BEFORE: Forgotten About

During the chillier months, blogger Kristen mostly used her patio as a catch-all space. Her worn furniture didn’t inspire guests to gather outdoors.

AFTER: Outdoor Oasis

Patio furniture turned this space into the perfect spot for summer get-togethers. A subdued color palette keeps the atmosphere serene, while darker elements, like the wicker chair and table, pop against the patio’s light color.

BEFORE: Weathered

While a stone fireplace makes a bold statement outdoors, the furniture on Courtney’s patio was worn from years of being exposed to the elements.

AFTER: Soft & Feminine

Trading dark chairs for whitewashed wicker makes this patio feel softer. To complete the look, this blogger opted for pillows and a rug with subtle patterns.

BEFORE: Cluttered and Generic

Generic outdoor furniture pushed into the corner makes this space look abandoned.

AFTER: Full of DIY Charm

This patio may be small, but it’s filled with furniture that tells a story. “The coffee table we built from old barn beams pulled out of our barn,” explains blogger Liz, who also built the white potting bench to double as a serving cart for entertaining.

BEFORE: Hole in The Ground

This outdoor space had one saving grace—the fireplace that anyone would be happy to congregate around.

AFTER: Cozy Sitting Area

Now, it’s a delightful place to spend time whether the fire is blazing or not. But honestly, this patio had us hooked from the moment we spotted that farmers’ market pillow!

BEFORE: Basic Deck

This deck has always been a great spot for hosting outdoor meals—just look at that waterfront view!

AFTER: Outdoor Dining Haven

With the addition of dark furniture, this beautiful deck is now just as inspiring as the serene water it looks over.

BEFORE: Worn Out

A canopy shaded this patio from the harsh sun, but years of wear and tear had it looking drab.

AFTER: Cute and Cozy

New drapes were a must, but colorful accent pieces now supply the wow factor.

BEFORE: Empty Space

Simply an open grassy area, blogger Jen’s recently refreshed backyard served no real family function. “It took us a few years, 4 to be exact, to really be certain about what to do back here because it’s a long, narrow space,” she explains on her blog.

AFTER: Functional Patio

The decision to install a pea gravel patio opened up the space for outdoor entertaining, whether for a family dinner or a night sitting under the stars.

BEFORE: Overgrown

Blogger Jenna Sue decided to give her parents’ back deck a much-needed refresh. “Between the uneven and overgrown sloping ground, the outdated dining set, and rusty fire pit, this neglected space was not exactly the setting they’d envisioned to welcome guests,” she writes on her blog.

AFTER: Relaxing Retreat

A sturdy wicker table set now immediately catches the eye when guests go outside, inviting everyone to dine al-fresco.

BEFORE: Deserted For Winter

Winter in New England means snow and bitter cold—it’s no wonder this patio looks unused, we wouldn’t want to venture outside in those temperatures either.

AFTER: Welcoming Spring

Blogger Jenni took the first signs of spring as an excuse to makeover her outdoor space. A few cozy seating options and a fire pit make this space appropriate for spending a summer day—or a chilly New England night.

BEFORE: In Need of Repair

The major crack in this patio needed to be addressed before the outdoor entertaining season.

AFTER: Multi-Use Space

In addition to transforming the concrete with a bold pattern, blogger Susan wanted to take advantage of the empty space between the back of her garage and neighbors. It’s now a seating area with lights that create a serene atmosphere.

Some of the best concepts include using pallets in your garden. This could be using them as your personal miniature garden, complete with built-in rows, or as an ideal backdrop for starting your family’s herb garden. And the creativity doesn’t stop there!

From chairs and couches to tables and serving bars, you can’t go wrong with any way you choose to use pallets in your next DIY project.

1. Easy DIY Outdoor Pallet Couch with Chaise

Comfort and style collide on a shoestring budget with one of the best DIY pallet garden ideas for custom outdoor furniture. Not only will your patio get the much-needed seating it demands, but you’ll find a new favorite spot to relax with the chaise at the end of this comfy couch. Use removable cushion covers for easy washing and cleaning up. Add some decorative accent pillows for a decorative element to this cool pallet couch. It makes a unique way to incorporate pallets in your garden since they effortlessly transform into savvy and budget-friendly outdoor furniture.

2. Repurposed and Reclaimed Wire Spool Outdoor Table

Featuring a shabby chic white-washed finish, this wire spool table gives your outdoor space a nice table while adding lots of style and character. The round design adds a visually interesting and cool look to the traditional square shapes of tables and other furniture pieces. Nestled between two chairs, this repurposed table offers a wonderful platform for setting drinks and snacks as well as some decorative elements. An accent pillow below further embellishes the cozy and comfortable conversation space surrounding this reclaimed wire spool outdoor table design.

