If you own a home, you’ve probably at least contemplated making major, dramatic changes to it; having control over your shelter is important psychologically, and one way we exert that control is by changing it to better meet our needs. And we increasingly treat our homes as reflections of our emotional and mental state, often turning to renovation projects when we feel stuck or unhappy in other areas of our lives (for better or for worse).

We usually discuss home renovation projects in terms of return on investment (ROI) or the practical impact the change will have on our daily lives and our families. But there’s a crucial aspect of home remodeling that we should prioritize more: happiness. How happy will that home renovation project make you? The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has quantified this to some extent with their “Joy Score,” which asks homeowners to rate how happy a home renovation has made them. Combined with some other factors, it’s possible to come up with a list of the home renovation projects that will make you the happiest—and they’re not always the most expensive or ambitious.

Happiness-inducing indoor projects

Unsurprisingly, one of the key factors in any home renovation project is how well the end result meets the need that inspired it. If your kitchen is barely functional before the renovation and does everything you need after, you’re probably going to be pretty happy with the project (assuming no soul-killing problems like massive cost overruns or your contractor dropping an uber-expensive countertop just inches away from installation).

But the renovation projects that will make you happiest in the house are often the simplest. All of these renovations received a perfect Joy Score of 10, for example:

• Painting. Painting the whole interior of your home or even just one room can be very, very satisfying. There’s some evidence that color has an explicit impact on your mental state, and many people subjectively experience a boost in mood with the right paint colors. Plus, painting is like literally erasing mistakes. Throw in the relatively low cost, speed, and ease of this project and the happiness factor is obvious.

• Home office addition. This is all about solving problems. If you’re working from home and find yourself balancing your laptop on your knees in the bathroom, creating a dedicated office space can make you feel like you’re a professional.

• New or refinished wood floors. Like paint on the walls, that new floor shine feels like shedding the mistakes of the past (like the time you dragged the couch to a new spot and left deep gouges in your floor). Plus the durability of the final result—an improvement that will last years—is very satisfying.

• Closet renovation. Our closets are like a personal Portrait of Dorian Gray—the public-facing parts of our home might be neat and tidy while our closets are overflowing nightmares. Organizing always feels good, so it’s little wonder that creating order out of chaos in our closets makes us happy.

• Attic conversion. Conquering an area of your house currently ruled by spiders is always going to make you feel better. Not only do you turn a dark and slightly dangerous place (where you can easily misstep and fall through the ceiling) into a functional and useful space, you gain square footage and increase your home’s value.

• New insulation. This might be a surprising one, but not if you think about it: Not only does new or upgraded insulation improve your home’s energy efficiency, which feels good, it also makes your home more comfortable—which makes people want to spend more time there.

Happiness-inducing outdoor projects

Home renovations outside the house hit a little different, but access to outdoor spaces can have a huge positive impact on your overall happiness, so it’s not surprising that some of these projects score really high on the joy scale:

• In-ground pool. A pool makes people want to spend more time in their homes, and gives them a higher sense of enjoyment of the property. Not only can you cool off and get some good exercise in a pool, you can also throw some pretty epic parties around one.

• Landscape lighting. Another perfect Joy Score involves adding light to your outdoor spaces. Solid lighting design outside can turn a dark, foreboding yard into a beautiful spot you want to spend time in. It also increases a sense of security, since you can actually see what’s going on. Plus, it doesn’t have to be a complicated project—some solar lights, used thoughtfully, is all you need.

• New patio or deck. Like the pool, a new patio area or deck makes people want to use their outdoor spaces more, because they provide comfortable areas to relax. A new patio or deck turns a blank canvas into an entertaining space or a spot for decompression, cocktails, and enjoying the fresh air.

• Fire feature. Fire can have a positive psychological impact—it can be relaxing and meditative. It manages a Joy Score of 9.7 because it makes our outdoor spaces more inviting, gives them more “personality,” and increases the amount of time you can enjoy your yard, patio, or deck because it allows us to use those spaces even when it’s a little colder than we’d like.

If you’ve ever noticed that the edge of your board gets splintered while you’re cutting, you’re dealing with one of the most common problems for woodworkers: tearout. Tearout can be caused by using the wrong type of saw blade, a dull blade, or from improperly positioned lumber. But sometimes, you can do all these things correctly and still have a splinter problem. Sanding can help if your splintering is minimal, but here are some other methods to help prevent splintering from happening.

