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For a lot of us, doing laundry isn’t our favorite pastime. And sorting laundry just adds one more step to a task we might already dread. But when you learn how to sort laundry the right way, it becomes easier and faster, and you’ll see the results in brighter, cleaner clothes and washables. Plus, clothes that are well-cared for in the laundry room last longer. So proper sorting can buy you lots of extra miles in those beloved jeans, sweaters or t-shirts....

If you’re tech-savvy at all, you understand the frustration of manually controlling outdoor electronics and gear. Turning everything on by hand while battling mosquitos, rain and heat isn’t exactly convenient, and it’s 2022, after all! Don’t you wish there was a way to control all your outdoor devices from your smartphone? Good news! You can! The Kasa outdoor smart plug is a lifesaver for anyone looking to take their smart home outdoors without the hassle of complicated setup....

Although each of the 100,000 known mold species are vital to their natural ecosystems, mold in your house is never a good thing. Not only does it demonstrate poor indoor air quality and excessive moisture, but some molds can be dangerous to human health, too. Learn about a group of molds called Chaetomium, how and why they grow, and how to eliminate them. What Is Chaetomium Mold? Chaetomium is a genus of dark-walled molds with 95 known species....

Anyone who has experienced a dead battery in a traditional gas-powered car in winter knows cold weather is tough on batteries. Imagine, then, what a winter challenge a fully electric vehicle (EV) — one that relies completely on batteries — presents. A 2019 AAA study evaluating the effects of ambient temperatures on the driving range of five electric vehicles found that when temperatures dipped from 75 degrees F to 20 F, driving range decreased by 12 percent....

By the way, here are more tips for selling your stuff online. What is Facebook Marketplace? Much like Mark Zuckerberg’s original idea to start Facebook for the purpose of connecting college students virtually, Facebook Marketplace seeks to provide a place for locals to connect over items they wish to buy, sell and trade. “We started [Marketplace] because we saw people were doing it,” says Facebook VP of marketplace, Deborah Liu, referencing the growing trend of people using Groups on the social media platform to organize sales....

Brakes are one of your car’s most essential safety systems. Fortunately, most brake noises are considered normal and do not indicate a problem. But if you notice excessive grinding or squeaking when braking, it’s time to let a trusted mechanic check your vehicle. Constant or strange brake noise can be a sign that your brake hardware simply needs to be lubricated, or it can be a warning that brake system components are wearing out or need servicing....

Working out at home has never been easier, thanks to YouTube videos and workout apps. But what about exercise equipment? You might not need as much as you think. Just a simple set of DIY free weights will have you feeling the burn from the comfort of your home. And the best part is, you don’t necessarily have to buy anything! Here are our favorite DIY free weights using a few household items you probably already have on hand....

Photo: Courtesy of Little Green Notebook Cerusing wood is a centuries-old technique for adding flair to wood finish. Originally developed in the 1500s, it was popular among Art Deco artisans, and also in the 1950s. It’s a technique currently enjoying a renaissance among artisans and DIYers, who love the ease of the application and the antiqued look of the finished product. If you want to add a dynamic design element to your projects, give cerusing a try!...

Woodpeckers help and hurt trees. They help by devouring insects that injure trees, including ants, caterpillars and borers. They hurt trees because their pecking damages tree bark, leaving possible points of entry for disease. If the woodpecker pecking is extensive — for instance, wrapping entirely around a stem — it can girdle part of the tree, cutting off the flow of sap and killing the portion above the damage. Plus, birds have a habit of building nests in inconvenient places....

Eric Glenn/Shutterstock Kirkland Signature, the private label brand name introduced by Costco in 1992, is so named after Costco’s corporate headquarters, Kirkland, Washington. Costco uses the Kirkland Signature brand on clothing and food, sporting goods, beauty products, paper goods, supplements and organic products like grass-fed beef and wild-caught salmon. Kirkland’s, Inc. on the other hand, is a U. S. retail chain that sells home decor, furniture, textiles, accessories and gifts. There are 434 stores in 37 states as well as an e-commerce website....

