40 Handy Hints for Frugal Homeowners

Here are 40 Handy hints for frugal homeowners. You don’t need to spend a fortune to keep your house in order.

De-wrinkle your laundry with little to no effort

This is a trick that a lot of people have heard of but not enough folks use. As one of the useful handy hints on this list, it’s great since tossing in a few ice cubes or a wet washcloth will produce steam as they melt/dry which will work on lighter clothing.

Place an envelope in the freezer

If you still like to send money through the mail but forget to add it before sealing things up, popping it in the freezer can open the seal. You’ll have to tape it shut, but it’s better than wasting money on envelopes.

Fix those sagging shelves

This is a little more labor-intensive, but by placing plywood panels, sized to fit inside unwanted books, between your shelves, you can fix that sagging problem. You’ll want to stagger the supports so there’s still room on the shelves.

Make your own vacuum attachments

Using a plastic squeeze top bottle you can get those hard to reach areas. You might need to use a healthy application of tape, but it works.

Refreshing dry wood putty

It’s frustrating to find a jar of dry putty when you need it. But there is a way to make it work again if you use a bit of canola oil and knead the putty with a screwdriver.

Seed starters in toilet paper tubes

Most people toss out used toilet paper tubes unless they realize how many uses they can get out of them. Planting the seeds after prepping a waterproof tray is a great way to start your garden.

Make your own improvised caulk gun

It’s easy to leave these things behind, but if you have the right materials it’s very easy to make this work. Take a trigger-style clamp and stick a wood scrap in the end of the tube of caulk to push it forward.

Blade guards made from vinyl scrap

Keeping your blades sharp and in good condition is one worry of a lot of journeymen. Take vinyl strips and trim them to fit your blades and you’ll keep them in great shape for a long time to come.

Empty milk jugs make great watering cans

Handy hints like this make one facepalm at times since they’re such easy solutions. But milk jugs are versatile enough to use for a lot of things, and all it takes for this use is to drill a few holes in the caps.

You paid for the paint, use every last drop

One of the handy hints that becomes useful when painting is dump all of your used paint together and mix it. You’ll usually get a shade of white at the end, but you can add paint to it if you need to reach a different tone.

A cookbook holder is more useful than it sounds

Countertops are messy and can ruin a cookbook when you’re trying to get things done. Clipping a recipe onto a clothes hanger and then hanging it from a cabinet handle is a much better way to go.

Dryer sheets do work on floors

Even if they’re used, dryer sheets are great for cleaning up floors. They pick up the dust, hair, and other debris that falls to the ground so often.

You can make a car air freshener

All you need is scented candle wax in a jar. Punch holes in the lid, add the wax, and enjoy the scent when the temperature rises.

Create your own greenhouse

Starting your own garden is kind of tough at first. But trying soda bottle greenhouses by cutting off the bottoms and removing the labels is an easy start.

DIY fire starter

What do you need for a fire except tinder, kindling, and fuel? Dryer lint is a great source of tinder and will light nicely when stuffed into toilet paper tubes.

You can use a clothes hanger to clear your drain

This is one of the handy hints that’s straightforward. Metal hangers are usually best for this since you can unwind them and leave a hook at the end to snag the hair that’s blocking the pipe.

Inexpensive picture frame bumpers

Hot glue is a quick and easy fix to keep your pictures from bumping against the wall. Put a couple of dots on the back of the frame to keep a small amount of space between the frame and the wall.

No-slip clothes hanger

Wrap pipe cleaners around the plastic hangers you might have in abundance. This keeps a grip on your clothing and prevents it from slipping off.

Planter upgrade

You don’t want water settling in the bottom of your planter. Cutting up old sponges and placing them in the bottom of the pot can create space and retain moisture.

Dust bunny cleaner

It’s kind of irritating that stuff collects in your broom when you want to clean. Solving this is kind of easy by gluing a wide-tooth comb to the top of a dustpan.

Make a message board with stuff around the house

Take a picture frame, place a blank piece of paper inside, and then use a dry-erase marker to write your messages. Simple, right?

Snack and then get to work

Pringles cans serve another purpose. When you’re painting you can, after cleaning the can out, slap a wet roller skin inside and close the lid to keep in the moisture.

Make sure your wood glue works for you

Handy hints on the job site are always welcome. Adding in a drop or two of vinegar to thick wood glue does work, believe it or not.

It is possible to reuse a vacuum cleaner bag

Unroll the end, don’t tear it, and empty everything into the trash. Then refold the bottom end, staple it together, and voila.

A very cheap way to balance your toilet

You can use washers, or you can use pennies to balance your wobbly toilet. They’re firm, they’re cheap, and they’re just the right thickness.

Color-code your keys efficiently and quickly

Nail polish has more uses than just fingernail adornment. Use a different color for each key and you’ll know which one opens what.

Save on potting soil

When using deep planters fill the bottom with plant pots and old cans. This improves drainage and helps to create air pockets for better aeration.

Wine corks are great firestarters

If you’re a wine drinker then save your corks and place them in a mason jar with rubbing alcohol to let them soak. Just make certain the corks are natural and not synthetic.

Fixing a disorganized fridge

It’s very easy to put stuff in the fridge and forget where it’s at. But using a Lazy Susan is one of those handy hints that many people don’t think of, but love once they use it.

Corral that unruly wrapping paper

A toilet paper tube is a good fix when it comes to securing your wrapping paper. This also keeps from wasting so much of it since each roll isn’t cheap.

Grocery bags make great shoe covers

It’s easy to tie plastic grocery bags around your shoes to keep from messing up your floors. If you don’t have any shoe covers this will work in a pinch.

Berry containers are great for grass seed

Get rid of anything that’s in the box, but keep the box. This way you can use it to seed your lawn when the time comes.

Spray paint in a wine box

It’s a great way to keep the cans from being scattered everywhere, and the boxes are conveniently shaped to handle this load. Not only that, but you can easily see which color is which when opening the container.

Hardware storage

In truth, you can use almost any container so long as it’s deep enough to contain the nuts, screws, washers, etc. that tend to float around between projects. But do make sure you clean the container out beforehand.

Your own touch-up kit

A shoe box is great for holding a small roller, a cover, a paintbrush, and other tools you’ll need for a touch-up project. You can even use it as a roller tray after adding a layer of saran wrap.

A surface for epoxy mixing

Lay down several strips of painter’s tape and overlap the edges so the epoxy doesn’t get all over. When you’re done mixing, peel it up and throw it away.

Tin cans help store glue bottles

It’s annoying to wait for the glue to reach the top of the bottle, isn’t it? Storing a glue bottle in a tin can is easier since the glue will be ready to use when you grab it.

Magazine rack

Make sure you have a strong enough hanger and place it on a drawer pull or cabinet handle. Also, make certain you hang the flat part of the hanger down.

Blade disposal made safer

If you have used blades or other sharp debris in your shop a spice container is a perfect place to put it. Not only are these containers durable, but they’re just the right size.

Labeling cords with bread tabs

It’s confusing sometimes to figure out which cord goes to which device. Using a bread tab makes it easier, just remember to label each one differently.