Weekend round up

Yourhomers are pretty confident in their ability to discern between jobs that are DIY and those that should be done for you, according to last week's poll. The majority, 70 per cent, said they can judge their handy-guy or gal abilities, while just over a third - 33 per cent - said they may make a mistake or two. Read the full article.

This week, with the official start of spring (and all that lovely sunshine yesterday), I'm looking to my backyard and dreaming of lazy Sunday morning brunches and barbecues. So, I'm wondering how many of you are planning to extend your living spaces into your yards this spring - check out tips for creating your own outdoor rooms from HGTV host Jamie Durie, and let me know in the front page poll. 

For more weekend reading, check out:

- Colin and Justin share their tips for saving money on renos

- Mark Cullen's new gardening column (and don't forget about Canada Blooms this weekend)

- 5 home decor must-haves for spring

- Trends that lacked staying power

- Hot Home Product's round up of chic, repurposed decor

- Toronto's real estate talents are world class

Tip: Bust clutter this weekend

On any given day, I walk through my living and dining room at least 20 times. On weekends, the number of trips up and down the stairs is easily doubled or tripled.

And, in addition to the extra exercise, it's also a great opportunity to clear up all the clutter that tends to accumulate during the week.

Each time I walk through a room, I try to grab one item that's out of place. So mail that was left on the coffee table, a book that should be re-shelved, any number of headphones and flash drives that ought to be in the office, all, slowly, return to their proper homes.

As I return each item to the room where it belongs, I also try to grab something that's out of place in that spot. For example, if I'm taking a book down to the basement when I go to watch TV, my next trip upstairs will likely include a water glass that had been forgotten on the side table, and so on.

And, because I'm doing it on the way to do something else, I don't feel like I've spent the whole day cleaning - but still get those clear surfaces I so desperately crave. 

Read more tips from "Make life easier" March (and please share your own tips in the comments, too!)

- Speed wallpaper removal

- Remove stickers and price tags

- Keep your bathroom mirror from fogging up

- Cut down on painting cleanup

- Banish tea (or coffee) stained mugs

- Quiet that dripping faucet

- Make sure your furniture fits before you buy

- Don't let your paint can drip on the floor

- Why every tool box should include nail polish

- Check those smoke alarms

- Whip that closet into shape

- Remove red wine stains

- Silence squeaks

Tip: Silence squeaks

Squeaky doors and floors are one of those minor annoyances most homeowners try to live with.

Over time, however, the noise of opening that bathroom door (or walking on the third stair from the top), starts to take on a "nails on a chalkboard" feel.

While the surest way to stop the squeaks is replacement and repair, that can get awfully costly. 

To soothe your ears at least temporarily, try a little baby powder.

When the noise is the result of two surfaces rubbing together - like squeaky hinges or wood on wood - applying a thin layer of baby powder to the crevices or hinges can silence it.

Re-apply when the squeaks start returning, and be sure to clean up any excess powder from the floor to prevent slips (and those questions about why there's white powder all over your house).

Read more tips from "Make life easier" March (and please share your own tips in the comments, too!)

- Speed wallpaper removal

- Remove stickers and price tags

- Keep your bathroom mirror from fogging up

- Cut down on painting cleanup

- Banish tea (or coffee) stained mugs

- Quiet that dripping faucet

- Make sure your furniture fits before you buy

- Don't let your paint can drip on the floor

- Why every tool box should include nail polish

- Check those smoke alarms

- Whip that closet into shape

- Remove red wine stains

(SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO)

Tip: Remove red wine stains

It is St. Patrick's Day, so tastes may be running more to green beer than red wine, but, in light of all tonight's celebrations, I figured it was a good time to share a stain-removal trick.

(Plus, I still haven't learned the perfect way to banish those green beer stains.)

Whether it's one glass too many or a spilly guest and your favourite tablecloth, it's always wise to act fast when red wine spills.

I like the method recommended by Electrolux, which starts with covering the spot with table salt to absorb the wine.

Next, pre-wash by hand with dish washing liquid, followed by a regular wash according to the care label. The stain should be gone!

You can also try removing red wine stains with a small amount of white wine - a tip I've been told many times, but have yet to try.

Read more tips from "Make life easier" March (and please share your own tips in the comments, too!)

- Speed wallpaper removal

- Remove stickers and price tags

- Keep your bathroom mirror from fogging up

- Cut down on painting cleanup

- Banish tea (or coffee) stained mugs

- Quiet that dripping faucet

- Make sure your furniture fits before you buy

- Don't let your paint can drip on the floor

- Why every tool box should include nail polish

- Check those smoke alarms

- Whip that closet into shape

(SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO)

Tip: Whip your closet into shape

This sunny day has me thinking about spring, and rescuing summery frocks and t-shirts from winter storage.

Despite having just purchased a new fleet of hangers to be deployed in my closet for this purpose, I still find my closet a smidge crammed when both my winter and summer wardrobes are forced to co-exist.

Luckily, I like getting organized. Purging outdated, ill fitting and questionable finds is easy enough, but pieces that tend to languish in the back of my drawers is tougher. You know, that shirt/skirt/pair of pants that every season you 're-discover' and think, while you may have forgotten about it, you'll most certainly wear it this time round?

That's where this tip from professional organizers comes in handy: At the beginning of the season, make sure all your hangers are facing the same way. As you wear each item, turn the hanger to face the other direction. By the end of the season, you'll be able to tell which pieces weren't touched - and then can donate them to a new home where they will be appreciated, leaving you more space for clothes you will wear!

