We all fancy ourselves DIYers around here, but I can admit it: selecting a room color, I am happy to do. Choosing bathroom tile, can’t wait. But figuring out how much I need of any of it? Oy. No wonder I was so happy when Charles and Hudson tweeted about B&Q Online — it’s truly a wealth of resources for those who want to put a little more D in DIY — calculators on everything from how much paint you need to how many BTUs your radiator puts out, plus a whole slew of how-to guides and buying guides. Now I just have to decide what dormant project to tackle first… — Mary T.

As I write this, the ceiling in my micro-bedroom is fixing to fall in on my bed (eek!) due to some sudden water damage and it got me thinking about renter’s insurance. We rented an apartment in a very old building, so for me, buying insurance was as much about planning for the inevitable as it was for the unexpected, but the debate over its value seems to rage on among my peers. Some friends have used it to replace big ticket items after break-ins and thus sing its praises, and others argue that it’s just a scam, and that the odds that one will ever need it are slim. We entertained a similar debate on pet insuranceand the verdict seemed to favor putting money in savings over purchasing a policy. In my case, I paid less for my policy than it will cost to replace my bed if reality does come crashing down, so the gamble may be worth it, but tell me, do you have renter’s insurance? — Sarah C.

My side of town has the nickname “Rat City” for a reason. Needless to say, I’m really thankful for the large feral cats who live in my neighborhood. But what if I want to protect the homestead from pests without harming the sweet furry monsters I want living here? Thankfully, there’s Fresh Cab. Fresh Cab is an EPA -approved, natural, biodegradable, and, best of all NON-TOXIC rodent repellent. Instead of killing your unwanted rodents and forcing you to deal with the unpleasant after-effects, it uses corn cob chips and a particular blend of essential oils to naturally repel the rodents from your home, garage, or wherever you may need it. It almost sounds too good to be true, but their guarantee and testimonials on the site have me intrigued. Does anyone have some first-hand experience with the product before I take the plunge? — Megan B.

I was reading a story in New York Magazine, “The Urban Woodsman,” and found myself drawn to this gorgeous tool from the Tribeca, NYC-based Best Made Company. I immediately wanted one because of its sleek curves, bright color, and elegant “courage” stamp, but the price ($250) set me back. I’d love to hang it above our fireplace, but that seems silly — especially when there’s a tree in our backyard that my wife is convinced I cannot cut down by myself.

The Best Made Co. shapes and masks off the handle, “then we prime it and spray on multiple layers of high-quality graffiti paint.” High-quality graffiti paint?! Sorry, Best Made Co., you had me at “courage” but lost me at “graffiti paint.” (I do give them credit for out-sourcing the important part — the ax head — to a 100-year-old company in Maine, where they make the fine-grained steel heads by hand.)

I now find myself Googling “wood axe,” which strikes me as one of the most un-manly things I could be doing. I could pick up a simple, cheap axe from Lowe’s (Kobalt 3-1/2 Lb. Michigan Axe with Hickory Handle, $30). But I think the best compromise would be the Gransfors Bruks Scandinavian Forest Axe, $120.

It’s made by a small, Swedish family-operated company formed in 1902, and is as beautiful as the trendy one from Tribeca. And besides, I could always paint my own orange handle. Timber! — Chad H.

My goal was to spend less than $100 redoing our daughter’s room for her birthday. Since we weren’t replacing the bedding (Grandma made her a beautiful quilt with scraps from her mother-in-law’s quilt bag), the bed, or my college dresser, it seemed more than doable. In the end, I spent closer to $150:

- $80 for three gallons of Tinker Bell and Cabbage Green paint
- $45 for two Daisy drapery panels
- $2.39 for lime green grosgrain ribbon to make new ties for the panel
- $15.72 to redo a rescued chair

My daughter’s favorite part? It’s a tie between the quilt rack from her baby room that I repurposed as a curtain rod/shelf to hold my old Breyer horses, and the “Cinderella” storybook art by Fern Bisel Peat. Although the illustrations deserve to be in better frames, right now I’m sticking to my (revised) budget and using what I have. — Sarah L.

See more photos on Shelterrific’s Facebook page!