How to prevent tearout with a backer board

One of the most common ways to prevent splintering when using a chop saw or miter saw is to use a backer board. This is a simple way to support the grain of your lumber from the back side while cutting. Since the blade on a saw used for cross-cutting spins 90 degrees to the direction of the grain, the blade can tend to pull splinters out on the back side of your board. Place a scrap of wood against the fence of the saw—the part that you push your lumber up against to make your cut—before you position your board. Then, place your board against the scrap and make your cut through both the board and your scrap. The backer board will support the lumber you’re cutting, reducing tearout.

You can also use a backer board on a table saw, but you’ll need a board that’s at least as wide as the cut you’re making for it to work, making this method impractical in some circumstances. To use this method, place the board you’re cutting on top of another piece of lumber before cutting on the table saw. This can help some with tearout on the bottom side of your piece.

Preventing tearout with tape

Tape is another good fix for preventing tearout. If you’re cutting on a table saw, using a strip of masking tape or blue tape on the top side of your board above where the blade is positioned and cutting with the good side down can help prevent tearout. On a circular saw, you can use tape on the bottom side of your board, cutting with the good side up. Be aware that cutting through tape will likely dull your saw blade more quickly, but it might be worth it, depending on how precise you need the edges of your cut to be.

Preventing tearout with scoring

To keep tearout from happening, one helpful method is to score the board along your cut line before cutting. You can do this with a utility knife, a scoring tool, or any blade you have handy by making a groove with your tool using a straight edge along your cut line before making your cut. Essentially what this method does is pre-cut the surface of your board without teeth, making it less likely for the saw blade to catch on splinters as it spins and the teeth exit the board.

Reducing tearout using a router

If tearout prevention methods don’t work or are impractical, you can make a cut that’s an eighth to a quarter inch outside your cut line and then attach a straight board along your cut line and trim the remaining material with a flush trim bit in a router. Since the router blade usually spins perpendicular to your board, a sharp flush trim bit should produce very little tearout. For curved or irregular cuts, you can make a template that’s the exact size and shape of your cut, then use the router to trim your piece to the shape you want using the same method. This is also a good way to make multiple pieces the same size and shape.

Preventing tearout when drilling holes

If you’re using a drill press, clamping a scrap piece of wood onto the foot of your press before drilling can give the bottom of your board’s grain support as the drill bit exits the board. You can reduce splintering using this method with a hand-held drill, too, by clamping a scrap to the back side of your mark, making sure the clamp is clear of the hole, and drilling with the scrap in place. You can also drill a shallow hole on the opposite side of your board and then drill through from the top, reducing the exposed surface grain that needs to be drilled through.

Combining tearout prevention methods

There’s no rule that says you can’t use tape and a backer board and scoring at the same time. Combining methods, especially if you’re trying to make a very clean, precise cut, will decrease tearout even more. You should also make sure your blade is sharp and that you're using the appropriate one for the job you’re doing. If you’re making a cross cut, make sure you have a cross-cut blade on your saw, and if you’re making a rip cut, going with the grain, make sure you have a blade that’s designed for that cut on your saw.

Mosquito season is coming up—and maybe it's already here if you live in a warmer place. We've already explained how to keep mosquitoes from biting you (DEET or other effective spray for your skin and a box fan for your porch or deck) but let's talk about preventing them from buzzing around in the first place. You need mosquito dunks.

Mosquitoes need stagnant water to breed. Their babies start out as little worm-like creatures that breathe through their butts and eat algae and bacteria until they are ready to become the biting, flying nemeses we all know so well. This is why you’re supposed to cover or dump out any containers that collect water weekly. But what about puddles, potholes, and containers like rain barrels that can’t easily be covered or dumped? That’s what mosquito dunks are for.

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What are mosquito dunks?

Mosquito dunks are doughnut-shaped pellets that you can float in standing water. (You can also run a string or stake through the hole, if you need a way to keep it in place.) As the dunk dissolves, it releases bacteria that mosquito larvae will eat. So far, that sounds great for the mosquitoes.

But the bacteria in the dunks are Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti), which are harmless to people and most animals, but poisonous to baby mosquitoes. You can safely use them in fish ponds or birdbaths, and the EPA notes that while Bti will also kill the larvae of black flies and gnats, it does not affect honeybees or most other insect species.

Here are some mosquito dunks to consider:

• These dunks last 30 days and treat 100 square feet of water surface. (You can break a dunk into pieces to treat smaller areas.)

• Mosquito bits are the same idea as dunks, but in smaller pellet form.

• Have a lot of mosquito-breeding areas? Buy dunks in bulk.

Do mosquito dunks actually work?

Unlike a lot of mosquito-repelling yard hacks, mosquito dunks are legit. Both the CDC and EPA recommend them for standing water you’re unable to cover or drain. This could include ornamental features of your yard like koi ponds and bird baths, or places that collect water by accident, like gutters or ditches that fill up with water, or unused swimming pools. (For swimming pools that are actually in use, the chlorine is enough to keep mosquitoes out.)