3. Extra Long Pallet Picnic Table

Here’s one of the best DIY pallet garden ideas you’ll enjoy with all of your family and friends. This extra long picnic table provides more than enough table space and seating for a large gathering of family and friends. Add a couple of umbrellas and your dining experience can be enjoyed out of the sun’s reach. Since a picnic table is a near essential backyard piece of furniture for summer, why not use your resources wisely and construct this large concept from some unwanted pallets?

4. Reclaimed Pallet Turned Wooden Planter

Give a brand new life to an otherwise useless pallet as you reimagine it as a gorgeous wooden outdoor planter. You can add a beautiful place to plant your annual flowers to put some much-needed pops of color onto your porch or patio space. This is one easy pallet outdoor furniture idea that can be completed in an evening or afternoon. Constructed on short legs, this wooden planter adds some height and dimension to your gardening scene as you can show off your favorite budding beauties at counter height to be easily seen.

5. Classic and Simple Traditional Chairs from Pallets

Imagine a superior set of outdoor chairs that closely resemble the classic and traditional design of the ones in your dining room. Now picture them being crafted from repurposed pallets. This amazing and earth-friendly concept shows an easy pallet outdoor furniture design that makes the perfect cozy seating for your fire pit area. Each guest will enjoy having his/her own seat providing him/her with the personal space needed to completely relax and enjoy the warmth of the fire. Choose a rich, dark stain to really emphasize the beauty of simple wood. Pair these great chairs with a side table or two and you’ll have a complete outdoor fire pit gathering place.

6. Perfectly Potted Pallet Vertical Herb Garden

Standing tall and proud, this pallet transforms into an amazing and perfectly practical herb garden. Plant your most loved herbs in your small terracotta pots and organize them in this vertical herb garden that’s a great wood pallet idea for gardens. Everyone wins with this pallet herb garden from tree huggers to dining guests. The enhanced flavors in your alfresco summer dishes will be embraced by your taste buds as you utilize this incredibly organized and easy-to-use outdoor pallet herb garden.

7. Upright Pallet Shallow Backyard Bar

If you’re tight on space you can still add some repurposed pallets into your design. This single pallet stands upright to take up less surface space. At the top, a slender tabletop creates a bar space with just the right amount of counter space for a miniature bar area. Set up a serve-yourself bar or use it as the condiment station for your party. Guests will meander throughout the night to find your confined space offers adequate party essentials that are easy to use.

8. Stacked and Painted Pallet Crates Outdoor Storage

Stacked and stoked, this pair of painted pallet crates adds additional storage and a little style to your back porch or patio area. You can customize it in your favorite bright summer color or brush on a traditional neutral tone. Now you’ll enjoy a place to store some summer staples like gardening gadgets or sunscreen sprays and lotions. With the wall mounting capabilities, your extra storage solutions won’t crowd your walkway. Keep sharp trimmers and hand shovels out of reach from tiny fingers. This is simply another way to utilize these crafty crates that seem to pop up everywhere in the design world nowadays.

9. Gorgeous Stained Outdoor Pallet Herb Garden

Grab that pallet and slap on some stain to create this incredible wood pallet idea for gardens. You’ll love the beauty it provides to your back patio while everyone seated around your table will enjoy the fresh taste of the seasoned meal. It’s easy to keep it organized with labeled popsicle sticks as your green-thumbed beauties grow in their designated rows. Kids will want to dig into this easy garden concept as well so be sure to include them in the planting and harvesting of these fresh herbs and spices.

10. Freestanding Outdoor Cushioned Pallet Swing

Give your backyard another fun place to hang out with this freestanding pallet swing. A sturdy, thick cushion makes this one of the best places to kick back and read a good book during a summer afternoon. It’s a new spin on the classic hammock and offers a gentle swaying motion that blends in with a summer breeze. Kids and grown-ups alike will enjoy spending a few hours in the splendor of this backyard swing. Place a pair under a big shade tree for an enjoyable time for friends to catch up and relax.

11. Tile Top Pallet Outdoor Serving Bar

Entertaining makes its way to the great outdoors as the temperatures rise, so be prepared with plenty of designated spaces to make your next backyard party a success. One great wood pallet idea for gardens is to incorporate an outdoor serving bar so guests can enjoy your backyard garden while sipping a refreshing beverage. This slim vertical pallet transforms into a unique outdoor bar where anything from drinks to appetizers can be served on its tiled top. With its vertical design, it takes up minimal floor space giving you the extra gathering space for friends and family to enjoy.