Related:
Easy DIY canopy bed
Memory pillow from your child’s sleeper
Big-girl bedroom, tiny budget
Cheap house makeover: the dining room

We came home from Christmas travels to find our water heater leaking from two places. That was not much of a Christmas present. The $20 water heater pan that caught all the water and emptied it into the floor drain and away from the carpet and storage closet? The best. We installed it after the hot water heater failed three months after we moved into this house. I’m not sure how practical it is to install one under an existing water heater, but if you are buying/building/replacing anyway/live with a plumber, it’s worth looking into. (In 14 years and two houses, we replaced a whopping four water heaters — make that five now — and only had the pan this last time.) Now that Sears has replaced our just barely-under-warranty heater, a hot bath is in order. If the soaps at Highland Soap are half as lovely as their site, it will have been worth the two-day wait. Almost. — Sarah L.

You loved Erica’s pot rack DIY and kept sending emails asking us to post the how-to already! We are happy to oblige, and we went straight to the source: Erica’s live-in handyman. Enjoy!

So far I’ve been asked to hang eight shelves, three storage cubes and one counter, so when Erica asked me to build her a pot rack, I can’t say I was surprised. I acted indifferently cool when the final product turned out so well, but on the inside I was beaming with pride over my creative prowess (which is the exception, not the rule). The kicker is that this pot rack is reproducible in almost any space using a number of variations on the basic components. Just follow these simple steps to create a quick and easy pot rack that will hang your cookware and support your ego. — Erica’s Handyman

What You’ll Need:
*Drill with 1/4″ bit
*2 Lag Eye Bolts 3/8″ X 4″
*2 Spring Snap Links 5/8″ (carabiner style)
*Broomstick
*Saw
*Sandpaper
*Shower Curtain Hooks

1. Drill 1/4″ pilot holes at the same vertical height into each side of your window frame.
2. Screw a lag eye bolt into each hole and hang the spring snap links from the lag eye bolts.
3. Measure and mark your broomstick at a point slightly smaller than the width of your window frame and saw it at the mark.
4. Sand the cut end until smooth, then hang the broomstick from the spring snap links.
5. Use shower curtain hooks to hang your pots and pans from the broomstick.

I’ve been on the search for the perfect coat rack for almost an entire year — something modern, sturdy, high capacity, and most importantly, affordable. Well, I finally found one that fits the bill at IKEA, but not where you’d expect. I spotted the Rationell Variera pot lid rack (designed for countertop use) for the bargain price of $4.99, and knew it would be my ideal solution.

But getting my pot-turned-coat rack on the wall took more work. After seeking guidance at the local mom-and-pop hardware store, I came home with a bag full of various brackets, bolts, screws and clamps, still not sure how it would come together. And after putting six huge anchor holes in the wall, I wasn’t sure it would even work at all.

But it was at that moment of despair when I had my “a-ha moment” — I took the galvanized pipe hanger strap I had purchased, unscrewed the posts on the rack, threaded the tape, cut it to fit, and re-attached the posts. Then it was as simple as drilling a few screws into the wall in a few spots to make sure it was well anchored. I love the result, and it cost a mere $7! — Megan B.

I’d been scouring Craigslist for a small desk for my daughter’s bedroom re-do, but after three months of no-go and a birthday deadline fast approaching, I changed my plans last garbage day. With my neighbor’s blessing, I snagged her chair from the curb. It took about two hours to scrub and vacuum it clean. Then I repaired the loose wicker on the front legs, gave it a coat of white primer, and finished with two cans of Krylon Watermelon. (Still not sure about the monogram I taped off in the diamond pattern on the back of the chair — I was going for funky but think now it might be fussy. Thoughts?) Click to read the rest — and see the chair as it looked before Sarah’s magic! (more…)

With woodpeckers looking for a warm place to spend the winter, now is when they’re most likely to damage homes — the yearly cost is in the millions. Our neighborhood is heavily wooded, so most of the houses have had some damage. Luckily, our trim remains intact, despite the fact that we do hear the occasional tapping. Although there are plenty of suggestions to ward off woodpeckers, from hanging pie plates or windchimes to “Scare Eye” balloons, we’re either lucky or George, the red-headed woodpecker figurine we hung up years ago, is working. (George was a gift made by a local crafter. I haven’t been able to find another, but there are many deterrents available, including a fake “attack spider.”) I also always stock a wire-mesh feeder with C&S Peanut Flavored Nuggets. Since woodpeckers are territorial (one theory behind why placing fake woodpeckers around your house might work), you won’t attract additional birds to your yard. Hopefully, you’ll just attract them away from your house and enjoy watching them, too! — Sarah L.