DIY Life

Toys, cats, shoes, clothing and other items always seem to end up gathering dust under my bed, and I must confess, I am getting really upset about it. There are so many things under my bed right now, I am afraid that when it comes time to actually move the bed to a new location, I will drop dead of embarrassment when it is picked up and moved.

I love platform beds, I desperately want one, and am excited to have John walk us through the steps on how to build a platform bed. You'll need 2 x 10's for the base, 2 x 4's for the top layer, and two pieces of MDF to build your sturdy platform bed. 18 pieces of lumber, wood glue, deck screws, a miter saw, a circular saw, a drill and about $100 combined with one afternoon's time will give you a new platform bed too.

John's platform bed is for a king size mattress, so of course you would have to adjust for a smaller bed. The basic idea is just so cool though, and the best thing is, you don't have to go and spend tons of money on a bed frame, because the DIY'er in you is gearing up to do this project and paint the frame to match your decor.

Home remodeling can be very expensive, not to mention a hair-pulling project. If you have recently done some remodeling and followed Diane's advice about planning a home theater but have nearly run out of money, don't despair; all is not lost. All you need is $100.

Seriously, if you have gone broke buying the projector for your home theater and don't have a $1000 to spend on a projection screen, you can make a 100" projection screen for under $100. The projector screen is relatively easy to assemble and install, and should give you great results. The article gives full step by step instructions, complete with a list of tools and materials that you will need for your project.

To make the projection screen, you'll need to visit a camera supply store, your local lumber and hardware store, and a fabric store. You will be constructing a wood frame, wrapping it in velveteen fabric, and then attaching white seamless paper to the back of the frame. Much better than a plain white wall, don't you think?