Note that dunks prevent mosquitoes from breeding, but they don’t kill existing mosquitoes. This means you shouldn’t expect an immediate reduction in their numbers from using a dunk. But their life cycle is short, running from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the species and the climate. That means if you eliminate the places that larvae can thrive, you’ll likely notice reduced numbers of mosquitoes later on this summer.

If you’d like to speed up the process, you can try using a dunk to create a “Bucket of Doom.” This is a trap for mosquito mothers to lay their eggs in a nice, swampy bucket—which you happen to have treated with a dunk.

While I appreciate the occasional check-in from a neighborhood bird on my windowsill, I don't appreciate incessant pecking at the window's glass. During mating season, male birds will seek to claim the best nesting spots in town, and your window sill might seem like a nice location. Under the right conditions, though, your window becomes reflective, and that male bird sees his reflection and thinks he's got competition. All that pecking is him attacking the “other” bird to defend his spot. 

And it’s not just pecking, sadly—that reflection can cause birds fly into windows, too, which can cause much more damage (to the window and the bird). But as we enter mating season, there are a few things you can do to protect those birds and your windows.

Since birds can’t perceive glass well, they merely see what is reflected in it. If it reflects the sky and clouds, birds don’t realize they’re flying into a barrier. If they see their own reflection, they’ll think they’re seeing another bird. The key is to remove the reflection—and there are a variety of ways to do that. Keeping your shades, curtains, or shutters closed can help, but the glass may still reflect from some angles. In fact, if you don’t obscure the glass in some way, birds can see large plants just inside the window and perceive them as safe, outdoor plants to fly into. 

Frosted or patterned glass has less of a problem, and you can purchase film to create a frosted look on your windows  You can also use soap or tempera paint on the window to cut the glare—both are temporary and removable. Decals or mylar strips may help, but not as effectively as a solution that covers the whole window. In order to best deter birds, the solution is to cover the whole window in a grid that is small enough to deter even small birds from trying to “fly through.” 

Acopian BirdSavers are a paracord grid you hang outside your window, and you can purchase them or make them yourself. This is the method used by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Ultimately, if you have a pecking bird at your window and you want to protect the bird and stop the noise, the solution is to find a way to obscure the window from forming reflections.

Whether it’s inconsiderate neighbors or roommates or just bedroom windows facing a busy street, all it takes is a few sleepless nights to have you Googling the word soundproofing. It’s notoriously difficult (and expensive) to truly soundproof a room that wasn’t designed and constructed with that goal in mind, though. If you’re in a rental and can’t actually renovate (or you just don’t want to spend the money and time to tear out walls), the situation might seem hopeless—but there are actually a lot of products you can buy that can greatly reduce the amount of noise pollution in your bedroom or other areas of the home. Here are your best options when it comes to a no-renovation soundproofing plan.

Temporary panels

One of the fundamental tools of soundproofing is the foam acoustic panel. While these are used to dampen echoes and sound within a room, they can also be very effective at dampening sound coming from exterior sources. If you have a specific wall or window that is transmitting noise (a shared wall with a roommate, or a window facing a loud street, for example), slapping some acoustic panels on the wall or window can help tremendously.

They sell self-adhesive acoustic panels that are easy to mount, but these can cause issues when you try to remove them, as the adhesive can take some paint or other finish off the walls and leave residue on window glass. An alternative solution is to buy some non-adhesive panels and use Command Strips to mount them. This way, when it’s time to get that security deposit back, you won’t have to worry about damaging walls and windows.

Window inserts

For windows, a pricier but more effective option would be a custom window insert, like the ones from Acoustical Solutions or Indow. These companies take your window measurements and construct a panel that fits snugly into your window jamb from the inside, improving the sound-blocking of the window without blocking the light. These sometimes do require some light drilling to install, but they’re 100% removable and can be very effective in reducing the noise entering a room through the windows—but they’re also much more expensive than foam panels; Indow’s inserts average about $372, for example.

Acoustic curtains and blankets

Another option for soundproofing a window or door is an acoustic curtain or blanket that covers them. These are essentially heavy acoustic materials sewn inside a fabric casing and can typically be mounted on top of the window or door and rolled up or down. When rolled down, they usually have a Velcro or magnetic seal around the edge to make them tight against noise intrusion.

