Toothpicks..who knew?

I wrote a post a few weeks ago and mentioned my kitchen cupboard that I was going to fix.  Well literally the next day it fell off.  This cupboard is our treat cupboard, so as I was innocently reaching for some Red Vines the cupboard basically slapped my hand away..hmmm.   It sat open like that for a week.  I had to fix it though because my kids would ask me a million times throughout the day if they could have one of their treats-because of the constant reminder starring at them.  Plus I had eaten all my good stuff (Red Vines, Junior Mints) and because of the reminder every time I walked into the kitchen I started to eye the Fun Dips- which I don't even like- I decided it had to get done.

Treat cupboard- although all the stuff I like has been eaten....

I investigated and found that the holes were stripped of any threading... now how to fix that??

I went to Home Depot and presented my problem to an employee.  I was thinking there was some kind of filler I'd need, then re-drill a hole.  Turns out the person I asked at Home Depot is a DIYer.  He suggested I take some toothpicks and break them up into tiny pieces, then shove them into the hole. 

The toothpicks acted as a filler and when I screwed the screw back in it created threads and the screws stuck!  !  I didn't have to buy anything to fix this project (although I did buy a putty knife for an art project I am going to work on..coming soon).  How awesome is that??!!

If you look closely you can see my toothpicks shoved into the top hole.

Yea- something else marked off my list.  If you will notice my cupboard is organized because even though I haven't been great at blogging -I've been eating my way through my treats to clean it out- but I have also been a busy bee with my spring cleaning list. 

Disclaimer about the toothpick method, can't guarantee how long it will work for.  I'll keep you posted if I get the need for some sugar and my cupboard falls off as I go for it. 

Snow no more

I have been putting off the packing away of our snow clothes.  I have done that before in April, only to jinx it and snow has come in May, yes snow in May.  Being a California girl I couldn't comprehend how that was even possible, it can and has snowed in Minnesota in May grrrrrrrrr.  So I might be jinxing us again here in MN, but I can't stand to look at our winter coats, gloves, scarves, boots and hats any longer... I have packed them away.  Baa-bye!

Winter coats are coming down!

I don't want to see these clothes until December.

It's interesting because living here in MN I have discovered all the different sets of outer wear we need.  Obviously winter gear- but even within the winter gear you need the different "levels" of outer wear.   A coat for 30 degree weather, is different than the coat for subzero temperatures.  Boots to play in the snow and boots that are cute to wear when you go out on a hot date : ).   Same with hats, a cute not so practical hat and a big ugly/warm practical one... you get it right?  Either way, ALL of the winter gear is going to our basement and I hope I don't have to pull it out until December! 

Suck it Handyman

Do you have any little projects around your house that need to be done?  Well we sure do.  We had our master bath pocket door that came off the rails and the faucet handle to that bath that came off.  Now the faucet handle has been broken for years.  We aren't bathers so it hasn't really bothered us... we don't stink, we just prefer the shower over bath. 

Since I am a woman of action this year I decided to get these things fixed. First let me explain why me fixing it wasn't an option or at least I didn't think so.   I grew up in a home where we NEVER called a handyman, rarely took cars to a mechanic or to get the oil changed.  My dad did it himself- for better or worse.  The worst...  picture an orange VW bus that is stalled in the middle of a busy street,  you see a kid -probably 8or 9- jump out, open the trunk (the engine was in the rear), stick their hand where the hot engine was just going and push a button, a button my dad had rigged up to start the car because the key in the ignition didn't work. 

Maybe I was scarred from experiences like that where I just figured I wasn't going to risk it, so I decided I was going to have an expert do these house projects for me. 

I called a few Handyman companies in the area... YIKES they are pricey.  The first one quoted me $300 and the second quoted me $200, but I'd have to pay his mileage to get to our city.  This ticked me off, so much so that I got a "I'll show you attitude". 

I examined the faucet, figured out what the real problem was and took it apart (taking pictures along the way so if I needed to I could refer back to it-love digital!).  I took all the parts with me to Home Depot- in case I needed help finding the right size screw that was broken... yes it was just a screw that was broken this whole time.  Found what I needed, got home pieced it back together and Tada it works!

Working faucet!

Our sliding pocket door wasn't as easy.  I looked on YouTube for a video on how to fix it.  All the videos I found were more about installing one.  I happened to mention to my friend that I was working on this and with my luck her husband had just fixed their pocket door.  So with some twine, scissors, serious toe strength, and maybe a little luck he was able to fix it for us. 

I was so happy and proud of myself.  It's made me want to fix other things around the house- watch out kitchen cupboard door you are next!

I guess my point is you can do more than you think you can.  Don't be afraid to try, but also don't be afraid to call an expert- remember the orange VW. 

Have fun being handy!