12. Large Wooden Pallet Planter Box with Back

Add a little privacy and a lot of planting space to your backyard with this interesting and creative pallet planter box. The addition of the pallet back on top of this planter box gives your conversation spaces a little more privacy from nearby neighbors while also providing your lovely climbing plant friends a place to vine out. The box has plenty of space for showing off your collection of seasonal flowers. You’ll love the way this planter box adds a whole new dimension to your outdoor space by defining a specific nook for friends to gather and enjoy a relaxing night under the stars.

13. Rustic Pallet Outdoor Grill Table

If you’re using a smaller tabletop grill, this rustic pallet table should be on your must-have list for summer. Under the covered porch or on the patio, this outdoor grill table is just the right size for grilling and all the supplies it includes. A little below the top, you’ll discover an amazing storage solution for housing your tongs, spatulas, spices, rubs, and other essential grilling tools. Creating a special space for your family grill master is easy with this simple pallet table that makes mealtime more fun.

14. Distressed Wooden Outdoor Pallet Coffee Table

Getting together with friends and family during the summer months usually means spending special time together in the backyard. While entertaining in such a way, be sure to create some convenient and cozy conversation stations throughout your space. One way to do so is by defining areas and that’s easy to do with essential living room pieces like a coffee table. Since people tend to gather around tables, this outdoor pallet coffee table offers you the same atmosphere as an interior one snuggled within the perimeter of your couch and chairs. It gives guests a place to rest their drinks and a designated space to arrange their outdoor furniture too.

15. Repurposed Pallet Raised Garden Bed

One of the best DIY pallet garden ideas has to be this essential backyard gardening piece- the raised bed. It’s perhaps the most productive and resourceful way to use pallets in your garden. No more sore knees from tending your veggies as the raised bed allow you to work from a standing or seated position. Including more than one in your backyard allows for separate garden beds to make the most of your space. Try one with herbs, another for varieties of lettuce, and one for your favorite collection of tomatoes. You can’t go wrong with the natural goodness of fresh garden veggies and adding this repurposed pallet raised bed is the best way to go!

16. Outdoor Living Room Pallet Furniture

Create a dreamy and comfortable outdoor living room with easy pallet outdoor furniture. Crafted from leftover pallets, your outdoor living room can boast the same cozy feel of your indoor space complete with an oversized coffee table and couches. The addition of a glass top makes the table feel a bit more refined and polished while a large set of cushions makes the couches ever so inviting. Now you can designate a corner of your patio or porch space as your second living room where great talks with friends can linger long after the sun goes down.

17. Pretty Painted Pallet Outdoor Garden Center

Check out this small and quaint outdoor garden center that’s been created from a pallet. A distressed coating of paint gives it a vintage vibe as it transforms from the shipping department to the lawn and garden section. A hefty shelf underneath the tabletop further adds the extra storage space you need for plants, pots, soil, and seeds. On top, the counter space gives you the room you need to sow seeds and arrange plants into different pots as well. Its small girth allows it to be a perfect fit for any sized space, so if you’re tight on room in the backyard this is a cool way to add a garden center to your own backyard.

18. Rainbow Pallet Porch Planter

Birds of a feather flock together and so will all of your favorite potted annual flowers with this spectacular rainbow pallet porch planter. Each strip features another painted color of the rainbow from red to violet. Planting pots are secured to give you lots of vertical space for adding several flowers at a time. From pansies to geraniums and many petals in between, you’ll cherish the simplistic beauty of this cheap pallet flower planter concept. Prop it up against the backyard fence or rest it on a side of your porch so it can bring that splash of color that your outdoor decorating scene needs for summer.

19. Painted Black Outdoor Bar from Pallets

Another spin on outdoor pallet decor is a painted backyard bar. With room overhead to hang a strand of lights and a small counter space at hip level, this backyard bar is the place to serve up some cocktails or a little tailgating food buffet. Your guests will form a line and wrap themselves through your mouth-watering display as they enjoy a backyard barbecue like no other. Create a designated beverage bar on one end and house all of your serving ware on the other. Designate an amateur bartender to keep the party going and serve up some special gulps this summer.

