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You are visiting: Home » tips and tricks » Page 4

How to Fix Sticky Drawers in Seconds

by Lindsay Ballard on January 9, 2015 2,024 Comments

A few months after I finished updating the Miss Matched yellow dresser for my bedroom, I noticed that the drawers didn’t slide as easily as they once had.  Old wooden drawers have the tendency to stick and drag, so I didn’t worry too much about it.  My “I’ll get to that one day” attitude about it didn’t help the problem, and four years later I was growing more annoyed by the day over having to twist and jerk the dresser drawers every time I wanted a pair of socks.

Earlier this week, I woke up and decided that today was the day to fix the sticky drawers.  I looked into retrofitting the drawers with slides from Home Depot.  I researched adding metal strips to the bottom of the drawers so that they would slide more freely.  I was irritated that I was going to have to spend money to fix the problem.  Then, I remember one of the oldest tricks in the DIY handbook – candle wax.

I took a cheap tea light out of its metal lining and rubbed it onto the bottom of the drawer were it comes into contact with the dresser frame.  If you don’t have any tea lights or old candles, paraffin wax (if you are a canner) or a bar of soap (if you bathe) will also serve the same purpose.  Hopefully, you participate in at least one of those two activities.

How to Unstick a Sticky Drawer in Seconds

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Five Things to Do When You Hate Your Living Room

by Lindsay Ballard on October 22, 2014 76 Comments

I have a confession.  I hate my living room.  Now, I know that hate is a strong word, but I really do mean it in this case.

In its current state, my living room is a hodgepodge of mismatched furniture – and not ‘mismatched’ in a good way.  The “media center” is too small, the coffee table is too large, and the top of the room doesn’t coordinate with the bottom of the room in any shape, form or fashion.

What to do When You Hate Your Living Room

I can’t believe I just revealed this to you.  This is honestly what my living room looks like on a good day.  I’ve lived with it like this for about six years, and I will probably live with it like this for a few more.

If you have a room in your house that you hate (or strongly dislike), here’s how to live with it.

 

What to do When You Hate Your Living Room

1.  Make Peace – One of the best things you can do about a room that you hate is to make peace with it.  Sometimes I feel silly writing each week about decorating, because it’s not one of the “big” things in life.  It may feel big when you have a room that you hate, but it obviously pales in comparison to what a lot of other people are dealing with.

What to do When You Hate Your Living Room

In the past few years, my kids have managed to destroy this chair that I rescued, meaning that there is old, exposed hot glue on its sides and wash faded throw pillows on its back.  That’s okay.  I know that I won’t have this chair in my home forever (or at least this chair in its current state), and if I do, I at least know that it’s comfy and well-loved.

Make peace with your room (or rooms) in their current state, and remember that they won’t always look like they do today.

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About Makely

Lindsay Ballard is a former college mascot turned political geek turned roller derby playing, DIY fanatic.

Lindsay chronicles her projects, design ideas, and lifestyle tips here at Makely, where she shares tutorials and inspiration. Her DIY designs are bold and graphic, while her spirit is fun and full of color.


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