Housewife MacGyver: I want YOU!


First of all, let's give a big round of applause for our guests this month:
We've had a great month learning to be MacGyver around the house, and we have some great months coming up! Thanks for coming along on this MacGyver ride with me. :)

We'll cover academic self-reliance in August and self-reliance in the car in September, but October and November's topics are a bit non-traditional for MacGyver: spiritual (October) and emotional (November) self-reliance.

I'm pretty sure that, even through all seven seasons, we never learned much about MacGyver's supreme being or his emotions (other than an inability to commit, maybe :), but each of us has to make decisions about our beliefs and feelings every day (every minute!), using the "resources" available to us.

Obviously these decisions and resources will be different for each of us based on our perspective, priorities, etc. So, rather than just finding guests that go along with what *I* think or am interested in, I'd like to invite each of you to participate and be a Housewife MacGyver guest!

Being a guest doesn't mean that you're an expert. It just means that you have something to say about what spiritual or emotional self-reliance means to you or how you use spiritual or emotional "resources" in a better/new/different way. Or what spiritual or emotional resources you draw upon to improve yourself/your family/your marriage/your life. Or whatever else comes to mind!

You don't have to have an answer, or say that everyone should do what you do, or even say what you do. Just take a minute to introspect and think about why you believe and feel what you do...

{...insert introspective minute...}

... and then consider sharing with us. Contact me at iamjustlu@gmail.com with questions or to sign on to be a guest. If you're on the fence, just let me know and we can chat. I won't need firm and finalized guest posts for a few weeks yet, so you can tentatively commit and then continue introspecting. :)

I can't wait to see what you'd love to share! Thanks for reading!

This post is part of the Housewife MacGyver series on just Lu. Read more about Housewife MacGyver and see all the posts in the series here.

Got glue?

Hope you're having a wonderful week! I'm over at Housewife Eclectic today sharing a site that will help with all your gluing woes. Well, at least most of them. It can't do anything about the kid who eats the paste... :)

Thanks for reading!

Housewife MacGyver: Electrical Basics with Gwenny Penny

We have one of my favorite people (and bloggers) back again today for the Housewife MacGyver threepeat! Gwen from Gwenny Penny is just awesome, and today she's here sharing yet another one of her amazing skills with us: electrical work! Give it up for Gwen!

Hey, everybody! It's Gwen from Gwenny Penny again. Back in April I was here sharing some tips on resourceful stain removal, and in June I shared some resourceful recipe substitutions. Today I’m back with yet another new topic. In a former life I was a mechanical engineer. When I was tossing around some possible topics for this month's post, Lorene immediately jumped on the idea of sharing some basic electrical knowledge. It's important to know what your breaker box does (hopefully you know where it is :) and how an electrical outlet and a light switch work. Are you ready?

image source (and how cool is it that I found female electrician clip art?!?)
What is a breaker box, and why do I have one? A circuit breaker box (or panel) is the main point from which electricity is distributed in your home. Power comes into your house from the utility company then into the circuit breaker box. Every circuit in your house is wired through a circuit breaker in this box. The purpose of a circuit breaker is to break the circuit (i.e. turn off) when a circuit becomes overloaded (i.e. too much power use is detected). This is to protect the electrical system (and you) in your house.

What causes a tripped circuit breaker? The most common reason for a tripped circuit breaker is an overloaded circuit. This usually means that too many things are plugged into one electrical circuit. The circuit breaker switches off to protect the circuit from becoming overloaded.

How do I reset a tripped circuit breaker? You can easily reset a tripped circuit breaker. Look in your breaker box for a circuit breaker switch that has flipped off or is somewhere between on and off. If it is not already there, push the switch to the off position, then flip it to the on position. Power should be restored to the circuit. If the same circuit trips again, you should contact an electrician because there could be a problem.

image source
Likewise, if you ever need to turn off the power to a particular circuit in your home, just flip the circuit breaker to off. This is why it is important to label all of the circuit breakers in your breaker box. But always test the circuit at the source before performing any electrical work! Every homeowner should have an electrical voltage tester. It is a simple and inexpensive tool used to determine if the electricity to an electrical wire or outlet has been turned off or if electrical power is present.