Making an Informed Patio Heater Decision The advent of cooler weather often means we abandon our patios and other outdoor living spaces in favor of cozy indoor spaces. But with an outdoor patio heater, you can turn your spring and summer entertainment areas into year-round outdoor venues for dining, socializing and family fun. Why Buy a Patio Heater? If you’ve ever been to a restaurant and sat outside in chilly weather, you probably benefited from an outdoor patio heater....

Now that our editorial and creative teams at Family Handyman have completed work on the Getaway, a vacation cabin in the woods of Northern Wisconsin, we wanted to share with you some of the early renderings of what they imagined the modern structure to look like. Spoiler alert: This is no spoiler! These iterations reflect the design process our teams went through as they navigated the Getaway project. They’ll give you an idea of what the team’s sense of style and design considerations were as the project progressed....

Before sandpaper, people used shark skin, rough horsetail and other natural abrasives to smooth and polish. The earliest version of sandpaper, developed in 13th-century China, combined sand with shells and seeds bonded to parchment. Here in the 21st century, while sandpaper is essential for home improvement and woodworking projects, most of it is not made from sand or paper! You’ll need sandpaper if you’re smoothing and shaping wood, removing paint or stains or polishing finishes on wood or metal....

Why It’s Important to Winterize Windows The most obvious reason for winterizing your windows is to stay warm. Drafty windows let in the cold air, and that can make your favorite corner or even your entire house uncomfortably chilly. On This Page There’s an added benefit of energy efficiency. Your furnace is going to be working overtime to hit its mark on the thermostat if it has to battle a constant inflow of cold air from the windows....

For about $30, you can fortify your bar clamp arsenal with these mighty tools. These clamps apply pressure horizontally as well as vertically, so the joint edges are wedged tightly together and stay level. To make the clamps, drill 3/8-in. holes (spaced 1 to 1-1/2 in.) along 5-ft. hard maple 2x2s. Then cut two 3/4-in. x 8-in., 20-degree tapered wedges for each clamp. At the hardware store, buy six 5-1/2 in....

Sneksy/Getty Images The National Association of Home Builders’ second annual Young Professionals Week begins on Oct. 12. The week will feature free webinars and presentations meant to highlight life as a young professional in the home building industry. According to a statement on the NAHB web site, “The future leaders of NAHB and the home building industry are young professionals right now. It is critical that they know about the fantastic business tools offered to them by NAHB and their local HBAs (Home Builders Associations)....

We’ve all been annoyed by a tripped circuit breaker at one point in our lives. Whether you’re getting ready for a night out or cooking dinner on a major holiday, it usually happens at the worst possible time. Before you reset the breaker and hope for the best, it’s a good idea to understand what these devices do and why they are so crucial for electrical safety. Circuit breakers protect electrical circuits by cutting off the flow of electricity when they detect too much current on the circuit....

Fire pit grills combine the enjoyment of a backyard fire with the efficiency of an outdoor grill. Some fire pits are designed with cooking in mind, but you can also upgrade your existing fire pit. Sounds like fun, right? What is a Fire Pit Grill? In its most basic form, a fire pit grill is a fire pit with a cooking surface. This can be as straightforward as setting a grill grate on top of a fire ring, or as intricate as a system of cooking surfaces and accessories....

Cordless tools have changed the way people work, providing convenience and efficiency without sacrificing the power of corded tools. If you’re tired of pulling out extension cords for every project and having a cumbersome cord in the way as you work, it might be time to ditch your old tools for their battery-powered counterparts. This week on Deals We Love we’re showcasing two sets of cordless hand tools that could seriously upgrade your tool box with discounted prices that won’t break the bank....

Toilets can seem complicated to the average DIYer, and installing them doubly so. But if you know a little about how toilets work and can use a few common tools, installing a toilet on your own can be a simple project. Here are the tools and materials you’ll need: New wax ring; New supply line; Two flange bolts; Kitchen and bathroom caulk; Wrench; Pliers; Screwdriver; Two extra sets of washers and nuts....