supply list
“Back To School” month would not be complete without a Supplies List! Repairs often show up like a pop quiz; picking up the necessary items in advance will have you prepared -Every home needs a handy kit of tools. If you don't know where to begin click the link in bio to find out more.
“get more done”
(Photo: Ferris Bueller's Day Off; Paramount Pictures)
Despite having over 2,000 physical locations in the U.S.; its the livestream workshops that make this famous retailer especially accessible -even from Wrigley Field!
Learn about improvement and repair techniques from wherever you are, while still being able to ask questions and engage with a Home Depot associate during your course. Find out more at the link in below.
bringing salvaged materials
back to the future
Salvaged materials can be your future home appliance, wood floor, kitchen cabinets, you name it! This Portland, OR center not only boasts a 30,000 square foot store of building materials but offers comprehensive classes in woodworking and home repairs. Find out where at the link in below.
Back To The Future, Universal Studios
don’t hate me because I’m knowledgeable
No need to be mean when you're learning important skills. Share the wealth. That's exactly what this Twin Cities workshop offers at their "Station Learning" workshops. Participants rotate through interactive stations and gain practical experience in a variety of home maintenance areas. They will even provide lunch. Pink attire not required. Learn more at the link below.
Clueless, Paramount Pictures
You don’t have to remain Clueless about home maintenance. If you are a Charlotte, North Carolina resident you may already know this non profit organization that has been rebuilding local communities for the last 15 years, but did you also know that Home Maintenance Workshops are a service they provide? Click on the link in below to find out more and register for upcoming courses!
“Maybe you’ve had your home for years. Maybe you just bought it.”
Photo Good Will Hunting, Miramax
Celebrating 'Back To School' all September! This next maintenance workshop destination hails from the home of Will Hunting and has been a community resource teaching hands-on home-improvement skills, helping homeowners take on everyday repairs. And they’ve been around a wicked long time! Click the link in below to find out the story of Boston Building Resources and more about their upcoming workshops.
Start Your Next Adventure
“summer camp for adults”
Those eager for home maintenance knowledge AND an escape to nature can have both at Wild Abundance’s “Handy Homeowner Bootcamp” which the non profit’s site describes as “Our five-day home improvement classes will help you become handy around the house with renovations, repairs, and day-to-day maintenance”.
Located in the Shaconage Mountains roughly 50 miles from Asheville, NC the organization caters to anyone interested in nature and building in this ‘summer camp for adults’. Find out more at the link below:
Photo: Grease, Paramount Pictures
September is…
Photo: Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods, Legally Blonde MGM Studios 2001
September is Back To School month! Featuring classrooms around the country that help homeowners tackle overall maintenance, repairs and DIY projects. It’s the time of year for inspiration, fresh starts and new accomplishments! Kicking off Trade Worx in Virginia. An organization that has incorporated “She Owns It”, a series of home repair workshops exclusively for women. Find out more about available classes and schedules at their site. See the link below.
its 3am…
Cue smoke detector low battery chirp. Always when you least expect it -typically at 3am. Get ahead of the game with all you need to know about changing the batteries and the detector itself, no matter what kind you have of smoke detector you have. Learn more at the link below.
changes big and small
Photo: Photography by Dean Hearne, bathroom of Tom Cox of HÁM Interiors 17th Century Farmhouse Devon Valley
Start here
Tackling just about any bathroom project or even addressing a minor tap leak, requires knowing where to find -and how to shut off the main water valve. Show of hands, would you be able to confidently complete this crucial step right now? If not, discover more at the tab below.
Start Your Next Adventure in stripping
New to weatherstripping? Its all covered in the link below including a 90 second intro video here to make this topic slightly less dull.
panel envy is real
An electrical panel that's so beautiful it belongs in a frame. If you are like many homeowners who inherited the undecipherable scribble of the previous owner and can't make heads or tails of which switches connect to which outlets, then you can especially appreciate that clear labels matter. Knowing the correct switches is key when performing any repairs or in case of emergency. Fortunately, electrical panel mapping services are available via trained electricians, but you can also learn how to label your circuit breaker at the link below.
do americans have a beauty problem?
When this iconic photo was taken by Herb Ritts of the "Supermodels" in 1989 'Beauty Products' as a mainstream contributor of debt was not even registered. Today, Americans spend more than ever on beauty products and services and according to Lendingtree, more than a third of those surveyed regret OVERSPENDING in these areas. Don't fall into the perfection trap. You CAN be your gorgeous self and share some love -and FUNDS with your home maintenance needs too -and it will pay you back. Are you prioritizing your multi-step skincare routine over your home? Find out just what we are paying to stay beautiful at the link below.
looking for lost change to put toward my anual home mainTENANCE budget
Sources say you should set aside 1% to 2% of what your home is worth for maintenance every year; but did you know that where you live greatly influences what those costs will be? Learn more about setting up your annual home maintenance budget at the link below.
(Photo: Photographer Phil Dunlop Harper’s Bazaar May 2023)
How I sleep after cleaning my dryer vent and preventing a fire hazard.
"Lint-filled dryer vents cause over 15,000 fires per year" cited by the National Center for Healthy Housing is a statistic I feel lucky to have NOT contributed to. Up until recently I had always thought I was doing my part to keep my drier safe by taking lint off the lint screen alone! Fortunately, this potentially lifesaving task of cleaning your dryer VENT is easy. Find out how at the link below.
(Photo: Audrey Hepburn stars as Holly Golightly in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Paramount Pictures)
sharp blades are tlc for your lawn.
Who knew that sharp mower blades are a regular part of lawn care? I seriously thought this was something for only hardcore lawn geeks -those guys with instructions in their will about being buried with their mower. Come to find that dull blades can result in a host of problems from ugly grass to lawn diseases. The great news is sharpening the blades yourself is easy! Learn how at the link.
(Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight, Collina Strada Spring 2025)
Did you know you can clean your home's siding the same way you clean dishes?
I sure AF did not know this.
Not only is Dawn soap ideal for cleaning your siding but no special equipment is needed, just a garden hose, a soft bristled scrubbing brush and you have one of the cheapest ways to maintain your home's exterior. Done once a year can also help prevent permanent stains on your siding.
Find out more at the link BELOW
(photo: Gwyneth Paltrow and her Chanel)
You need to replace your furnace filter year round!?
I had no idea summer is a good time to do something related to the furnace. Seriously WTF.
Luckily changing your filter is a simple home maintenance task.