Ikea makes the Gunnlaug sound absorbing curtain, which is attractive and relatively affordable, for example, and you can also buy insulated door curtains that install over your doors to block noise and drafts (you’ll get better sound-blocking from the slightly more expensive Door Buddy or similar products from soundproofing supply companies). You can also have custom-made acoustic curtains for both windows and doors that are a bit easier to live with because they roll up easily when you’re not using them.

You can also try adding weather stripping to interior doors; these are self-adhesive strips that help seal the door tight when closed, which can go a long way toward reducing noise intrusion. As with all adhesives, removing this might be a concern when you move out, although it might not be noticeable if installed properly.

Rug pads

A final strategy to quiet down your living space without tearing stuff up is to add floor coverings. A thick rug can help block sound in both directions, and adding a rug pad with acoustic properties like this one from RugPadUSA can augment that effect. Rug pads and thick carpets won’t eliminate sound drifting up from below, but they can definitely muffle it, especially if you cover most or all of your floor space.

Noise is no joke—it can have a real negative effect on your health and happiness. Spending a little to make your living space as quiet as possible without risking your security deposit will be some of the best money you’ve ever spent.

You can get a one-year membership to Sam’s Club on sale for $14 right now (reg. $50). A Sam's Club membership gives you access to almost 600 U.S. warehouses along with Sam's Club's selection online, and in-warehouse shopping also comes with member-only services like getting your tires changed, using their pharmacy, or using a Sam's Club gas station. Online, members get access to a wide selection of items that can be delivered to a warehouse or directly to your address. Members also gain access to deals for hotels, car rentals, live events, and movies. Note that this membership deal is only available to new members in the U.S. and comes with auto-renew, but it can be canceled at any time.

You can get a one-year Sam’s Club membership on sale for $14 right now (reg. $50) through February 23 at 11:59 p.m. PT, though prices can change at any time.

You can get this outdoor flashlight and power bank on sale for $39.99 right now (reg. $62.99). It has 1,000 lumens of brightness, a 24-hour battery life, and four speed lighting modes. It's also rechargeable by sunlight with the built-in solar panel or with a USB-C cable, and has a fireplace simulator with adjustable flame settings. You can also use it as a 2,400mAh power bank for your devices with up to 15W of power. It's a great 3-in-1 gadget, and it only measures nine inches long and weighs just over a pound.

You can get this outdoor flashlight and power bank on sale for $39.99 right now (reg. $62.99), though prices can change at any time.

No one ever brags about their roof. We all have know people who actually send you photos of their perfectly manicured garden, or someone who speakings lovingly of their new kitchen backsplash. But the roof? No one thinks about their roof—until it starts leaking.

Roof leaks always happen at the least opportune moment—like, when it’s actively pouring out. If you experience the horror of water dripping from places water’s not supposed to drip from, hopefully you have a roofer in your contacts and can get them over for an inspection pronto. But before you make that call, don’t waste any time—you’ve got some roof triage to do if you want to limit the damage from a roof leak.

Clear and contain

Your first priority is preventing damage. This is the moment to spring into action:

• Move stuff out of the way. Any furniture, electronics, or rugs should be immediately removed from the area where the water is dripping.

• Cover the stuff you can’t move, like a big, heavy couch or any built-in furniture. Any kind of plastic sheeting will do in a pinch. If the water leak is significant, you might also place the furniture legs in plastic containers or raise it up on risers if you’re unable to move it.

• Contain the water—place a bucket underneath the stream and mop up the floor to prevent the water from soaking into the flooring. If the water leak is causing your ceiling or wall to bulge like a balloon, pop the bulge to let the water drain; otherwise, the water will just slowly soak into areas far away from the leak.

Consider keeping a roof leak diverter (or two) in storage. These tarp-like contraptions attach to the ceiling and divert the water into a hose that can be run to a drain. This way you don’t have to worry about emptying a bucket while keeping your floors dry.

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Roof triage

Once you’ve restored order to the interior of your house, it’s time to see if you can put a temporary fix into place.

Start in the attic, if you have one. You might see the source of your leak immediately, or you might have to go hunting for it. Bring a flashlight and look for damp spots, slow seeping water, or literal holes in your roof. If you see obvious damage, you can try patching it from the inside with some roof cement or roofing tape, but keep in mind that while a successful interior patch might spare the inside of your house from further damage, the leak in your roof will still be there and will require repair.

If you don’t have an attic or you can’t see any obvious leaks from inside, your next step might be to get up on your roof. This is where you should be very careful—it’s a bad idea to head up onto your roof during a rainstorm. Wait for the storm to pass, and follow best safety practices at all times when you do go up there. When you do get up on your roof, it’s time for some detective work:

• Remember that water flows, so the source of your leak might not be directly above or even near the spot where the water came out inside your house.

