Read the latest articles from Bob Vila (Page 369)

Reading the morning newspaper is a relaxing ritual for many people, but unfortunately, this admirable habit results in the waste of a lot of paper. Rather than simply tossing your old newspapers in the garbage pail (a very environmentally unfriendly approach), or even putting them in the recycling, you can let your trash save you some cash by using your old papers as a substitute for store-bought cleaning, lining, and packaging products. Here are some of our top ideas for repurposing those daily broadsheets.

Leaving windows uncovered lets in the most rays, but it won’t keep your nosy neighbors from seeing exactly what you’re up to. With an hour and a few dollars, you can add privacy to any room—without limiting natural light or blocking a great view!

No one wants to spend Sunday afternoon scrubbing the tub or toilet—but everyone still wants a clean bathroom. Don't worry! Dealing with a dirty bathroom doesn't have to take hours. Try these 9 tips to keep your bathroom looking fresh for longer, with way less work.

Making mortise and tenon joints is a straightforward process.

Step away from the dishwasher! Instead, use this DIY technique to clean your sullied wooden cutting boards and achieve safe and spotless results.

If you wound up with more tricks than treats this Halloween, you're likely to have your hands full with a mess: toilet paper in the trees, eggs dripping on your house, maybe even chocolate mashed into the carpet. There’s no reason to get spooked: These 8 strategies for dealing with Halloween hazards will make your post-holiday cleanup a breeze.

An effective entryway design combines comfort, utility, and style to create an inviting atmosphere. These 18 entryways do just that, extending a warm welcome to all who walk through their doors.

Paint can set a mood, open a space or make it cozier, and ultimately add that unique stamp of distinction that makes your home yours. No one understands the power of paint better than interior design pros! So what do they choose for their own abodes – and why? Read on for their favorite shades (and discover why gray may just be the new white!) so you can wow with your next room makeover.

Winter weather lovers make the most of the season with outdoor activities like sledding and snowboarding. It’s all fun and games—if you have the right gear. But once inside, the same coats and boots that make cold weather bearable can be almost too much to store. If your cluttered coat closet is groaning under winter's weight, fear not. Take a hint from one of these clever storage ideas to coral your winter-gear quicker than you can catch a snowflake on your tongue.

Painting furniture and other household items is an inexpensive way to make over a space, but are there things in your home that you shouldn’t paint? Step away from the spray paint, and carefully reconsider your decorating choices. Here's the lowdown on what's fit to paint and what's better left alone.

Before sending a bag of old sweaters to the thrift store, try repurposing them in creative new ways.

The property professionals who show and sell houses for a living have to live somewhere too! So what’s on their “must" list for homes of their own? Real estate agents and brokers from around the country told us what they insist on—in terms of a home’s physical structure and features, as well as landscaping and neighborhood. As individual as these residence requirements may be, it’s no surprise that they all have serious resale value. So, whether you’re looking for a place or thinking of putting yours on the market—or just want to know how to keep your property appealing—read on for real estate specialists’ take on what makes a house a must-have.

While a snowy winter can be a beautiful thing to witness, the slush, salt, and mud it leaves behind are not quite as appealing. Keep grime contained and protect your floors with one of these quick buy or DIY fixes for storing shoes, scrubbing surfaces, and even preventing dangerous slips and falls.

Where do you keep your workshop? It's best to set it up in a place where noise, dust, and space aren't an issue. But there are other considerations to keep in mind as well, like humidity, light, and ventilation. Check out our guide to help you decide how to proceed, no matter where you choose to add your own work space.

It's important to have an idea of how much and what kind of lumber you need before you head out to the lumberyard. Gain confidence in your ability to track down the right materials for your next remodeling project with this helpful tutorial.

In most homes, the under-the-sink cabinet doesn’t get much respect. It often hides a trash can and the cleaning potions—but it also can become a dumping ground for odds and ends. To make the most of this centrally located space, get inspired by these smart ideas for transforming it into a tidy and efficient spot.

A light is a light, right? Well, not quite. The truth is that when it comes to residential lighting, many homeowners mistakenly believe that any light will do the same job. Perhaps they choose the wrong fixture: overhead lighting, pendant lights, wall sconces, or lamps work only when used in the right context. Or maybe they ignore the impact lighting has on mood, home design, and how we see ourselves. With a little education, though, any homeowner can see their lighting design in—well—a whole new light. Click through to learn about the most common lighting mistakes and how to fix them.

Is your recycling bin overflowing with old wine, beer, and soda bottles? Glass bottles fill local dumps and monster landfill sites all over the world. While households can cut down on unnecessary waste by reusing glass bottles for food and liquid storage, many of us simply have more old bottles than we know what to do with. If that's the case at your home, it’s time to get creative! Sometimes, simply adding paint, twine, and other decorative craft supplies is all that’s needed to give an old bottle a new look and new life. For the more ambitious, learning basic glass-cutting skills opens up even more possibilities for making the most of those old bottles. Still stumped? Here are 16 new ideas for upcycling your old bottles. Give one a try, or maybe use one as inspiration for creating something uniquely your own!

No one likes weeds. They invade our garden beds, siphoning soil nutrients and water away from flowers and shrubs. But which ones can do you real harm? Read on for 10 poisonous plants that might be lurking on your property.

You want to save money on utility costs and do your part to conserve energy, but some energy upgrades are so expensive that you may never see a payback in this lifetime. Don't worry, there are still ways to save without spending a fortune. We’ve put together a list of the best cost- and energy-saving upgrades, improvements that are affordable now and will start saving you money right away.