Expert Advice on Home Improvement TV Host of Emmy®-Nominated Today's Homeowner® and home expert for The Weather Channel

Moving heavy boxes can be hard work, but there are some simple tricks that will save your back and make the job go much easier. When moving a box on carpet, put a piece of heavy (6 mil) plastic sheeting under it.

Finishing drywall has always been one of the messiest home improvement jobs around, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Sheetrock Plus 3 Lightweight Joint Compound with Dust Control is especially formulated so that the dust particles bind together during sanding. These heavier particles then fall to the floor where they can easily be swept up. Besides clearing the air, Sheetrock Plus 3 weighs over a third less than standard compounds, so it doesn’t shrink as much when it dries. It’s available at The Home Depot stores.

You don’t have to dig a big hole in your yard to cut a piece of plastic PVC pipe that’s buried in the ground. Instead, dig around it just enough to slip a piece of thin nylon string under the pipe and attach each end of the string to a wooden handle. Holding a handle in each hand, pull the string tight and use a back and forth sawing motion to cut through the pipe.

When nailing in a tight spot, such as a corner near a wall, it can be hard to hold the nail in place in order to drive it. Here are three simple tips to keep your fingers intact. Use a pair of needle nosed pliers to hold the nail, position it in place, and give the nail a tap to get it started. Once it’s started, remove the pliers and hammer it in.

It’s often dark and hard to see when you’re drilling a hole or screwing in a screw under a cabinet or in a closet. A simple solution that works great is to use rubber bands to strap a small flashlight to the top of your drill. Slide a rubber band around each end of the barrel of the drill and slip the flashlight under it.

While almost all homeowners have a set of basic tools, there are a number of specialized hand tools you might not be familiar with that could come in handy on your next DIY home improvement project. Here are a few you might find useful.

Having the right tool for your next DIY project can make all the difference. Since expensive specialty tools aren’t needed often, consider renting them from a tool rental center like The Home Depot, rather then buying.

Since the tape will tend to wear out after a few holes, a more permanent solution is to drill a hole lengthwise through a piece of 1” x 1” stock and slide it over the drill bit to act as a stop. Stop drilling when the tape brushes away the shaving, indicating that the desired depth has been reached.

Whether it’s a priceless work of art or a collection of family photographs, it’s important that what you hang on your walls stays put. While attaching directly to studs provides the most security, they are often not located in the ideal spot, and screws and nails provide little support in drywall alone.