• First, look for obvious damage: Missing or visually damaged shingles, flashing that has pulled away, stains or sunken areas, tears or cracks in the roof membrane.

• If you don’t see anything immediately obvious, look at the most common problem areas: places where vent pipes emerge from the roof, where two planes meet, flashing around chimneys or skylights, and roof valleys.

Once you’ve identified one or more potential sources of the leak, you can apply some roof cement (make sure it’s explicitly for use in wet conditions if the roof is still damp or if it’s lightly raining) or even some Flex Paste. If you’re dealing with discrete damage to your roof, this might stop the leak until you can have a proper repair done.

If you can’t identify a specific area to patch (or as an added layer of protection if you do patch), you can throw a tarp over the area where you suspect the leak is. The tarp should be at least six millimeters thick, and you’ll need enough of it to extend several feet around the leaking area. In a pinch, you can just weigh the tarp down with some lumber, but ideally you would secure the tarp to your roof using roofing nails.

Document

Finally, document the damage, especially if you have an insurance policy that includes roof coverage. If you wait until after the repairs are done, you might find your insurer reluctant to pay out on the claim. A few quick photos of the inside and outside as well as any damaged furniture or electronics will go a long way toward making that claim go smoothly. Plus, when you contact a licensed roofer about getting your roof repaired or replaced, you can send them the photos so they can determine the scale of the problem.

If you’re trying to upgrade your porch or patio, or if you have some gardening updates planned, your DIY projects can go a lot easier with some simple build plans. Having measurements and scale can help you purchase the right amount of lumber, and most plans also have suggested hardware as well. I've collected some of my favorite build plans for you—and bonus, they're free.

Chairs

Your yard, deck, or patio can always be made more comfy with some good chairs. For a modern look, you can try this set of plans from The Creative Mom on the Kreg website. This project plan comes with detailed build drawings, a materials list, a cut list, and instructions. While it says this is an easy project, it does require use of a saw, a pocket hole jig, and some other measuring and marking tools. For a chair that doesn’t need cushions, you can try your hand at this one from Ana White. These plans also come with detailed build drawings, a materials list, cut list, and instructions; you can also choose to print out a PDF of the various steps involved so you don’t need to have a phone or tablet out while you’re working.

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Benches and couches

Building in some seating for gatherings or to stretch out for an afternoon nap can level up your outdoor space. This simple 2x4 bench from Construct 101 is a project you could probably complete in a day. It comes with build drawings, materials and cut lists, and step-by-step instructions with illustrations. The only drawback to the materials list is that it lists the number of boxes of screws you will need instead of the number of screws. Make sure to double check that your count is accurate before heading to the hardware store. There’s also a reclined 2x6 bench plan from Rogue Engineer that comes with drawings, a materials and tools list, and illustrated instructions. If you’d rather have a couch than a bench, you can try your hand at building this outdoor sofa from Angela Marie Made. It has photos, a materials list, detailed instructions, and a link to a video tutorial. In addition, the author regularly posts updates about how to find the right cushions for your DIY couch project.

Porch swings

This porch swing from Plank and Pillow has a materials and tools list, drawings, and detailed instructions. It uses a crib mattress as its cushion, making it a big, comfy swing. You can also try a simpler bench swing from Yellow Brick Home. These plans come with detailed photos, instructions, and a tools and materials list. It’s important when you're planning your porch swing to take weight and proper hanging points into consideration so that you don’t damage your porch (or injure your porch swinger).

Decks

To build a deck, you’ll need to make sure to check zoning rules and you will likely also need to dig footings. These require a higher skill level than furniture projects, but if you have some experience, they can be a DIY project. These plans from Decks.com are a good resource for detailed instructions. The plans have materials lists, instructions, drawings, and specs that are all downloadable. You can customize your deck size and get plans that fit with your particular space.

How to recognize good build plans

A good set of plans will either have detailed schematics and illustrations or photos that include measurements. In addition, materials and tools lists are helpful, as well as instructions. Look for plans that contain not just finished measurements, but also measurements for each cut, a cut list, and an overview of how to make the cuts with the lumber included in the materials list. If there isn’t a materials list, you should be able to easily calculate what you’ll need from the included dimensions and drawings. If the plans don’t have this info, chances are the instructions aren’t very good.

Every home comes with maintenance, repairs, and surprising challenges, which is why most of us already have the obvious essentials on hand—fire extinguishers, flashlights, basic tools, and the like. But there are a several items you might not think of as a “home essential” that are going to prove very useful to you one day. Here are the unexpected home essentials you’re going to be glad to have on hand.