Say you want to replace an outlet in the living room. You flip the circuit breaker for the living room. Now you need to make sure that there is no power going to the outlet. You just stick the two probes of the voltage tester into the outlet. If the lightbulb on the tester doesn't light up, there is no power going to the outlet. If the lightbulb lights up, you flipped the wrong circuit breaker and need to find the correct one. Houses can have weird wiring setups... code or no code, no two homes are wired the same. Your bathroom downstairs could be on the same circuit as your bedroom upstairs. I'll say it again... always test the circuit at the source before performing any electrical work!
voltage tester... this one only costs $6!
How does an electrical outlet work? When nothing is plugged in, the hot and neutral wires that are attached to the outlet are not connected with one another to form a complete circuit. When the plug of an electrical appliance is plugged in, the circuit is completed and electricity flows through the appliance.

How does a light switch work? A light switch is like a gate for the electrical current passing through a circuit. When the switch is "on", the gate is closed and the electrical current is allowed to pass through the circuit. When the switch is "off", the gate is open and the electrical current can't pass through the circuit.

Hopefully this gives you a better understanding of electricity in your home. As always, but especially today, I should note that I am not a licensed electrician. I've done some basic wiring around the house and have some knowledge of electrical work, but everything you read here came from books I have read on wiring or basic electrical knowledge that I picked up through my introductory courses when I was getting my engineering degree. As I mentioned before, I have a mechanical engineering degree, not an electrical engineering degree. Please consult a licensed electrician for any electrical work that needs to be done in your home. That being said, I highly recommend the Home Depot book Wiring 1-2-3 if you are interested in learning more. There are some basic things that anyone can easily do, like replacing a light fixture or an outlet that accidentally gets painted over (not that I know anything about that :).

Please feel free to stop by Gwenny Penny anytime to say hello. I’d love to have you. I have really enjoyed being a part of the Housewife MacGyver series this year, Lorene. Thanks so much for letting me join in.




See what a smarty pants Gwen is? Thanks for sharing your smarts with us Gwen! I'll have to figure out some kind of award for your MacGyver awesomeness...


And thanks to all of you for reading! I've been a bit absent lately, but I have been working on lots of fun things to share... someday. We're doing the enjoy-summer-while-it-lasts dance (and enjoying it very much) but enjoying our summer means not spending as much time inside and on the computer. So, someday I'll share all the awesomeness that's been going on around here. :) I hope you all are enjoying your summer!

This post is part of the Housewife MacGyver series on just Lu. Read more about Housewife MacGyver and see all the posts in the series here.

Housewife MacGyver: Handyman Help for the Dryer

Today we have our fourth and final segment of the Handyman Help mini-series: your dryer. If you missed the previous segments, don't forget to check them out -- dishwasher, fridge/freezer, and washer. And a huge thanks to Steve and Meredin for being my guests!

My Dryer Doesn't, er, Dry
If you notice that your dryer has stopped drying your clothes like it used to, a quick check and cleaning could save your dryer and your house!

First, check your vent between the dryer and the wall for build up of lint or a kinked vent (hose). Adjust the vent if it's kinked, and vacuum away any lint.

While you're checking, if the vent (hose) is longer than it needs to be, you can just cut it down to save some space and energy.

Next, check the portion of the vent that goes between the wall behind the dryer and the outside dryer vent for lint build-up:

You can either purchase a DIY vent cleaning kit at the hardware store or call a professional duct and vent cleaning company to take care of any build-up.