20. Wonderful Window Box Pallet Planter

Add some instant curb appeal to your home with a window box. And while you’re at it, there’s no need to break the bank since an unwanted pallet and some paint is all you’ll need to create one. Measure your window and make your custom creation where you’ll enjoy a generously sized planting box that rests right below your front window. Use one or attach one to each and every window on the front of your home to make a more dramatic design. Neighbors and butterflies alike will delight in the beauty of your planted flowers as they spill over from these creative and low-cost pallet window box planters.

1. Sage protects against mosquitoes

This advice is absolutely perfect for those who enjoy hiking. All you need to do is throw bundled sage leaves into the fire, and the mosquitoes will forget about you for a long time.

2. A container for contact lenses to store cream

Even if you don’t wear contact lenses, you can buy a container in any pharmacy for a small price. It takes up very little space, but you’ll have enough cream for several days, and you won’t need to worry about it leaking. It’s also a good way to store toothpaste.

3. A bay leaf to avoid motion sickness

If you feel sick when you travel – no matter if it’s a plane, train, or car – a bay leaf is the perfect solution for your problem. All you need to do is put it under your tongue. Don’t worry about the taste: it’s actually pretty nice and will remind you of chewing gum.

4. A pillbox to store jewelry

A pillbox is the best container for jewelry. It occupies minimum space and gives maximum convenience: your necklaces, chains, and earrings will be neatly organized.

5. A Tic Tac box for bobby pins

Store bobby pins and hair clips in a convenient Tic Tac box while you’re traveling.

6. How to avoid clothes creasing in a suitcase

To prevent your clothes from becoming wrinkled in a suitcase, you should roll them instead of folding them. If you want to be sure that your clothing won’t unroll, you can secure each roll with a rubber band.

7. Hiding the extra key in a flowerbed

A foolproof way to hide the extra key from your house so that no one would find it: instead of putting it under the doormat or on the door head, place it in a pillbox and stick a stone to its lid. Then dig a small hole in a flowerbed or a plant pot near your house and put the pillbox inside. Now anyone who looks at it will only see a stone.

8. CB radio

If you travel mostly by car, you can buy a special radio to communicate with the truckers. You can be sure that they’ll help you in a difficult situation, and you’ll always know all the necessary information about traffic, potholes, and even food at the roadside motels.

9. A clean solution

Cover the kitchen utensils you cook on with foil: you’ll get meals without dirty dishes. The foil won’t make frying more difficult – on the contrary, it’ll help to distribute the heat properly.

10. Popcorn in a bag

Here is an extremely convenient and unusual method of cooking popcorn. Take a disposable foil pan, and mix together some vegetable oil and 1/4 cup of popcorn grains. Cover the container with foil so that it forms a dome. Fry over high heat for about 8 minutes, shaking until the corn grains cease to pop. Enjoy!

11. Keep your shoes clean

In order to save your shoes from sticky burrs and other stuff, wipe your shoes with paraffin wax before going into the woods.

12. Chips in a fire

Chips can become perfect kindling. Set them on fire, and put them between some branches.

13. Follow the trucks

When you decide to have a snack on the road, choose a place with a lot of trucks next to it. The truckers usually dine in one place they know, and you can trust their experience.

14. A selfie with a stranger

If you decide to hitchhike, always do your best to protect yourself. If you get into a stranger’s car, talk to him about his travels, hobbies, or something else. You should offer to take a photo together, and then post it on social networks.

15. OK Maps

OK Maps will save an image from Google Maps, and you’ll always have offline access to it. Just tap ‘OK Maps’ in the search bar, and Google will do the rest for you.

16. Pack a jacket in its hood

This is a really convenient way to carry your jacket. When rolled this way it takes up less space and can serve as a comfortable pillow. It’s better than puzzling over where to put it, right?

17. Deodorant to cure an itch

If you want mosquito bites to stop itching, take some deodorant and rub it over the bites.

18. Careful clothes storage

If you want your clothes to stay clean and not absorb smells from the suitcase, put antistatic wipes on the bottom and sides of the suitcase.

19. A different meal on a plane

Most airlines are ready to provide their passengers with a number of different foods. You can choose between a vegetarian, kosher, halal, Hindu, and Lenten meal. Why not try something new? As a rule, you don’t need to pay extra for it. The only thing is that you need to choose the type of meal at least 72 hours before the flight.

20. ‘Fragile’ stickers

The airport staff transports the luggage with these stickers really carefully, and, by the way, they also unload it first. You can ask for a sticker at the reception desk, and you won’t need to worry about the safety of your luggage.

If you are into making meaningful memories this summer in a digital-free way, take some inspiration from these ten ways to cook outside without a grill.