Traffic cones

The first time a contractor needs to park on your street, or your in-laws are visiting and they like to park right in front of your house or you have a broken sidewalk that could lead to a messy personal injury lawsuit, you’re going to want traffic cones. Having a few of these babies out in your shed or down in your basement will make your life a lot easier if you need to block off areas or warn pedestrians or drivers—or just save your parking spot when you run to the store for.

Endoscope

It sounds fancy, but an endoscope tool is just a small camera at the end of a flexible wire. Having one means you’ll be able to see inside small, closed-off spaces without tearing holes in your walls or floors, you’ll be able to discover the reason your kitchen sink won’t drain properly, where that screw wound up when you dropped it, and what is making that disturbing scratching noise in your bedroom wall. There are a lot of affordable ones that work with your phone as a screen, and you’ll be glad you have it.

Rechargeable lighter

Blackouts are going to happen, and pilot lights are going to go out. Rather than relying on wooden matches you forget to restock (and that can go bad over time if stored improperly) or a traditional fueled lighter that you can forget to refuel, a rechargeable lighter needs no fuel and has a flexible neck enabling you to get it into tight spots.

Critter catchers

You might feel like spiders and insects belong outside, but they do manage to find their way in. Instead of smashing them or trying to catch-and-release with a glass or a paper plate, the Critter Catcher will help you scoop them up and deposit them back outside (without ever having to get too close).

Zip ties

Once you own them, you will use zip ties constantly. You’ll use them to tie stuff together, to tie stuff down, to make temporary repairs, and a dozen other ways. The simplicity, relative durability, and cheapness of zip ties makes them something everyone should have on hand in their home.

Mover’s dolly

Whether it’s a couch, a washing machine, or any other large, heavy, bulky object or appliance, you need a mover’s dolly. Hang it in the garage and forget about it, and then when you need to transport your old fridge to the curb you can glide it out there with ease, or when you decide the living room needs to be totally re-arranged to encourage positive energy flows, you won’t break your back trying to move every piece of furniture by lifting it.

Spacekeeper folding hand truck

When not in use, this moving dolly can be folded up flat to be stored.

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Museum putty

If you’ve ever used that blue gunk to put a poster up on the wall of your dorm room or rental, you know the fundamental nature of Museum Putty. But this stuff is incredibly useful, because you can use it to ensure that nothing ever slips off a shelf. Anything you want to display can be secured in place, and no amount of roughhousing children, clumsy guests, or earthquakes will knock it off. You can also use it to stabilize the shelves themselves if they wobble or rattle on their supports. It won’t damage surfaces and comes right off when you need it to.

USB outlets

We've got so many devices to charge, and all those cords and dongles need somewhere to go—installing USB outlets throughout your home will make your life easier. You won’t have to hunt around for the right adapter, you won’t have things plugged into your laptop all the time, and you’ll be able to plug in immediately if your phone or tablet (or anything else USB-powered) gets a low-battery warning. And they are easy to install even if you have no experience with electricity.

Magnetic pickups

If you've ever dropped (and subsequently lost) a tiny screw or nail into a narrow opening, you need a magnetic pick-up tool like this one. Never lose a screw, bolt, or other tiny metal object again—even if it goes down your bathroom drain.

Where once it was standard to have just one bathroom in our homes, the number of bathrooms considered normal has steadily grown over the years, and the majority of new-build homes have at least two bathrooms these days. It makes sense: Why not have a private bathroom just for you and a second bathroom (or two) for the kids or guests?

This often leads us to wish for more bathrooms, for a lot of reasons: If you only have one, adding an en-suite bath feels luxurious, and having a dedicated guest bath makes your home feel more inviting. If you’re going to have a long-term guest (like a parent or close friend living with you for a while) or have frequent long-term visitors, a bathroom just for them almost feels essential. And if you plan to renovate your one existing bathroom, you might hesitate because you don’t want to run across the street to use a public restroom in your local coffee shop every day.

But adding bathrooms is expensive—it costs $90,000 on average to add a bathroom. Not to mention the non-monetary costs of time, inconvenience, and disruption. If all you need is a functioning bathroom, however, you can actually add one to just about any spot in your home for much less, without the need for plumbing, permits, or months of your life. All you need is a room. Here’s how to add a bathroom without plumbing.

How to choose the best space

First, think about where your bathroom should be. You’re not limited by the location of water or sewer lines, because you won’t need either one. A few ideas include:

• Closets. If your goal is to have an ersatz en suite bathroom, a moderately-sized closet can work. You’ll need to measure out all the stuff you’ll be cramming in there, of course, but a general rule of thumb is 15 square feet for a half-bath concept, and 30 for a three-part bath. Those numbers assume you need to pull permits and pass inspection, and thus incorporate typical minimum spacing for drains and such, so you can likely go a little smaller.