What's the big deal with lint? A lint build-up can cause your dryer to burn out a fuse or heating element -- or, more importantly, cause a fire. Keeping your dryer area lint-free with an annual cleaning saves you on unnecessary repairs and keeps your home and family safe.

About the author: Steve Newcomb has been an appliance repairman for 3 years now, in addition to attending school and raising a wonderful family with his wife, Meredin. He works on most brands of appliances (except Subzero, Wolf, or Viking), both in and out of warranty, for Utah clients from Springville to Salt Lake (and beyond, with an additional travel fee). Mention that you saw Steve here on just Lu when you call and receive $10 off your first service call (typically $75 for the original service call plus a return visit to install parts, as necessary). Steve also offers a 30-day work warranty. Contact Steve at (801)472-2515 to set up an appointment.

Alright, Housewives... all together now... "Banish the lint!"

Another huge thanks to Steve and Meredin for being our handyman guests. And don't forget to call Steve if you have an appliance problem that really does merit the repairman!

This post is part of the Housewife MacGyver series on just Lu. Read more about Housewife MacGyver and see all the posts in the series here.

Wednesdays at Debra's

Time flies! It's Wednesday again and I'm over at Debra's place, Housewife Eclectic. Today I've got a round-up of find-a-hike websites, and if you missed my post last week (since placenta brain kicked in and I forgot to post it here), you can check out Let Me Google That For You here.

Thanks for reading!

Housewife MacGyver: Handyman Help for the Washer

Welcome back to part three of our Handyman Help mini series! Today: the washer...

Got a Leaky Washer?
If you notice that your washer is leaking, check the water hoses behind the washer and the connections to make sure they are not causing the problem:
The hoses and where they attach to the water. Check both ends of the hose to make sure this is not causing the leak.
 If it is the hoses leaking, turn off the water to the washer and purchase new hoses at your local hardware store. It is recommended that you replace your hoses every 5 years to avoid leaking.

About the author: Steve Newcomb has been an appliance repairman for 3 years now, in addition to attending school and raising a wonderful family with his wife, Meredin. He works on most brands of appliances (except Subzero, Wolf, or Viking), both in and out of warranty, for Utah clients from Springville to Salt Lake (and beyond, with an additional travel fee). Mention that you saw Steve here on just Lu when you call and receive $10 off your first service call (typically $75 for the original service call plus a return visit to install parts, as necessary). Steve also offers a 30-day work warranty. Contact Steve at (801)472-2515 to set up an appointment.

Yeah... as someone who has paid the $75 service call for the repairman to come spend ten seconds tightening the washer hoses... all I can say is AMEN! What's the worst (as in, I can't believe I just paid you for doing that because it's so easy I should have done it myself!) repair you've ever called a professional for?


This post is part of the Housewife MacGyver series on just Lu. Read more about Housewife MacGyver and see all the posts in the series here.

Friday Confessional & Forum: Pregnancy edition

Photobucket

I confess that my husband and I spent nearly an hour this morning watching Veggie Tales videos on YouTube. Oh, and our toddler watched with us. All because I woke up with this song stuck in my head, thanks to the monkey books my son loves and weird pregnancy dreams:


I confess that rather than having reached that "done" point of pregnancy, I'm kind of freaking out the other way. I have a HUGE project list that I want to finish before this little one comes and it's starting to stress me out that it won't happen. Just not enough for me to really kick it into gear and get working on the list. :)

I confess that I always (you know, the twice that I've been through it) have a hard time dealing with the transition that is labor and delivery: the transition from being pregnant to actually living with the baby that I've been planning for so long. I'm happy at point A (being pregnant) and I'm excited for point C (having a new baby... and a toddler) but the point B part (labor and delivery) is hard for me to wrap my want-to-plan head around... so many variables!

