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17 Divinity St
Bristol, CT, 06010
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8605895155

Since 1975, O'Donnell Bros has been providing greater Bristol and Central Connecticut with residential and commercial remodeling solutions. We specialize in roofing, siding, windows, doors, gutters, downspouts and so much more. We look forward to helping you with all your remodeling needs. 

10 shortcuts to try at home

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O'Donnell Bros President, Bob O'Donnell, is a regular contributor to The Bristol Press. Read his home improvement articles here.

 

10 shortcuts to try at home

Chelsea O'Donnell

I’m a big fan of small projects that make life a whole heck of a lot easier. I love at-home hacks, which are little tricks, tips and shortcuts that make things around the house run a bit more efficiently.  Hacks can be anything from organizing short cuts to simple solutions that make annoying tasks a bit less painful. Here is a list of my 10 favorites.

  1. I keep a few small jars of extra paint under the sink in case we need a quick touch up. We use mason jars, but baby food jars work great too. This simple shortcut makes the whole process of prying the can open, mixing the paint and getting into a big mess simply disappear.

  2. Speaking of painting, if you’re applying a few fresh coats of paint and need to cover small, stationery items such as sinks or toilets, use plastic wrap instead of tape. It sticks closer and is very easy to remove.

  3. Use hot glue to stick a magnet to the end of your hammer so you don’t have to hold nails in your mouth. You can also do this with your paintbrush, which will keep it in place in the can while you take a break.

  4. Attach small jars into the bottom of a shelf to store your nails, screws, washers, and other bits that always seem to find their way to the bottom of your toolbox. 

  5. Old doorknobs make great hooks for storing items such as clothing, sports equipment or heavy tools in the garage. They are very sturdy and look pretty cool too.

  6. If you have long, large cords, wrap them around strong coat hangers to keep them from getting tangled and damaged.

  7. Make extra space under the sink by installing a thin shower curtain rod or tension rod to hold your spray bottles and cleaning products.

  8. If you can’t stand the look of your wall thermostat or alarm, mount a framed picture or panting to some small hinges to hide it from view.

  9. If you have scuff marks on a hard wood floor, rub them off using a dry tennis ball.

  10. If you have an old dresser with sticking drawers, try rubbing candle wax on the tracks to loosen them up.

What are your favorite at-home hacks? I’d love to hear from you! 

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