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.

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.

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.

Danny demonstrates how to repair an interior door that keeps swinging open or closed. By putting pressure on the hinge pin and bending it slightly, the problem is solved.

If you’re like me, walking into a hardware store or home center can be dangerous. If I see a tool I don’t have, then I want it. But, in reality, there are tools that I simply don’t need. This is where it really pays to examine the option of renting a tool.

To strip paint from door hardware without the time consuming use of paint thinner, heat 1 cup of white vinegar and 1 cup of water in a pot on the stove and then pour it into an old cake pan. Let it set about 5 minutes. It’s a good idea to use pliers to take the hardware out of the pan because it may still be a little warm. Using a soft bristled brass brush, so as not to scratch the surface of the hardware, dip it in the water/vinegar solution and then scrub the hardware. This is a great alternative to purchasing new hardware.

One way to maximize the storage space you have in your basement or garage is to look overhead. In this case we were looking for storage space to accommodate different sized clamps.

A bench grinder is the ideal tool for all those sharpening jobs around the house, but if you don’t own one you might find a belt sander works as well. Invert the sander and clamp it to your worktable, so that the belt is facing up. Lock the trigger switch “on” and you’e in the sharpening business.