Why not use a grill?

A grill is the most ubiquitous way of cooking outdoors and there are plenty of websites dedicated to the subject.

While grilling is perhaps the best way to cook a steak or to make a burger, it’s not the only way.

So, let’s go back to before the grill was born and look at some alternative options for cooking outside.

Cooking Over an Open Fire

It may take some practice to light a fire if you haven’t started many. With practice, you can even do it with your eyes closed. (Though I can’t recommend that.)

You need to choose the right wood, you need to know when to add it at the right time to get the right heat to cook whatever it is that you’re cooking.

To bring something to a quick boil, use a fast, hot flame.

For stewing, use a low flame with plenty of coals.

And for frying, you’ll want no flames at all. Frying is best done over a glowing bed of coals. Depending on the dryness of your wood, it could be about an hour before the fire is heated and the embers ready to go.

In the meantime, you can cool yourself down with a switchel or a hard apple cider.

First, a few campfire cooking rules:

• Someone is wearing thick leather gloves and they are holding wood spoons and stirring a pot of chili being cooked over an open campfire.
• Always make sure it is safe to build a fire – check the wind direction, have a bucket or other source of water nearby, don’t build a bonfire for cooking.
• Use cast iron pans and pots or other heavy cookware that can withstand the heat without cracking.
• Never use plastic utensils or pans that have plastic handles as they can melt as the fire changes direction.
• Be sure to use wooden or metal spoons for stirring, and have thick leather gloves handy for removing pots from the fire.
• Use extra care around a fire, especially if children are around.
• Never leave a campfire unattended.

Of course, you can always opt for a camp stove if you’re in an area where building a fire is not permitted.

1. Grate

Cooking over a grate is akin to cooking on a grill.

The only thing is, that a fire is more unpredictable. Heat intensity will fluctuate, the wind will whip the flames and smoke around. It’s wild and needs to be honored.

Use a long pair of tongs for flipping meat and vegetables that are grilled directly on the grate.

Just be sure not to grill something too fatty, like bacon, which will sizzle and burn.

A grate is also great for setting pots on, for example, if you’d like to make a soup. You can also use it to boil down your apricots for homemade jam.

2. Tripod

I was first introduced to the fine art of using a cast iron camping tripod for outdoor cooking when my husband and I moved to Hungary.

A bogrács (kettle) is used for magicking up pörkölt (beef stew), paprikás krumpli (potato stew) and the traditional Hungarian gulyás (goulash).

There is no easier way to cook for a crowd than this.

3. Rotisserie Grill and Spit

While hunting for wild game is one thing, bringing your own chicken to the feast is another.

Either way, they are going to taste wonderful when roasted over the fire.

4. Sticks

Toasted marshmallows come immediately to mind, don’t they?

Let’s stick to some healthier options, ones that don’t require pots and pans, grills, or kettles. No washing of dishes after the meal is necessary.

All you need to do is head to the woods for the right sticks.

Which sticks are safe to cook on?

Those that are not toxic are the ones to harvest from the wild: willow, hazel, cherry, plum, pear, beech, birch, maple and so on. Be sure to know how to identify trees before you get hungry if you want to cook with sticks.

5. Pie Irons

I can’t tell you how many pie-iron pizzas and cherry pies I’ve eaten, simply because there have been too many.

Take a slice of bread, slather one side with butter and place it on the inside of one iron. Do the same with the other. Then place your toppings on one slice of bread, not too close to the edges.

Close it up and set in the embers until the bottom side turns a golden brown. Toast the other side, then slide it onto a plate. Blow on it fiercely, because it is too hard to wait for it to chill.

6. Dutch Oven

There are few things that can’t be cooked in a Dutch oven. This makes it one of the best camping investments you’ll ever make. It’s even a possession that can put your backyard grill to shame.

So, what can you cook in a Dutch oven?

• chili and cornbread
• vegetable stew
• red beans and rice
• chicken and potatoes
• lasagna
• enchiladas
• pizza
• garlic bread
• banana bread
• apple pie/cobbler
• bisquits
• cinnamon rolls and so on

7. Foil Dinners

If you don’t want to carry around a heavy pot, you can always make do with a roll of heavy-duty foil for cooking your campfire meals.

While I’m not convinced this is the healthiest way to cook a meal, there are worse ways (consider microwaves).

Looking on the bright side, cooking in foil is cheap, portable and mess-free. At the same time, it gives you so many options to choose from.