• Spare rooms. If you have a bedroom you’re not really using, or a flex space that was never defined, it can become a more spacious bathroom. Ideally, of course, you’d want a door—though you could always add an adjustable wall with a door to turn a bonus space or even a large landing into an additional bathroom.

A big consideration is water access. You don’t need to have water, drain, and sewer lines run—but if you want a shower in the room, it’s a lot easier if you can position it near a functioning water line like an existing bathroom or a washer hookup. If that’s not possible, you still have options, however.

The gear you'll need for a bathroom without plumbing

Here’s what you need:

• A dry-flush toilet. The most important thing to have in a bathroom is a place for you or your guests to relieve themselves. Composting toilets don’t require plumbing or a drain, but they do require a vent pipe, which would require cutting through a wall or roof. A better option is a battery-powered dry-flush toilet like this one. It uses a vacuum-sealed mylar bagging system, and can be operated literally anywhere.

• A portable sink. Portable sinks can look just like regular vanities, but have two tanks inside the cabinet—one holding fresh, clean water, one holding the drained-off gray water after use. They usually require a plug to run a pump for the faucet, as well. All you need to do is dump the gray water and fill up the fresh water tank as needed.

• A portable shower. To really go for it, adding a shower to your unplumbed bathroom is the real power move. The Shower AnyPlace portable indoor shower hooks up to any faucet and pumps the gray water to any drain using a hose, which makes it a great choice if your bathroom location is near another bathroom or a laundry area, or even a kitchen or outdoor space. The EMS Portable Shower from Freedom Showers operates on a similar design.

  If you want to be a little more luxurious, you could also consider adding a portable tub like this one, as long as you can run the drain hose to an appropriate spot and can easily get hot water to it.

Whether you need it for a few weeks to accommodate visitors or a renovation, or want the convenience of an extra bathroom without the cost, it’s a viable option—and since nothing is permanently installed, you can always remove it later. For just a few thousand bucks, you can have a usable bathroom in just about any room in your house, without any construction or plumbing needed.

If you own a house with some trees on the property, you probably don’t think about them much unless they require maintenance—and in those moments you think of them as expenses. Sure, those trees have value due to their natural beauty and shade (or possibly the fruit they grow), but few people think about the trees in their yards in terms of having a monetary value.

But you should, because trees on your property actually do have value—and that value is often substantial. First of all, maintained trees in good condition add property value in general—as much as 15%. But some species of tree can be worth a lot of cash if they’ve been allowed to grow to enormous proportions in your yard—a nondescript elm tree with a 20-inch trunk, for example, might be worth as much as $30,000. And some trees have been appraised for more than six figures. Some trees are so valuable poachers actually invade people’s property to steal them.

If you’re currently peering out your window at the trees in your yard and wondering if you’re sitting on some sort of woody goldmine, here’s how to find out the tree value on your property.

Online calculators

The simplest way to get an idea of how much your trees might be worth is to use an online calculator like this one, which uses the USDA Forest Service’s i-Tree software, or the slightly simpler ones here. These calculators rely on you to input accurate information, so you might need to sleuth out the species of your tree and do some measurements and observations in order to get a truly accurate valuation.

It’s important to note that these tools offer a sense of the value your trees are adding to your property—by providing shade, cleaning the air, removing carbon, and cooling your home. If the calculator says your tree is worth $15,000, you probably can’t just sell it for $15,000, or add that amount to your home’s listing price when you sell your house. But these tools do offer a starting point for valuing your tree.

Tabor Tools GG12A Anvil Lopper with Compound Action 30 Inch Tree Trimmer

$56.84 at Amazon

$67.99 Save $11.15

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Learn More

$56.84 at Amazon

$67.99 Save $11.15

Tree appraisal

If you want to get a more accurate value for your tree, you’ll need to hire an arborist to conduct an appraisal, which is a real, actual thing with a lot of science behind it. You can find a consulting arborist at the American Society of Consulting Arborists (ASCA) website.

Tree appraisals are mostly used to determine insurance values in case your trees are damaged, destroyed, or improperly removed from your property and you need to make a claim. But you can sell a tree from your yard if the tree is valuable enough, and if you can find a nursery or other entity interested in buying it. And if you have a lot of hardwood trees on your property, you can find companies like Sell Your Trees that will pay you for them, then come and remove them at their own expense (making an appraisal even more important so you know you’re getting fair value for your trees). If your trees are valuable and mature (meaning they’re fully grown and not a sapling, like the trees you buy at a nursery), you can also sell them on an online marketplace like Re-Tree, which can also give you an idea of how much that specific tree is worth.

