The Easiest Way to Refresh Dry Wood Putty
Make Your Own Car Air Freshener
An Excuse to Snack While Painting
One Cent Toilet Shims
Toilet Paper Roll Wrapping Paper Sleeve
Shoe Box Touch-Up Paint Kit
Oil Bottle Hardware Storage
Safer Blade Disposal
Tin Can Glue Bottle Storage

The Easiest Way to Refresh Dry Wood Putty

Coming to the final steps in a project and finding my jar of putty as dry as the Serengeti and hard as a rock is frustrating. My solution is to remove the putty with a screwdriver and knead it with canola oil until it's a usable consistency. The putty isn't quite as good as new, but it works in a pinch. It's a messy job, so wear latex gloves. – reader, Richard Ryder.

Make Your Own Car Air Freshener

Freshen your car with scented candle wax. Punch holes in the lid of a mason jar using a hammer and a large nail. Add wax to the jar and replace the lid. When the temperature in your car rises, the wax will melt, filling your car with a lovely fragrance.

An Excuse to Snack While Painting

Washing a roller cover between coats of paint is a waste of time and paint. So one of my painting necessities is a can of chips; preferably the plastic cans. Before I start painting, I eat the chips and then clean out the can. I don't want any unintended texture on my walls! Between coats, I slip the wet roller cover in the empty chip can and pop on the lid to keep it from drying out. — reader, Thomas Nolan

With a little creativity, many common household items can be transformed into something else that's entirely different and amazing.

One Cent Toilet Shims

When leveling a toilet, I often use coins or washers as toilet shims. Coins or washers provide a firm seat and come in different thicknesses.

Simply slide as many coins as necessary under the toilet until it's completely level. Then caulk along the floor as you normally would to hide the coin toilet shims. — reader, Les Zell

Toilet Paper Roll Wrapping Paper Sleeve

This hint will save you from wasting wrapping paper each time you bring it out of storage. Rather than sticking a piece of tape along the loose edge, cut an empty toilet paper tube lengthwise and wrap it around a roll of wrapping paper. Cinch it up and secure the sleeve with a piece of tape. Next time you use the wrapping, you may rip the sleeve when removing it, but your wrapping paper will remain intact.

Shoe Box Touch-Up Paint Kit

Create a reusable paint touch-up kit with an empty shoe box. Fill the box with a small roller and roller cover, a paintbrush, paint can opener, gloves, stir stick, etc. Then cover the shoe box lid with saran wrap, fill it with a bit of paint and use it as a roller tray.

Oil Bottle Hardware Storage

Here's a fun little project to keep your screws, nails, nuts and electrical whatsits handy and neatly organized.

Safer Blade Disposal

Save that empty spice container with a removable lid—it makes a great blade disposal container in the workshop. That's what reader Bill Nelson does! The container is durable and can hold several used utility blades, damaged nails and other sharp objects to be thrown away without cutting the trash bag open or posing a hazard in the shop.

Tin Can Glue Bottle Storage

Reuse a tin can for storing glue bottles upside down in your workshop. Then you won't have to wait for the glue to slowly reach the top of the bottle in order to squeeze it out—it'll be ready to go when you reach for it.