In the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that I can never pull this trick off in my own closet. I can't stand having my clothes or hangers facing different directions! So, I'm going to try to adapt it with a piece of ribbon or string - same effect, while maintaining the uniform look I crave when I open my closet every morning.

Read more tips from "Make life easier" March (and please share your own tips in the comments, too!)

- Speed wallpaper removal

- Remove stickers and price tags

- Keep your bathroom mirror from fogging up

- Cut down on painting cleanup

- Banish tea (or coffee) stained mugs

- Quiet that dripping faucet

- Make sure your furniture fits before you buy

- Don't let your paint can drip on the floor

- Why every tool box should include nail polish

- Check those smoke alarms

(SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO)

Tip: Check those smoke alarms

OK, so maybe this is more of a reminder than a tip, but I still think it bears repeating. With yesterday's time change we may all still be feeling a bit sluggish, but checking your smoke detectors is a really good habit to get into when you're changing your clocks.

So, yesterday morning, armed with a wooden spoon - it's the perfect length to reach those high up alarms and I wasn't dragging out the ladder unless I needed to actually change the batteries! - I hit all of my test buttons.

One was very loud. The other two, however, needed their batteries replaced, so it was well worth giving up 10 minutes of my time for peace of mind until we "fall back" in the autumn.

Read more tips from "Make life easier" March (and please share your own tips in the comments, too!)

- Speed wallpaper removal

- Remove stickers and price tags

- Keep your bathroom mirror from fogging up

- Cut down on painting cleanup

- Banish tea (or coffee) stained mugs

- Quiet that dripping faucet

- Make sure your furniture fits before you buy

- Don't let your paint can drip on the floor

- Why every tool box should include nail polish

Weekend round-up

The majority of Yourhomers would have liked to see the Home Renovation Tax Credit renewed in the federal budget, according to last week's poll. (Read the full story)

Eighty-two per cent of those who voted said they hoped to see the HRTC continue, while 18 per cent responded in the negative.

This week, we're looking at your handyperson skills. Do you know when things are DIY friendly and when they should be DFY - done for you? Read the full story, then share your thoughts in the front page poll.

For more weekend reading, check out:

Our Canada Blooms special section

Colin and Justin take it to the bedroom

Bang for Your Buck's reno advice

Mark Cullen on why Canada Blooms is the 'greatest show on earth'

Catch up on 'Make life easier March'

Check out our new series on designing for life's changes

Tips: Why every toolbox should include nailpolish

A perfect manicure and a weekend renovating your kitchen may not seem like a match made in heaven.

But, stick with me, cause nail polish can be super helpful for projects around the house. 

For starters, putting a drop or two of clear nail polish into a hole before you finish tightening the screw will help prevent screws from coming loose. 

You can also use a thin coat to keep nuts and bolts from loosening - and, if you need to remove it later, a little twist with a wrench (or pry with a screwdriver) will break the seal.

It can even help you keep track of tiny screws: a little dab and a second to dry will keep them stuck to the end of your screwdriver until they've safely reached their destination.

And, don't you just hate those rusty rings cans leave on your sink and shelves? Nail polish can banish those too - a clear coat over the bottom of the can will protect it from water, and keep it from rusting. (Check out more uses for nail polish on eHow).

Read more tips from "Make life easier" March (and please share your own tips in the comments, too!)

- Speed wallpaper removal

- Remove stickers and price tags

- Keep your bathroom mirror from fogging up

- Cut down on painting cleanup

- Banish tea (or coffee) stained mugs

- Quiet that dripping faucet

- Make sure your furniture fits before you buy

- Don't let your paint can drip on the floor

(SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO)

Tip: Don't let your paint can drip on your floor

This is one of those tips that make you wonder, 'Why didn't I think of that before?'

No matter how carefully I lay drop clothes and prep my painting area, I always manage to get a few droplets on the floor from the brush or can.

(Bonus tip: If you're using latex paint, those drops can be carefully removed with a razor blade, and no one will ever be the wiser.)

A paper plate is the secret to stopping the mess.

Grab a plate that's a little bigger than your can (at least an inch larger), add a dab of glue in the centre, and plunk your paint can down on top of it. No more drips! Plus, thanks to the glue, it will stay put when you're pouring or moving the can.

Read more tips from "Make life easier" March (and please share your own tips in the comments, too!)

- Speed wallpaper removal

- Remove stickers and price tags

- Keep your bathroom mirror from fogging up

- Cut down on painting cleanup

- Banish tea (or coffee) stained mugs

- Quiet that dripping faucet

- Make sure your furniture fits before you buy

(SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO)

Tip: Make sure the furniture fits before you buy

There's nothing worse than bringing home that stylish new must-have piece or sweet Craigslist score only to find it's way out of scale for your room.

It doesn't matter how pretty that table is, if you have to squeeze sideways to pass through your dining room, it's not working for your space.

To avoid that "my sofa ate my living room" look, I always turn to this tip from designer friends: measure and plot it out too.

A measuring tape will help you figure out that, yes, in fact it will fit through the door, but mapping it out on the floor with painter's tape (which can be easily removed without doing any harm to your carpet or hardwood) will help you actually see how it looks in the room, and how much floor space you'll lose to the footprint.

This is also a great trick when you're rearranging furniture, so you can test out your new room's configurations and flow before giving your muscles a workout moving that table 11 times. 

Read more tips from "Make life easier" March (and please share your own tips in the comments, too!)

- Speed wallpaper removal

- Remove stickers and price tags

- Keep your bathroom mirror from fogging up

- Cut down on painting cleanup

- Banish tea (or coffee) stained mugs

- Quiet that dripping faucet

(SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO)