This Old House Nov/Dec 2011

Blogger Summer Huggins reads her first issue of This Old House magazine and feels inspired to start tackling projects around the house.

When my husband and I bought our house almost eight years ago, we knew we wanted something fairly new. We didn’t want to spend every single weekend and spare dollar making repairs or upgrades to an older home. We were lucky and went almost five years before having a big expense: The air conditioner had to be replaced. In August. In Texas. That was a must!

After picking up my first-ever copy of This Old House magazine a couple months ago, though, I started to feel like we may have missed out on the fun and pride that comes from spending weekends replacing wall paneling, retiling bathrooms or building an island in the kitchen. This magazine makes it seem possible for the layman to do some of these things without having to hire a professional.

In addition to big projects in that Nov./Dec. issue–like installing wainscoting and building said island in the kitchen–there were also smaller projects that even my husband and I could tackle. The magazine gave instructions for making a wine rack from a simple wooden planter, for example, and it included step-by-step photos and instructions for replacing balusters on the staircase as well. Remember to measure twice and cut once!

My favorite department in the magazine has to be Home Solutions. In this department, this issue gave 10 ideas for using the rubber bands you’ve been saving in your junk drawer. (And this list doesn’t include popping your little brother on the arm with them.) What does it include? Well, let me tell you: opening jars, reshaping broom bristles and, my favorite: keeping your paint cans neater. If you’re going to tackle weekend projects like painting the dining room, you want to keep things neat. Stretching a large rubber band over a paint can gives you a place to wipe excess paint from the brush without using the side of the can. So smart!

And the list doesn’t stop there. You can use rubber bands to clamp items together–especially when they have fresh glue on them–get a better grip on handles, label storage tubs, keep cabinet doors closed, wrap needle-nose pliers to protect your fingers, shorten cords and label the volume on containers of liquids.

All these ideas are listed on a single page of This Old House. I think I may tear it out and hang it in the garage.