I confess that I am a big wimp. I had an epidural with my son, and I'm considering doing this delivery drug-free, but I'm afraid that I'm too much of a wimp. (Not that an epidural in any way makes you a wimp. I just am a wimp who also had and loved my epidural :)

I confess that the thing that makes me feel wimpy is just two little words: back labor. I had no problem with the regular contractions with my son, but I had HARD contractions through my back that just made me want to stab someone in the eye. Repeatedly. So, back to the wimp thing: I'm afraid I'm too wimpy to work through those contractions in my back to do the drug-free delivery. But I'm not really committed either way yet.

I confess that I want to hear your birth stories! (This is the forum part :)

Now, I don't need ALL the nitty gritty details (because I'm trying to reduce some anxiety here instead of add to it...) The cliff notes version will suffice. Induced? Natural? Epidural? Best thing? Worst thing? 

I have 5-ish weeks to either toughen up and decide I'm going drug free or just embrace the fact that I like to avoid pain (and also that thanks to the epidural, I slept through most of my last labor...) So lend me your two cents, especially any insight you have about second and beyond labor and delivery (are they really shorter?), back labor, pain management, etc...please?

Housewife MacGyver: Handyman Help for the Fridge/Freezer

Is your refrigerator running?

Better go catch it!

Sorry, I just couldn't resist. On that note, here's part two of our Handyman Help mini series. (Catch part one about your dishwasher here.)


Save Your Refrigerator/Freezer Compressor!
Over time, dirt, lint, hair, and food can begin to build up behind your refrigerator. If nothing is done it can overwork your refrigerator, causing your compressor to go out (along with other problems).

To prevent this, vacuum the vents and around your fridge regularly (yearly or every 6 months if you have inside pets). Pull the fridge away from the wall and vacuum the cover over the bottom part of the fridge:

Remove the kick plate from the front of the fridge and vacuum there and underneath the fridge as well.


A Water Dispenser That Doesn't Dispense
If you have a water dispenser in your refrigerator and it stops working, replace the water filter before calling an appliance repairman. This is located down by the kick plate or in the refrigerator section usually. Check your user's manual to be sure.


About the author: Steve Newcomb has been an appliance repairman for 3 years now, in addition to attending school and raising a wonderful family with his wife, Meredin. He works on most brands of appliances (except Subzero, Wolf, or Viking), both in and out of warranty, for Utah clients from Springville to Salt Lake (and beyond, with an additional travel fee). Mention that you saw Steve here on just Lu when you call and receive $10 off your first service call (typically $75 for the original service call plus a return visit to install parts, as necessary). Steve also offers a 30-day work warranty. Contact Steve at (801)472-2515 to set up an appointment.

Yuck... I hate cleaning around the fridge! But I hate paying for unnecessary repairs even more :) I guess I'll curb my gag reflex and make my husband vacuum around the fridge once a year... ;) 

But let's come clean here... how often do you clean your fridge, inside and/or out? I only thoroughly clean ours quarterly... or when we move to a new place...

This post is part of the Housewife MacGyver series on just Lu. Read more about Housewife MacGyver and see all the posts in the series here.

Housewife MacGyver: Handyman Help for the Dishwasher

Today we start a 4-part mini Housewife MacGyver series about our appliances, written by the appliance repairman! Each post will feature a tip or two about keeping an appliance running so you don't have to call the repairman as often, or at all. Steve Newcomb is a local (Utah) appliance repairman and he and his wife, Meredin, were so kind to write up some quick tips to help us out. Steve is also offering a discount for just Lu readers, so catch that at the bottom of the post!


Your Dishwasher: A Preventative Measure
Save yourself a call to the repairman! Many people use a dishwasher to actually clean their dishes; they leave food on the dishes and expect the dishwasher to do all the work. Over time, the food will build up and start plugging up water flow. This causes your dishes to come out dirty, sometimes more dirty than when they started.

To prevent this from happening rinse your dishes so there isn’t food on them and use the dishwasher to sanitize them. If you're already having this problem, however, you will need to call an appliance repairman to fix the problem first and then reform your ways and start rinsing.

