The average person may just see a rubber band, a bucket, and a piece of PVC, but a DIYer see’s all different kinds of possibilities for using everyday items for useful tasks.
Spray-Clean Roller
Spin most of the excess paint off your roller sleeve by holding the roller frame inside a bucket and hitting it with a nozzle garden hose. In seconds it’ll be nearly paint free. You’ll still have to use soap and water to finish, but this’ll give you a huge head start.
Say Goodbye To Rusty Tools
When you change the oil in your lawn mower, here’s a great way to reuse some of it. Pour a quart or so into a 5-gallon bucket filled with sand. Now store your garden tools in it. This keeps them rust free and ready for use. — Gary Snell
On-the-Level Tool Bucket
To keep gutter debris bucket from sliding off the roof, drill an angled 4×4 block into the underside of the bucket. Then staple a rubber mat underneath to make everything stay put.
Got a Problem With Buckets Sticking Together?
Stacked 5-gallon buckets fit together so tightly that it’s almost impossible to pull them apart. Prevent the problem by placing a large plastic pop bottle (with top on) or milk jug between each pair of buckets. You can still nest the buckets together, but they won’t stick together anymore.
Cutting PVC Pipe An Easier Way
Here’s a nifty way to cut PVC pipe on the fly. Just make a couple of notches in the top of a 5-gallon bucket. Set the pipe in the notches and you’ve got a stable spot for sawing. As a bonus, you can load up the bucket and carry your tools along, too!
No-Rattle Ceiling Fan
If the screws that hold the light globe to your ceiling fan tend to work loose and then hum or rattle, slip a wide rubber band around the neck of the globe where the screws grip it. The rubber band prevents the screws from loosening, dampens any noise and protects the globe from overzealous screw tighteners.
This next one is one I have been doing this past year, and it really works:
Handy Bench and Tool Bucket
A 5-gallon bucket comes in handy out in the garden and not just for collecting weeds. You can load it up with all your gardening tools and carry them easily from place to place. If it starts to rain, protect the tools with the lid. But here’s the best part—the bucket doubles as a portable stool when you need to rest or do some pruning. The only problem is that the lid can be hard to pry off. Solve that by cutting off all but two of the plastic tabs. The lid will go on and off in a snap. — Julie Abbott
DIY Dog Feeder
Make a tough, self-filling dog feeder from a couple of 5-gal. buckets. With a saber saw, cut the bottom off one bucket to create a serving tray, and cut a food dispensing hole in the food storage bucket (as shown). Cut part of the lip off the bottom of the food storage bucket to flatten it, then use silicone to glue the two pieces together.
PS….don’t use this idea if your pet doesn’t have any self control….wouldn’t work for my Diesel.
This next one is one I have been using for years. You can also do this with a piece of hose:
Paper Tube Saw Guard
Here’s an inexpensive way to protect your fingers and the blade of your bow saw. Slip an empty gift wrap paper tube over the blade. Just slit the tube lengthwise and slide it on.
Mulch Unloading
If you drive a pickup truck, when you buy mulch in bulk it gets dumped into the bed of your truck with a front-end loader. You could shovel the mulch out onto your driveway and haul it from there to where you needed it. But this is a much easier method. Load the pickup bed with 5-gallon plastic buckets and have the mulch dumped into the truck as usual. Then use a rake to even out the load so every container is filled up. When it’s time to unload, do it one bucket at a time and dump the mulch exactly where you want it. Store the buckets in the garage, and use them throughout the year for all sorts of projects.
I just love this next one! It’s such an easy idea for dining problems:
Fast, Inexpensive Table
Aunt Edna just called to tell you she’s coming for the holidays (and bringing some nice people she met hanging around the bus station). Trouble is, you don’t have enough table space. Don’t worry; just run to the home center and get a 10-ft. length of 3-in. PVC pipe, four 3-in. toilet flanges and a hollow-core door. Hollow-core ‘slabs’ are 80 in. long and available from 28 to 36 in. wide. Cut the PVC to make legs and assemble the table as shown. And then check out our tips for finishing a table top. It’s not a masterpiece, but under a tablecloth it looks fine. Plus it’s lightweight and easy to disassemble and store until next year.
Just remember that hollow-core doors aren’t very strong; don’t sit or stand on the table.
