DIY & Home Improvement Reviews
Tools, fixtures, and products tested on real projects. No spec sheet reviews — just what actually works when you're the one doing the job.
Everything here comes out of projects at my own house: hanging curtain rods on 12-foot walls, mounting TVs on drywall with lag bolts, installing Rubbermaid FastTrack in two garages, clearing invasive vines off the trees, and sweeping a yard full of roofing nails. The how-to guides walk through the exact steps and the mistakes I made, with my own photos. The "best of" roundups rank the products I'd buy for the job and link to the Amazon listing so you can check the current price and reviews.
If you have a project in front of you, start with the how-tos. If you're shopping for a tool, start with the roundups — the top pick is always the one I'd buy first.
-
How I Sharpen My Chainsaw Chain With a Rotary Sharpener (Stihl MS 251)
How I sharpen my Stihl MS 251 chain with a rotary sharpener: stone size and angle from the chain box, the tension check, and when to just buy a new chain.
-
How to Winterize Gas Yard Tools (Trimmer, Blower, Pressure Washer)
Putting gas yard tools away for winter: run the two-strokes dry, drain the pressure washer (pump saver if it freezes), and hang everything — 30 minutes total.
-
How to Winterize Outdoor Faucets (Covers, Quick-Connects, 5 Minutes a Spigot)
Winterizing outdoor faucets in 5 minutes per spigot: disconnect the hose (quick-connects help), drain it, and put a foam cover on before the first freeze.
-
Dealing With a Yard Full of Leaves: Blower, Mulcher, or Walk-Behind Leaf Vacuum?
What handles a yard full of leaves: rake and tarp, handheld blower-vac, walk-behind leaf vacuum, or tow-behind — from a quarter acre under two poplars.
-
How to Lubricate a Garage Door (Stop the Squeak in 10 Minutes)
How I lubricate my garage door: silicone spray on every hinge, roller bearing, and spring — never the track — and which cans actually work.
-
How to Seal Garage Gaps with Expanding Foam (One Can, One Afternoon)
Sealing garage air leaks with a can of Great Stuff: find the daylight gaps around the door frame and sill, fill them half-full, and let the foam do the rest.
-
How to Winterize a Lawn Mower (Stabilize the Gas, Change the Oil, Store It Right)
How I put the mower away for winter: run the carb dry on the last mow (or stabilize a full tank), change the oil in fall, scrape the deck, fog the cylinder.
-
How to Sharpen a Lawn Mower Blade with an Angle Grinder (Remove, Sharpen, Balance, Reinstall)
Mower blade sharpening with an angle grinder and flap disc, step by step: get the blade off, hold the bevel, keep the steel cool, balance it, bolt it back on.
-
How to Hang Curtains on Tall Walls — Step-by-Step With a Laser Level (2026)
12-foot ceilings, 98-inch curtains: how I hung the rods with a laser level, which screw-in drywall anchors held, and the pre-drill step that prevents cracks.
-
How to Install Rubbermaid FastTrack — Real Install Walk-Through (2026)
Rubbermaid FastTrack installed in two garages: the step-by-step method, which screws to use (lag bolts won't fit), laser-level layout, and mistakes to avoid.
-
How to Mount a TV on Drywall — Real Install With Lag Bolts (2026)
Three TVs, one mount, lag bolts: the step-by-step method for drywall, which fasteners to use, why anchors aren't enough, and what cracks drywall.
-
Lawn Mower Seasonal Maintenance — Cub Cadet SRC621 Walkthrough (2026)
Spring service on my Cub Cadet SRC621 — oil, air filter, spark plug, blade. The routine, the tools that make it easy, and what to check so it starts first pull.
-
How to Remove Vines from Trees — Step-by-Step Guide (2026)
Vines slowly kill trees. How I cleared invasive vines from our property, step by step — the tools that worked, what to put on the stumps, and poison ivy.
-
Best Drywall Anchors — From Picture Frames to TV Mounts (Ranked by Strength)
From plastic anchors to toggle bolts to lag bolts into studs, here's every type of drywall anchor ranked by strength, using Family Handyman's published pull-test data.
-
Best Laser Level for Hanging Pictures — Why I Love My DeWalt (But You Probably Don't Need One This Expensive)
I use a DeWalt DW0822CG for everything from hanging pictures to decks. Why a self-leveling laser level is worth it — and why you can spend less than I did.
-
Best Oscillating Multi-Tool — Why This Is the One Power Tool Every Homeowner Needs
The DeWalt 20V oscillating multi-tool is the tool I reach for most — cutting drywall, scraping grout, flush cuts — plus the blades you actually need.
-
Best Garage Wall Storage System — 7 Years With the Rubbermaid FastTrack (2026)
I've used the Rubbermaid FastTrack rail system for 7 years across 2 houses. Here's why it's the best garage wall storage system and how to set it up.
-
Best Magnetic Sweeper — I Stepped on a Nail and Fixed the Problem for Good
I stepped on a nail in my own yard and fixed the problem for good: a rolling magnetic sweeper cleared years of roofing and deck nails in one afternoon.
-
Best Shop Vacuum for Home Projects (2026)
After years with a RIDGID shop vac through a full basement renovation, here's what I recommend — plus the DIY vacuum attachment that changed everything.