About the author: Steve Newcomb has been an appliance repairman for 3 years now, in addition to attending school and raising a wonderful family with his wife, Meredin. He works on most brands of appliances (except Subzero, Wolf, or Viking), both in and out of warranty, for Utah clients from Springville to Salt Lake (and beyond, with an additional travel fee). Mention that you saw Steve here on just Lu when you call and receive $10 off your first service call (typically $75 for the original service call plus a return visit to install parts, as necessary). Steve also offers a 30-day work warranty. Contact Steve at (801)472-2515 to set up an appointment.

Thanks, Meredin and Steve! Guilty as charged... I'm a habitual non-rinser... I will reform my ways!

I do, however, use vinegar to help keep my glassware sparkling clean in my dishwasher. You can read the full tip here from The Damsel... I'm the student she talks about -- how cool is that?? :) 

What do you do to keep your dishes sparkling clean?

This post is part of the Housewife MacGyver series on just Lu. Read more about Housewife MacGyver and see all the posts in the series here.

Friday Forum: How to talk to pregnant women

This is not me... photo credit

With only 6 weeks (hopefully) remaining in this my second pregnancy, it has come to my attention that some members of society are painfully unaware of how to speak to a pregnant woman. Without leaving her in angry tears.

I'm not sure why this is such a problem -- it's really not difficult. Speaking politely to a pregnant woman is no more difficult than speaking politely to anyone. And it's much easier than getting a telemarketer off the phone or talking your way out of a speeding ticket.

So, here are my rules for talking to pregnant women. Keep in mind that these rules are in general for speaking to unfamiliar pregnant women: strangers that you see on the bus or around town, women with whom you have a polite intermittent relationship (like the checker at the grocery store), or casual acquaintances with whom you share social niceties about the weather and such.

The pregnant women that you are more familiar with and/or related to may have a completely different set of rules. They may also be more prone to cry because you should know better than to say that me! {sob} 

Rule #1 | Treat a pregnant woman more kindly than you would an average woman (or man). Remember, pregnant women are normal women -- just more hormonally precarious, with more unpredictable mood swings and fuller tear ducts. And longer memories and grudges for the people who make them feel bad. Choose your words carefully.

Rule #2 | If/When you start the phrase, "You look _______," be very VERY certain that the word you use to fill in the blank can in no way, shape, or form mean anything potentially unkind/rude/fat. In general, any direct synonym to amazing or phenomenal is acceptable. Unacceptable words include huge, bloated, exhausted, and "done" -- and any synonyms.
Addendum #2a | "How are you feeling?" is an acceptably polite question... except when you can clearly see from the look on her face that an honest answer would be miserable. In that case, just don't ask. Revert back to Rule 2: "You look fabulous!"
Rule #3 | Make no references to twins, an elephant's gestation, or any planet in the our solar system or another. Ever.

Rule #4 | Keep your hands and opinions on pregnancy/child rearing/discipline/the female anatomy to yourself, unless one or the other is specifically invited and welcome.
Addendum #4.a | Don't volunteer your stories of conception/pregnancy/labor/delivery/post-partum unless that conversation is initiated by the mom-to-be. Remember, you are a stranger or, at most, a polite acquaintance.
Rule #5 | If a body part is not visible when clothed (in normal clothes, not celebrity clothes), it shall not be brought up during the conversation. Always included in this rule are the cervix, uterus, and mammary glands.

For a few more specific examples of what not to say, you can read my friend Brittany's story here. And then never go to Wells Fargo again as a show of solidarity for a pregnant sister.

So, to the forum: What rules would you add for talking to pregnant women -- strangers, friends, or whatever acquaintance? And you know you've got stories to share... ;)

Housewife MacGyver: Mr. Hawkins' Toolbox

Today we have our first man-guest of the Housewife MacGyver series! Today's guest is, as he says, the DH of my BFF. In other words, he's my best friend Debra's husband. Which I guess kind of makes us friends too. Most of the time. Except when I win too many games of golf...

