Help! I have voles! How do I get rid of them? Do those repellent sprays work? How about those sonic things? [more inside]
posted by chowflap at at 7:44 PM - 3 answers

How can I make the modifications/hacks my Magnavox Stereophonic Hi Fi console desperately needs. [more inside]
posted by carefulmonkey at at 7:09 PM - 4 answers

Organization Filter: How do you organize a bunch of definitely weird and sometimes incredibly disparate STUFF? [more inside]
posted by Medieval Maven at at 6:58 PM - 5 answers

Will a dehumidifier work for my mold problem? The size charts say a 25 pint one (~$150) would be fine for my square footage, but would one be able to cover the bathroom, living room and bedroom considering they are separate rooms? Would the air flow be good enough, or should I get some of the much smaller (seems like less well-reviewed too) dehumidifiers that go for $50-$70 on Amazon and put one in each room? [more inside]
posted by Post-it Goat at at 5:14 PM - 5 answers

Contemplating a chest freezer purchase. Questions about power usage, backup power, defrosting it, and choosing the right model. [more inside]
posted by Joh at at 2:57 PM - 12 answers

I need help for coping with being a renter for a year. [more inside]
posted by Listener at at 1:57 PM - 23 answers

What edibles should we plant in the garden? Parameters: inexperienced gardeners, Toronto, raccoons and squirrels will be present, items that are exciting/educational for four-year-olds, and it's a plot in a community garden that we probably won't visit every day. [more inside]
posted by winston at at 1:20 PM - 18 answers

What should a Florida teacher know about buying a home (i.e., getting a mortgage) in Oklahoma? [more inside]
posted by Edelweiss at at 12:42 PM - 4 answers

What's the surest way to repair the broken handle of my favorite mug? [more inside]
posted by Riverine at at 8:43 AM - 13 answers

I scavenged a chair from the street (oh, how Brooklyn of me) with the overly-ambitious intention of refinishing and reupholstering it. I can figure out how to to remove the seat and replace the fabric, but I'm stuck on several other necessary steps, to the point that I don't even know what terms to Google. Pictures within. [more inside]
posted by doift at at 4:08 PM - 10 answers

I had a very small kitchen fire ... but a bag of flour was involved, causing nuclear winter in my apartment. How thoroughly should I clean up, and how? [more inside]
posted by sarahkeebs at at 6:52 AM - 9 answers

Home Repair Filter: Does anyone know of a window repair contractor in Baltimore who'll do spiral sash balance repair? [more inside]
posted by kalessin at at 3:37 AM - 6 answers

One final attempt. Anyone know where I can find this blue vase? [more inside]
posted by zenpop at at 2:10 PM - 14 answers

The Ikea Klippan sofa is a popular model according to Google and is comfy enough to sit on at the store, but does anyone have any ideas regarding its total lack of head support? I'm thinking I need to add some kind of head rest, like a body pillow held in place with a giant piece of fabric wrapping around it and stapled in the back. This seems like one of those things that somebody somewhere must have figured out already (besides get rid of it). Any ideas?
posted by amethysts at at 11:22 AM - 8 answers

I am looking for a good non-auto junk/ salvage yard in Portland, OR area that allows you to dig though and buy scrap metal. I am trying to find some funky old metal to use to build a metal gate and some trellises for my yard. That and I just sort of feel like wandering around a junk yard, but I can't seem to find any (other than auto yards) that allow people to dig around. [more inside]
posted by crawfishpopsicle at at 8:38 AM - 10 answers

Please explain to me step by step how exactly to hang art using picture rails. [more inside]
posted by Violet Hour at at 11:39 PM - 18 answers

There are ceiling-to-floor water streak marks in one of my bedrooms. Is this just condensation or could it be a roof or wall leak? [more inside]
posted by ellenaim at at 8:46 PM - 6 answers

The communal washing machines in my apartment building are worthless. They don't remove any sort of stain or spill, regardless of solubility or severity. When I remove the wet clothes from the washer, nasty stripes and splotches of lint cover my clothes (especially obvious on darks). Is there a specific complaint I can make to my landlord, or should I just give up and go to a laundromat? [more inside]
posted by sararah at at 7:34 PM - 18 answers

How can I break my apartment lease legally here in the state of Arizona? [more inside]
posted by Bageena at at 11:58 AM - 8 answers

Paint or vinyl siding. Help me decide. My home is in desperate need of painting. If I paint, there will be a lot of prep work required as I would want to strip most of the paint which has alligatored. I am thinking about Vinyl siding. Can anyone share with me why I should or should not do this or what I may want to consider? [more inside]
posted by citybuddha at at 5:44 AM - 20 answers

What's a good vacuum for mostly hard floors and some carpet for a cat owner? [more inside]
posted by missjamielynn at at 2:35 PM - 18 answers

I'm planning to use bamboo plywood for a section of kitchen countertop. How should I treat it to make it both water and stain resistant and food-safe? [more inside]
posted by RandlePatrickMcMurphy at at 12:33 PM - 8 answers

