DIY Life

Everybody's on the go today. Nobody sits still to do anything; things have really changed in the past decade. From the moment the alarm clock goes off, life is just one big multitasking episode. And any time you step out your front door and turn the key, any number of things could conspire to prevent you from returning that night.

No, I'm not talking kidnapping (although that might not be beyond doubt). I am talking massive traffic jams, delayed or canceled flights, a rush deadline. But those necessities that you inevitably need are at home – in the medicine cabinet, in the closet, or on the bedside table. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Make your briefcase or backpack your home away from home for all those unexpected situations. Kevin Connolly has done the homework for you and lists the eleven essential things to pack for your daily adventure in Businessland. He covers medical must-haves, tech requirements (cell phone charger), emergency food, and more.

Check out the above link for the whole scoop. It's not only Boy Scouts that are "always prepared." It can be your motto too!

Cassette tapes have been replaced with much more modern technology. I don't own an iPod, but I do own about 300 cassette tapes, so aside from disguising your iPod with a cassette tape, or digitizing your old cassette tapes, what else do you think could be done with those old tapes that are wasting space?

Turning a cassette tape into a business card holder should eliminate any more issues with loose business cards in your purse or briefcase which can be difficult to find when you need them, or worse yet, crinkled business cards in your pockets. All you have to do is remove the screws from the cassette tape, use pliers to break off the plastic pieces, insert your business cards between the empty pieces of plastic, and wrap the elastic around to secure the tapes together.

I don't know if I would go through all the trouble of tearing up a cassette tape. Why couldn't you just use the cassette tape case for holding your business cards? I would think you could get more business cards in the tape case than you could in the cassette tape itself. Either way, it is still a cool hack, don't you think?

Coming into this blog post, number four in my series about building your own computer, I finally have had some of the components delivered. I have included some pictures and information to keep you up to date, but we're not nearly ready to begin assembling parts. I'm hoping that my editors aren't getting too annoyed that I haven't started actually screwing parts together yet. Perhaps I should have told them that I didn't have $900 dollars to plunk down to buy all the parts at one time. Oh well, my intention was to walk you through this slowly any way. You can see my first three lead -in posts via this link!


This week I went through the process of choosing my hard drives. Yes, I mean drive(S), as in more than one. After getting various opinions on the subject I have decided that my new computer shall be set up with two hard drives. One will serve for daily use and the second one will be a fully updated backup kept on hand as an instant replacement just in case the first one fails. It was suggested that I could run the two hard drives in tandem, using one for the operating system and one for image storage which is a fine idea also but I have determined that I do not need that volume of data storage capacity yet and that option would still leave me needing a back up solution. I can always throw another drive in there. That's one of the advantages of building a computer from scratch.

Mid-spring to mid-fall is the best time to have a yard sale, so if you haven't had one already -- and you need some extra money -- you still have time. Go through your closets, garages, and junk drawers to see what you can sell. Maybe (like my father), you've collected too many old antique hooks and need to get rid of a few. Whatever you find; it's time to add some spare change to that empty coffee can by getting back to the basic art of selling your own things.

I'd always thought yard sales weren't worth the trouble -- especially with the introduction of ebay -- until I held one last summer and made more than $500. But to be successful, you will need to do some work. These are the three simple steps that work for me. They are, what I call, the three P's of a profitable yard sale!

Publicity, Presentation, and Pricing!

Publicity: This is the most over looked, but most important part. You could have the best stuff in the world, but if no one knows about it, no one will come.

1. Distribute pre-sale flyers featuring key items; post them on bulletin boards at locations like the grocery store, the local library, and your post office ... and stick them on mailboxes. You might find that one of your neighbors will buy something even before the sale.
   
2. Place ads in local newspapers and circulars – If you have not written an ad before, here are some tips: Write quick-read, concise ads. Write when, where and what. Note key items such as antiques, toys or furniture. I did, and my unique children's furniture sold first thing ... with more than a few interested customers coming to check on those particular items.
   
3. Online classified sites are great for pulling in buyers from outside your area. Mention as many items as you can to attract collectors and post two or three days before the when serious shoppers map out their shopping routes. Ads are free on Craigslist.com and Garagesalehunter.com; Garagesalegal.com charges a small fee of $4.99.
   
4. Post "For Sale" signs and "Yard Sale" signs. Make large signs for your front yard and street corners. Keep your signage bold and bright, but readable, making letters at least 2-3" tall at a minimum. Black ink works well for information and colored markers for gaining general attention to signs. Also do not put too much information on a sign. Just include all pertinent information about the sale including: address, dates, times, and items sold (if it can fit.)
5. Don't forget to invite friends, neighbors, family members, church members, sports teams, or parents of your childrens' playmates.