Read the latest articles from Bob Vila (Page 373)

Conduct a thorough inspection before the season’s first cold snap as part of your winter preparation.

Elmer’s glue is much more than a back-to-school staple. It has applications that range far beyond the classroom. Whether you’re crafting, gardening, or crossing off some to-dos from your home improvement checklist, there are a plethora of creative and functional ways to put glue to good use.

Television sets are considered one of history’s greatest inventions and one of the biggest boons to in-home entertainment. Indeed, beginning shortly after World War II, these ubiquitous black boxes became the focal point of most American living rooms…where they remain, to this day, a decorator’s nightmare. But with the advent of modern, flat-screen technologies, today's stunningly slim televisions no longer have to dominate your living space. With just a little bit of creativity—and in most cases, less than $300 in mounting hardware—you can conceal “the boob tube” in any number of unexpected places. Click through for 9 inspiring, out-of-the-box placements.

According to the Beer Institute, a group that represents 2,800 U.S. brewers and suppliers, the making and selling of Americans’ favorite alcoholic drink is a $264.5 billion industry—so it’s probably safe to say that most of us usually have a bottle or six on hand. Yes, you can drink it, but the value of this golden elixir goes far beyond basic imbibing. Read on for 7 other, ingenious ways to put beer to good use.

Rubber bands—those unassuming desk accessories—seem to multiply every time you turn around. If you’re like most people, you have a junk drawer and an office caddy full of these versatile little loops. And while surreptitiously shooting rubber bands across the room at your spouse might be fun and entertaining for a while, there are a lot of other, more practical things that you can do with these ubiquitous stretchy ovals. Here are just a few handy household uses for rubber bands.

Sometimes the best things come in little packages. Take the fasteners that you may remember fondly from your childhood shoe straps. Their tiny hooks and loops were inspired by the burrs on the burdock plant that catch on everything from your clothing to your dog—and, boy, are they secure. Small but mighty, these versatile strips can hold anything in place and can be used for much more than just tightening up children's footwear. Put these Velcro Brand products to work throughout the house to simplify your day-to-day, starting with these 12 genius uses.

Backyard sheds may be a storage boon, but nobody ever said they were loaded with style. They can be, though. Check out these amazing shed makeovers that will inspire you to give your shed the star treatment.

Where do mattresses go to die? The landfill, most often. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There’s still life under what looks like old junk, if you’re willing to uncover it. Old bedsprings offer an industrial aesthetic that can lay the foundation for a host of projects and decorative pieces. Even individual spring coils can be brilliantly utilized—the rustier the better. Sharpen your wire cutters, and get ready to repurpose, reuse, and recycle.

You may not know this, but mayonnaise isn’t just for sandwiches and salad dressings. There are a host of household uses for this tasty spread. From cleaning gunky gum, to salvaging wood from water, this condiment just might save the day. Consider it one more weapon in your chemical-free cleaning arsenal.

A new year is a great time to get rid all the junk that is cluttering your home. But some things are easier to dispose of than others. Many charitable organizations eagerly accept old clothes and shoes, for instance, but may balk at cumbersome mattresses. And while common clutter can easily be thrown out with the trash, certain things should never be disposed of in the garbage. This guide will help you learn how to properly discard many household items, so you can face the new year with a “squeaky clean” domicile while protecting the environment and keeping your family safe.

Whether it's a narrow cupboard for linen or a full-blown walk-in, a well-placed closet is one of the most coveted features of any house. But if storage isn't an issue, these handy enclosures can be easily transformed into a variety of tiny, useful spaces for work and play. These nooks allow folks to carve out something they might not otherwise have room for, such as a wine bar, playroom, or small office. Closet doors can keep these fun spaces a secret, or they can be removed entirely to integrate an alcove into the larger room. Click through our online gallery to browse for ideas to inspire your own closet transformation.