Anyway, Mr. Hawkins knows his way around the toolbox, so I asked if he'd give us his top ten tools. You know, so we can each have put together our own toolsets. To put in a pink (possibly furry) toolbox and modpodge all the tools to be cute and coordinating... Just kidding. Or am I?

The 10 Should-Have Tools for Your Toolbox
by Seth R. Hawkins

In an effort to appease the great blog-gods that be [note from Lu: pretty sure he means me and Debra...], I was asked to pen a post about the top 10 tools you should have in your toolbox.

I’m not entirely sure why I was asked to do this instead of Tim Allen. The best I could come up with is:
  1. I own more tools than my wife owns British romantic-novel-inspired-movies (admittedly by a small margin).
  2. I am the DH of Lu’s BFF. LOL. NCIS. FBI. CVS. Did I get all those terms right? I don’t care how catchy DH has become in bloggy land, men the world over will still consider DH a baseball term.
  3. Lu’s still feeling guilty about teaming up with my wife and mishandling my drill, destroying more titanium-tipped drill bits in one project than I’ve destroyed in a lifetime. [note: this may or may not be true. I plead the fifth.] 
Whatever the reason, I’m happy to share what little I may know.

A small disclaimer: Though I am handy with home repairs and know my way around tools, I am by no means a professional. My top 10 may vary from another man’s, but I feel like this list is a nice, well-rounded toolkit.

Now for the list (in no particular order). Hold on to your arc welders.

10. Claw Hammer 
This may seem a bit cliche and “duh,” but a claw hammer is a must-have tool. It actually stands out as one of the few tools that uses increased force rather than increased distance (you like the physics lesson here?) to do work. The claw hammer serves two main functions. With the flat end, you obviously hammer the nail into the board. The claw end works by placing a nail between the claws and using the top of the hammer as a fulcrum to pull out the nail. The hammer is a phenomenal simple machine.

What you may not know about the claw hammer is that there are different sizes and weights. Many hammers that feel comfortable to men may feel too heavy and unbalanced for some women. Go to the hardware store and try out a few weights until you find one that feels comfortable to you. Other considerations are the handles, which can be either wood, plastic or have padded grips.

9. Phillips Screwdriver
8. Flathead/Slot Screwdriver 
There are two main types of screwdrivers: Phillips and Flathead/Slot. Why two? Well, each type of screwdriver fits a certain type of screw shape.

The Phillips screw is a cross with a slight circle in the middle. The advantage to this shape is it provides a firm grip between the screwdriver and the screw, simplifying the motion. Phillips heads are commonly found in many electronics and furniture.

The flathead, or slot screw, is a simple line, or slot, that goes across the screw, hence the name. These screws are easy to quickly twist and provide considerable torque, which firmly tightens the screw in place.

You need both of these screwdrivers in your toolbox. These also come in a variety of sizes. Unfortunately, one size does not fit all. You definitely need a standard size of both screwdriver types, but it’s also good to have a set of smaller screwdrivers for small electronic devices. Fortunately, these can usually be purchased for a small price and many dollar stores even carry them nowadays.

7. Needle-nose pliers with wire cutter 
Not all pliers are created equal. While they may essentially do the same job, the most useful for regular home repairs and projects are the needle-nose pliers, which are characterized by long arms that can tightly grip whatever object you intend to hold in place. Needle-nose pliers are especially useful because their shape allows them to delve into hard-to-reach places. Be sure to get a set with wire cutters beneath the corrugated arms. This is useful for cutting fishing wire, electrical wire or my favorite use - guitar strings.