The most valuable and easiest to sell trees (based on Re-Tree’s catalog) include:

• Japanese Maple. These majestic and colorful trees can sell for $400 to more than $8,000 depending on health, maturity, and specific type.

• Flowering dogwood. Whether pink or white, these beautiful trees can be worth as much as $4,500.

• Tricolor beech. This ornamental tree changes colors with the seasons, making it a beautiful addition to any landscaping project, and can sell for as much as $8,000.

• Gingko. These slow-growing trees are terrific shade trees, and can sell for $5,000 to $6,000 each.

• Black Walnut. The wood of the Black Walnut is valuable for furniture makers, and can sell for as much as $2,500.

Even if the trees in your yard aren’t super unique and rare, you can still often sell them for a few hundred bucks if they’re healthy and mature. If you’re looking to monetize your trees, it’s worth having them appraised and seeing what the market will bear.

Getting your spring garden into shape, doing some pruning, or planting might call for some new tools. If your tools have been stored outdoors, they might have some rust, or your tools might be worn out after years of service. Even with meticulous maintenance, shears, mowers, and other equipment will wear out over time. Gardening equipment generally need replacing after about six years, although with good maintenance can last as long as 10 to 12 years. If you're running into trouble with some of your gardening tools, Fiskars—known for their high-quality scissors—makes tools with a good reputation for durability and sharpness. Here are some of the best sales on offer this week from Amazon.

Shears and pruning

For cuts up to ⅝ inches thick, a pair of Fiskars bypass pruning shears will do the job. The pruners are on sale for $9.98 right now, 52% off their regular price. You can also get a set of pruning shears that comes with the bypass pruning shears as well as a pair of micro tip pruning shears on sale right now for $24.40, 40% off their usual price. These are good quality all-steel shears and they come with a lifetime warranty from Fiskars.

For precision trimming your grass around landscaping features, outbuildings, or hedges where a string trimmer won’t work, a pair of Fiskars grass shears is a good solution. These grass shears are on sale right now for $17.99, 44% off their regular price. This set of grass shears has a rotating head to allow both vertical and horizontal cuts to save your wrists when you’re getting into tight spaces or odd angles.

The Fiskars lopper for trimming tree branches up to 1 ½ inches thick is on sale right now for $17.99, 42% off their regular price. The handles of these loppers are extendable from 24 ½ inches up to 37 inches to give you added reach as well as leverage.

Fiskars Lopper

$17.99 at Amazon

$30.99 Save $13.00

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Get Deal

$17.99 at Amazon

$30.99 Save $13.00

Push mower

If you’re looking for a quieter, zero-emission mower, you can go with a walk-behind push mower. The Fiskars 17” push mower is on sale right now for $171.58, 24% off its normal price. In addition to being quieter and having no emissions, this mower uses no power source besides you, so it’s also the cheapest to run.

Trowel

If you’re doing some spring planting and find that you need a new garden trowel, the Fiskars ergo trowel is a good buy. It’s a heavy duty trowel that’s designed to be comfortable to hold while you’re digging and it’s on sale right now for $8.79, 32% off its regular price. It has an aluminum head, so rust won’t be a problem, and it’s lightweight as well.

Fiskars, 384220-1001 Ergo Garden Hand Trowel

$7.03 at Amazon

$12.99 Save $5.96

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Get Deal

$7.03 at Amazon

$12.99 Save $5.96

Machete

Cutting overgrown weeds and vines can be a challenge—plus, machetes are fun. Fiskars has an 18-inch curved blade machete ax that’s on sale for $39.58, 52% off its normal price. A machete is good for cutting back dense brush and thick, overgrown areas, and the sharp, curved tip can also be used for trimming small branches and cutting through roots.

Harvest basket

If you’re anticipating having some bounty from a vegetable garden, a container for harvesting will come in handy. The Fiskars harvest basket is on sale for $21.59, 42% off its usual price. The basket has three compartments, one large one that can double a colander for rinsing produce, one small compartment with smaller drainage holes, and one compartment with no drainage for collecting flowers or other plants you want to keep fresh in water.

Fiskars Garden Harvest Basket

$21.59

$36.99 Save $15.40

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Get Deal

$21.59

$36.99 Save $15.40

Large shovel

If you have some garden beds to dig out, or some dirt to move, you’ll need a good quality shovel. The Fiskars digging shovel is on sale for $28.99, 37% off its regular price. The shovel blade is about 8 ½ inches wide, with a foothold on the top side of it to make it easier to push into the soil with your foot.