Accessorize Your Mower
If you keep a few tools handy while you mow, you can deal with stray weeds as you notice them—no need to hunt for them later. Short sections of PVC pipe taped to the mower’s handle will hold tools and other necessities.
Wrench Caddy
Organize your wrenches in your toolbox by stringing them onto a large, bright colored carabiner. It will keep your wrenches together and make them portable and easy to spot.
Organizer For Fishing Rods
We got sick and tired of our fishing rods getting tangled, so we came up with this easy fishing rod organizer. All you need is a length of 3-in.-diameter PVC pipe and a foam swimming pool noodle.Drill 1-in. holes spaced every 4 in. in the PVC pipe. Use a utility knife to cut slits in the foam noodle, spacing them 4 in. apart. Line up the pool noodle on the wall so that at least two of the slits sit over studs. Pull those slits apart, slide in a fender washer, and screw the noodle to the wall with 2-in. screws. Then screw the PVC pipe to the wall beneath it at a comfortable height and insert your fishing rods. Look Ma, no more tangles!
No-Latch (or Hands-Free) Door Trick
Need to go in and out of the same door a bunch of times while carrying stuff? Tough to do when the door keeps latching shut. To keep that from happening, take a rubber band and loop it around one door knob or handle. Then, twist the rubber band once and then loop it around the other knob. The rubber band holds the latch down, preventing the door from latching shut. Now if the door closes, you can push it back open with your body even if your hands are full.
Double-Lid Cord Reel
Make this handy cord reel using extra bucket lids. Cut a 5-in. length of 4×4 and then cut a groove in the side the same width as your cord. Fasten the lids to the 4×4 with 1/4 x 2-in. lag screws. Make handles from an old 1-1/8 in. diameter broom handle and drill a 1/2-in. hole through the center. Fasten the crank to the lid with bolts, nuts and washers, and apply Loctite sealant to the end nut. Fasten the handle to the 4×4 through the lid with a 6-1/2 in. lag screw. Just insert your cord and reel it in.
Keep the Tape Rolling
Slip a rubber band over the ‘ears’ of your packing tape dispenser as shown to keep the end of the tape from falling through the slot and then back onto the roll. The tape won’t stick to the rubber, so you’ll always be ready to roll.
Love this next one!
PVC Curling Iron Holsters
Hate the messy look of curling irons lying on the vanity or the toilet tank? Here’s a tip for you. Use hook-and-loop tape to attach 5-in. lengths of 2-in.- diameter PVC pipe to the vanity door to hold the curling irons. Do the same thing with 3-in. pieces of 1-1/2-in.-diameter pipe to hold the cords. Just measure your curling irons to see how long your “holsters” need to be. Let your curling irons cool before you stow them away.
So, did you see an idea you would like to try??? I would love to hear your little DIY hacks!
Remember to enter this months giveaway:
kelleysdiy 
Awesome tips!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just came up with a good one, an original…A MacGyver little hack that is very useful. I should post it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes you should!
LikeLiked by 1 person
loved all your tips, specially the crib and the roller cleaning
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s so great! I’m so glad you love!!!
LikeLike
Great ideas!
LikeLike
I use those empty paint pails to restore electrical tools and another one for the small gardening tools.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awesome ideas Arlene!
LikeLiked by 1 person
As usual, great tips 👍👍👍
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! Were any useful to you?❤️️☺️
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love all of these ideas. All new ideas for me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so glad you liked the ideas Liz! These are some really great hacks!❤️️☺️
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll by trying one of those DIY dog feeders!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s pretty great, and easy too! It makes me so happy to hear when someone finds an idea useful! Have a great Monday! ❤️️☺️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for sharing this 🙂 I got my packaging tape and buck saw taken care of 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awesome!! I am so happy you could use a couple of these ideas! Thank you !❤️️☺️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Again – so many great ideas. I never thought of putting curling irons and hair dryers on the inside of the cabinet drawer but what a space saver!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am so happy you found one of the ideas useful. Thank you so much for being such a loyal reader! ❤️️☺️
LikeLike
Yes..
How to keep the tools rust free, this is much needed & I think most of us need some hacks to keep the tools rust free..
Cutting PVC pipe in easy way, I liked it’s trick.
And this is most common which I face daily- about doors 😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the tool one, it’s kept my garden tools rust free! Awesome!!=
LikeLiked by 1 person
They really are awesome!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much! Over-The-Door Wall Hanging 36-Pair Shoe Rack
LikeLike