I just moved into room in a beautiful house, but cannot for the life of me decide what color to choose. I'm looking for a natural, earthy tone - something with a sensual vibe like dark brown. [more inside]
posted by atmu at at 12:12 AM - 13 answers

What do I need to know to check my temperature and pressure release valve of my electric water heater? I just got a home maintenance book that says hot water heaters can explode if the pressure release valve becomes inoperable. [more inside]
posted by GlowWyrm at at 8:57 PM - 9 answers

Mold and bleach? How much to kill it, but not me? (And I guess not my roommate, too.) [more inside]
posted by fillsthepews at at 7:31 PM - 20 answers

Is it possible for a 'normal person' to let a house without doing all of the usual landlord work? We want to keep a house in the family but don't want the responsibility of finding tenants, contacting a plumber, collecting rent and so on. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at at 5:56 PM - 10 answers

My new gas range is breaking my heart. WTF is wrong with it? And if it is a goner, should I bother trying to replace it with another gas range, or give up and switch to electric? [more inside]
posted by Enroute at at 2:28 PM - 17 answers

Help. We're about to buy a house with mold in the walls. How can I get a sample analysis by mail? [more inside]
posted by DarlingBri at at 9:44 AM - 13 answers

A comfortable & storable reading chair? [more inside]
posted by cuando at at 8:46 AM - 10 answers

My desk chair has locked in an upright position- it won't recline at all. I've noticed this happening before- eventually I'll try to lean back and it'll go right back. But what causes this, and is there anything specific I can do to get it to recline properly?
posted by Pope Guilty at at 1:53 AM - 2 answers

Mealworm breeding: what do I need to know? [more inside]
posted by Solomon at at 4:23 PM - 4 answers

I need new steps at the side door of my house. Who should I get to build/install them, and what should they be made out of? [more inside]
posted by LolaGeek at at 12:28 PM - 4 answers

What's the easiest way for a person to move a bunch of books by herself? [more inside]
posted by Edelweiss at at 11:52 AM - 18 answers

Fluorescent tube (large one) broke in kitchen. I am freaking out now and didn't follow proper procedures to clean it up. Am I going to get sick and die of mercury poisoning? [more inside]
posted by rainygrl716 at at 11:07 PM - 22 answers

When should I start looking for a room in a Brooklyn apartment, if I intend to move there in September? And where, besides Craigslist, are the best places to find ads? [more inside]
posted by scarylarry at at 10:47 PM - 11 answers

Please give me your best tips and recommendations for bringing a leather sofa and chair back to life. [more inside]
posted by pearlybob at at 5:18 PM - 7 answers

Help me find decent non-halogen desk lamps. [more inside]
posted by dinger at at 2:52 PM - 4 answers

Unfortunately (for both of us), my girlfriend has charged me with fixing the stair. What kind of tool am I looking for? [more inside]
posted by kbanas at at 12:02 PM - 15 answers

KitchenFilter: does anyone know where I can buy a Polder kitchen timer in Vancouver? Specifically, I'm looking for this model on a string. [more inside]
posted by findango at at 11:44 AM - 4 answers

In our home we have two interesting light fixtures consisting of draped crystal pendants. They stand out a bit from the bare and somewhat boring ceiling. We'd like to add a ceiling medallion to create a little more visual balance but I can't find one with a large enough hole. Has anyone had any luck finding a medallion with a hole diameter of 12" or so?
posted by lyam at at 9:55 AM - 4 answers

Safety in the Tenderloin? (San Francisco) [more inside]
posted by ClaudiaCenter at at 9:30 AM - 12 answers

How would I find skeleton keys for all of the old locks in my house? [more inside]
posted by scblackman at at 8:56 AM - 5 answers

Children's backyard play structure filter: recommendations wanted. [more inside]
posted by spitbull at at 7:16 AM - 7 answers

While fixing a problem with my bathtub, maintenance guys got a nice mini-layer of paint all over everything in my bathroom, and some stuff in my bedroom. What do I do now? [more inside]
posted by djpyk at at 8:55 PM - 9 answers

What to do with 150+ plastic buckets? [more inside]
posted by BitterOldPunk at at 6:52 PM - 16 answers

I need to move a little tree, but I’m afraid I’ll end up killing it. Is it worth the risk? [more inside]
posted by silverstatue at at 10:49 AM - 8 answers

My Aerogarden has gone totally haywire! What can I do? [more inside]
posted by Wylie Kyoto at at 7:05 AM - 5 answers

Is there anything we can do to keep our apartment a bit quieter? [more inside]
posted by synecdoche at at 7:10 PM - 10 answers

How can I make concrete somewhat easily breakable? [more inside]
posted by piedmont at at 3:18 PM - 25 answers

Pimp My House: We bought a house, but we're not moving into it for another month. It's currently empty. What cool projects should I undertake before we move in? [more inside]
posted by unixrat at at 2:55 PM - 29 answers