6. Vice-grip pliers 
While I don’t think this would rank on most people’s toolbox must-have list, it definitely deserves a place. These pliers have a locking mechanism that makes its grip super strong and prevents slippage so common with other types of pliers. These pliers are especially useful when you’re trying to loosen objects that are more stubborn than a two-year-old child fighting a nap. Vice-grip pliers work by gripping an object much as you would with needle-nose pliers, but once the grip has been made, the knob at the bottom of the pliers can be rotated to tighten the grip even further, guaranteeing the grip and adding extra torque.

5. Tape Measure 
So many projects have started out brilliantly and failed disastrously all as a result of poor measurements. Just ask NASA. A tape measure is absolutely essential to a toolbox and is one of the most commonly used tools. Like nearly every other type of tool, there are a variety of sizes. So which size is right for you? For most around-the-home projects, a 25-foot tape measure should do the trick. Perhaps more importantly is finding a tape measure that will be sturdy and easily draws back into the storage area. A tape measure is one tool where you definitely get what you pay for. Spend the extra couple bucks to get a sturdy tape measure. It will serve you well for years.


4. Utility knife 
Better than a pocket knife and more sturdy than an X-ACTO knife, the utility knife is a best friend. Whether you’re cutting rope, trimming ends or opening a box, a utility knife comes in handy. There are so many types of utility knives available today. All do essentially the same job. The most important factor then is finding a utility knife that feels comfortable. My favorite is the utility knife that acts like a pocket knife. It can fold up to hide the blade and the top unlatches easily to replace the blade, but stays firmly locked while using it. This variety costs a bit more, but sure beats the pain of having to find your screwdriver to unscrew the casing to pull out more blades. Of course, the downside of this model is you have to store the extra blades separately.

Speaking of blades, a utility knife is only as useful as its blade. Blades should be regularly replaced. As soon as the blade starts to give some steady resistance, it’s time to replace the blade. A dull blade causes you to apply more pressure and may lead to slippage and injuries. The blades are inexpensive, so take care of this minor, albeit important detail.

I should also note that there are many types of blades. In general stick with the pointed-tip blades. The curved-tip blades, sometimes ironically labeled “safety blades” can often slip and cause injury. The downside to the pointed-tipped blades is they can easily stab and cause injury that way.

3. Adjustable Wrench 
(also sometimes called a crescent wrench or monkey wrench)
This is perhaps the image that readily comes to mind when it comes to wrenches, but the truth is there are a great number of wrenches with different shapes and applications. The adjustable wrench is handy because, well, it’s adjustable, meeting the size you need. The downside of this wrench is because it’s adjustable, it doesn’t grip as firmly as a set wrench. This is another tool where you really get what you pay for. You can easily find inexpensive adjustable wrenches, but these may also not stay in place so well.

2. Combination Wrench Set 
OK, so I cheated here. This is actually a whole set of wrenches, but you will probably need all of them at one time or another for home or auto repairs. A combination wrench has a set-measured open end and a closed end with the same measurement. The open end can easily grip a bolt in a hard-to-reach space, but it sacrifices grip and torque. The closed end may be harder to fit around some bolts, but it maintains a firmer grip. The frustrating thing about combination wrenches are you generally have no idea what the size of the bolt you’re trying to tighten or remove is, so you get to play the fun game of trying three or four sizes until you get it right.

2a. Socket Wrench Set 
(sometimes also called a ratchet set)
While I’m cheating, I may as well continue and add that in addition to a combination wrench set, it’s also useful to have a socket wrench set. I put this as a subcategory because most socket wrench sets come in their own carrying cases and don’t necessarily fit in your toolbox. They are extremely useful though. A socket wrench uses sockets that fit various-sized bolts. A normal wrench works by turning the wrench until your hand can’t naturally rotate any farther, at which point you must remove the wrench and reposition it for another turn. A socket wrench eliminates that problem. As soon as you come to the end of the rotation, simple move the handle back to it’s starting position and you’re ready to go again without removing your grip on the bolt.

