ) Yes, y our broom is for cleaning, but even things that are for cleaning also need to be cleaned themselves. You shouldn’t be pushing a dirty tool around on the floor expecting it not to impede your quest to stop the floor from being dirty. Clean brooms are just more effective, so it’s worth it to take some time to spruce yours up—especially if it’s been a while (or ever) since you’ve done so. Here’s what you need to do. Remove the big junk first You can see the big debris that gets stuck to your broom easily, like hair and lint, and that’s the first schmutz that needs to go when you start cleaning. Maids by Trade , a home cleaning company, recommends taking your broom outside and smacking it against a tree or other solid object just hard enough to remove dust and loose debris attached to the bristles. Soak the broom In some instances, a good smacking is enough , but make it a habit to do a deep cleaning periodically, too— about once a mo...

Photo : Natalya Chumak ( Shutterstock ) I grew up in upstate New York without a garage, so I consider myself fairly skilled in the art of car de-icing—or so I thought. Ice storms have become more common in Portland since I moved here over a decade ago, and with each storm I get less confident in my ability to liberate my windshield. As it turns out, I wasn’t just out of practice; I was also using my ice scraper wrong. Score the ice before scraping it If you’ve ever tried to scrape a thick layer of hard ice off your windshield, you know that the hardest part is getting under it; until you can get a corner of the scraper blade in between your window and the ice, it’s not going anywhere. This is exactly why most ice scrapers have ridges on one side of the blade. You’re supposed to use them to “score” the surface of the ice. It’s almost like perforating a piece of paper you want to tear cleanly; scoring the surface breaks up the tension, which makes it significantly easier to scra...

Photo : Svetlana Mechonoschina ( Shutterstock ) Glass may be recyclable, but sometimes it’s tempting to keep old wine bottles around for the aesthetic, the memories, or a little of both. If you have a tendency to hang onto your empty wine bottles, they don’t have to sit around collecting dust—they’re actually incredibly useful for watering your houseplants. Here’s how to put your old bottles to work. Whenever you water your houseplants, you should always try to get as much water to the roots as possible. Although plants can absorb small amounts of water through their leaves, the roots are much better at it; dumping water on the leaves and letting it trickle down isn’t very efficient, and depending on the type of plant, could even damage the leaves. This is why most watering cans have such long, narrow necks—they make it easy to get at the roots. As luck would have it, wine bottles also have long, narrow necks that make it easy to pour water right where you want it. Another bonus: ...