When holiday guests gather in your home to enjoy festive food and drink, there are bound to be a few accidental slops and splatters that could make your carpets a casualty of the celebration. Any number of foodstuffs and beverages can stain, distracting you from the party and straining your composure as host. Don't lose your cool! Let us teach you how to treat all manner of stains so you can save your furnishings (and your friendships) from ruin.

Nothing kills the mood of a refreshing bath after a long day (or for that matter, an energizing shower to start one) faster than the sight of mold. Or a delay in warm water. Or a damp towel. The fact is this: So many factors can cramp what should be a relaxing retreat. Fortunately, these 10 quick fixes can help you go back to enjoying your next shower—and maybe even make it a long one.

Is there any better holiday than Halloween to indulge your wildest imagination? Your home decor gets free license to be outrageously creepy and campy all at the same time. To deliver the most haunted and hair-raising experience at your house this Halloween, take a gander at these divinely fun DIY decorating ideas—they're sure to spook.

What do you do with an extra 5 gallon bucket? Once its contents are gone, its usefulness is only beginning. That's because there are so many practical ways to reuse a bucket. Whether you use it to help you complete your next remodeling project, upcycle it into a safe toy for toddlers, or even create your own off-the-grid small appliance, your ingenuity will keep another heavy duty bucket out of the landfill and might just save you a few bucks to boot. Flip through to see our favorite uses for an extra 5 gallon bucket.

You won’t always find the perfect antique side table or the china collection of your dreams on your flea market adventure. Even if you do, nearly every thrifted gem requires a little TLC. The best thrifters have a third eye that sees any piece for what it is, but also what it could be. Here, we’ll help you zero in on the most practical finds with the highest potential for storage and decoration. Watch for these 10 underrated staples on your next hunt.

Storage space ranks near the top of every homeowner's wish list. If you're lucky enough to have his-and-her closets, you're living the dream. But what are you to do if you have a room entirely without a closet? Before you go out and buy a zippered-up freestanding closet or a pricey wooden armoire, consider the case for leaving your clothes right out in the open. Living without a closet forces you to prune your wardrobe, preventing outdated or ill-fitting clothes from piling up as they tend to do when hidden behind closed doors. Plus, open storage can turn clothing into artwork. From easy-to-assemble pipe fixtures to more avant-garde designs that flex the imagination, these 8 storage solutions are so creative you'll wonder why you ever wanted a traditional closet.

Whether you've bought a new pendant light or sacrificed your weekend to DIY one of your own, deciding how to hang the light is just as important as the light itself. For instance, if you lack wiring for a ceiling fixture or want to take your pendant light bedside, there are plenty of ways to work around this electrical predicament with found objects or pieces you might already have at home. And if you're just looking to up the aesthetic appeal of a simple light, you can get really creative. So, if you're a renter who isn't permitted to drill into the wall but still wants to mask an unsightly cord, or a homeowner who's looking to make a big design statement, read on for a few options that will have your pendant light illuminating the room in style.

While you may have no idea what polyvinyl chloride is, chances are you have some in your home, in the form of PVC pipes. PVC is an inexpensive, hard yet flexible, fire- and water-resistant plastic used for many plumbing projects. It’s also an excellent material for DIY crafters. Made from a combination of plastic and vinyl, PVC pipe is resistant to strong movement (like earthquakes) as well as bacteria, and it's widely available at both big-box and local hardware stores. It comes in different diameters and can be used in its standard white or black shades or painted. Given its awesome properties, if you’re planning a weekend project or small home improvement, consider adapting it to incorporate PVC pipe. Need some inspiration? Here are 10 smart PVC creations to get you on the right track.

Pipes. Beams. Ductwork. These things are generally hidden in our homes behind walls, in ceilings, and within soffits. Sometimes, however, it pays to leave some of these tubes, conduits, and structural elements exposed to serve as edgy decorative statements. Done right, this approach can lend an industrial flair to any space, but the key here is “done right.” If you don’t take special care in showing off what's usually concealed, you’ll end up with spaces that look unfinished rather than thoughtfully conceived. Here are 10 ways to use pipes, beams, and ductwork to maximum effect in fulfilling your design aspirations.