1. Level

Few things annoy me more than things that aren’t level. It doesn’t matter if it’s a shelf, picture frames or cabinets, some things just need to be level. A level works by trapping air bubbles within a liquid. To use a level, simply place it on the object you want to get level. For instance, place it on top of a shelf you want to hang on the wall (do this before you actually secure the shelf to the wall). Then move the shelf and level together until the bubble rests between the two guidelines. This means your shelf is level. Most levels have three chambers - one for horizontal leveling, one for vertical and one for 45-degree angles. You can get long, large levels or you can find smaller levels that even fit in your toolbox.

I feel bad I had to leave off some other favorite tools, but this is a good list that should get you going and meet most of your tool needs. Almost all of these tools are relatively inexpensive. I think the tool I paid the most for in my toolbox are my vice-grip pliers, but they are worth every penny.

Good luck putting your toolbox together or adding some new items. Besides, this will be the one shopping trip where your husband may actually enjoy joining you and won’t complain about your purchases. Well, too much.

Did you hear that, Housewives? Straight from the man's mouth... take your men shopping!

This post is part of the Housewife MacGyver series on just Lu. Read more about Housewife MacGyver and see all the posts in the series here.

Dejunking my inbox

Good morning! If all goes well with this whole scheduled post thing, I'm over at Housewife Eclectic this morning talking about decluttering my inbox. If things aren't going well... I'll figure it out when I'm back to life tonight. :)

Thanks for reading!

Becoming the Housewife MacGyver AROUND THE HOUSE

Welcome to July! June just flew right by... Just in case you missed one, be sure to check out these fantastic guests and their posts about becoming the Housewife MacGyver in the kitchen:
Thanks ladies!

And now we're on to July...

So, what does handywife MacGyver do around the house? All sorts of things, of course, but this month guests will be sharing their wisdom about:
  • what is and/or should be in your toolbox
  • basic electrical work
  • the dishwasher
  • the fridge/freezer
  • the washer
  • the dryer
We'll cover what we can around the house, but there are just SO many things to know about fixing and maintaining properly around the house. And many of those things must be learned at the School of Hard Knocks (SOHK, more commonly known as Gee That Was Stupid: I Won't Do That Again).

So, that's what I want to hear from you today: What lessons have you learned that you can share with all of us? (We'd love to be able to skip a few SOHK lessons...)

And what questions do you have about handywife work? Personally, I am about ready to take a crash course on swamp coolers since ours is less cool than swampy and our landlord is taking his time fixing it...


This post is part of the Housewife MacGyver series on just Lu. Read more about Housewife MacGyver and see all the posts in the series here.

Friday Confessional: Me and my media

I confess that I am embarrassingly enthralled with the show Drop Dead Diva. It's my guilty pleasure that I watch when my husband isn't around or is otherwise occupied. I heart Netflix. Although there may be trouble when we (together) finish the episodes of Psych because my husband is already dying to know how much longer he has to wait for Shawn and Juliet to get together. :)

I confess that if we ever have a dog, and if that dog is a girl, her name will be Lola. And the doghouse will be the Copa Cabana. And everytime I call her name, I will sing the song. And think of that unforgettable road trip with my sister...

I confess that even though we will probably never actually have a dog, even though I have her name all picked out and everything, but if we DO decide to get a dog, we'll be certain to do the Bob Barker responsible thing and have her spayed. Or is it neutered? I can't ever keep those straight. We will have our dog fixed.

I confess that the terrible run-on weird sentence in that last confession is driving me a little bit nuts. Just not enough to go back and fix it.

I confess that when someone asks me what my favorite song or band ("artist") is... I usually say Ace of Base.

I confess that one of my first very strong memories is of stealing my brother's Ace of Base *cassette tape* (and walkman) and hiding it in my sock drawer so I could listen to their sweet sweet rhythms anytime I wanted. The guilt was worth it. :)

I confess that, yup, I am particular/weird/obsessive enough to feel like my confessions need a theme each week....


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