8. Building an Earth Oven

Having an earth oven in your backyard assumes that you have plenty of outdoor space. And that you like to bake. Or that you want to start baking.

Right from the start, I highly recommend that you participate in a workshop related to the subject, so you get the hands-on experience before building your own.

9. Digging a Pit Oven

How about an oven in the ground?

Long ago (some ovens are dated to about 29,000 BC to be more accurate), pit ovens were used to cook large amounts of meat for several people.

Now, you won’t be baking mammoth thighs for dinner, but you may want to roast several chickens at once.

10. Using a Solar Oven

With the strong appearance of the sun these days, combined with higher than normal temperatures, it only makes sense to utilize what is there. Not to fight it in any way. Just be aware and help to offset the changing climate by planting more and more trees.

A note of caution: out of all the ways to cook outdoors, using a solar oven has the least predictable outcome. If temperatures don’t get high enough, the food won’t be thoroughly cooked. Depending on what you are cooking, it may be destined for the compost.

Instant (and Inexpensive) Picture Frame Bumpers

Stop wall frames from slipping out of place and scratching the wall paint by putting small dots of hot glue on the back corners of the frame. The glue not only prevents movement, it also holds the picture away from the wall to prevent scratches and nicks.

Quick Fix for Sagging Shelves

Here’s a clever way to stop shelves from sagging in the middle. Cut plywood panels sized to fit inside some unwanted books. The panels need to be the height of the space between your shelves. Cut out enough pages to fit the panels’ thickness. Then build up the sides and front edge of each panel to match the size and shape of the book. Round the edges and corners of the panels to match the books, then paint the panels to match the books or any inconspicuous color and glue them into the books. Stagger the supports a bit so they aren’t lined up right in the center.

The Easiest Way to Save on Potting Soil

For deep planters, fill the bottom with old cans and plant pots. The cans and pots improve drainage and create air pockets for better aeration and healthier soil.

Stop Losing Socks

It’s a tale as old as time: Socks enter into a laundry room, ready to be cleaned, only to vanish and never be seen again. To make it harder for socks to get lost in your laundry room, stuff a strip of foam pipe insulation into the space between your washer and dryer or along the wall. That way socks can’t slip away into the abyss.

Use Coins for Toilet Shims

Did you know that coins can be used to shim a toilet? Slip coins under a toilet to level it, then add caulk along the floor to hide the coin shims.

Remove Hard Water Buildup With a Lemon

Remove hard-water buildup on your faucet with this natural solution. Place half of a fresh lemon on the end of the faucet, wrap a small plastic bag around the lemon and secure it to the faucet with a rubber band. After a few hours, remove the lemon and wipe the faucet clean.

If you don’t have a lemon on hand, you can sub in a bag of vinegar for the same effect.

Clean Upholstery with Baking Soda

Did you know regular old baking soda can help to remove odors from a couch or upholstered chair? Just sprinkle a generous amount onto the fabric, wait about 20 minutes and then vacuum it up. The baking soda helps to soak up odors and even breaks up some stains in the fabric.

Super-Secure Garbage Bags

Trash bags and waste bins should work perfectly together, but that’s rarely the case. As trash bags start to fill up, the bag slithers into the bin and you have to dig it out. To keep handled or drawstring trash bags in place, all you need are two medium or large self-adhesive command hooks. Position the hooks at a location that allows full use of the bin.

Screen Spline Earring Backs

“Earring backs are always getting lost. Instead of buying a supply of them to have on hand, I bought foot of small diameter screen spline for 12 cents at the hardware store. Whenever I need a new back, I cut off a short piece of spline with a utility knife.”

– Joyce McCabe, Family Handyman reader

Liquid Electrical Tape Can Rescue Your Broken Phone Charger

Charger cables for cell phones usually last only a few years before the insulation starts fraying on the ends. Replacement cables cost $8 to $30, but there’s a cheaper solution. If the insulation is cracked but the copper wire inside is still intact, try covering the crack with a couple of layers of liquid electrical tape ($5 to $10 per bottle). Just be sure not to let the cable touch anything until the liquid tape dries completely.

Remove Wood Scratches With Walnuts

Furniture gets beat up over time, but you don’t have to live with the unsightly scratches. You can remove years of damage with a common snack food: walnuts.

Simply rub a walnut over a scratch in wood several times. Then, with your fingers, rub the scratched area. This will help the wood absorb the oil from the nut. Lastly, use a soft cloth to buff the area. Now the scratch is sealed and gone!

Note: This works best on light scratches. Removing deep gouges in wood requires different techniques.