HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Whether you own your own home or rent, these are some great tips from Almanacks past and present. These fun and interesting ideas can make any home project easy and affordable.
Great use for wine corks
Finished with that bottle of wine? Here is a great tip for that unused cork.
“Synthetic wine corks are great for sealing partially-used tubes of caulk. Drill a 5⁄16-inch hole into the cork about 1 inch deep. The cork fits perfectly and makes an airtight seal.”
Small hole to patch on the wall?
Save yourself some extra work by touching up the paint on the wall with this tip.
“No need to mess up a brush to fix a wall wound. Just dip an old washcloth in the paint and throw it away when you’re done. A washcloth leaves the same texture as a paint roller, so your repair will blend nicely.”
Don’t toss those cardboard boxes … yet
The Almanack has some excellent ideas for the re-use of cardboard boxes.
“Save large pieces of cardboard from boxes that you bring into your home. Store them along a wall in your garage or workshop so they’re ready when you’re working on a messy project such as refinishing furniture or changing the oil in your car. A large slab of cardboard makes a perfect disposable drop cloth.”
I think we have all used this trick at one time or another, but it never hurts to be reminded.
“Use cardboard appliance boxes as collapsible sawhorses. They’re lightweight and plenty strong for many tasks. They hold heavy workpieces like doors without wobbling and fold up flat in seconds. You can cut them to a comfortable working height with a utility knife.”
A tip from the past that works today
Here is a tip from the 1976 Almanack that shows that times really don’t change as much as we may think.
“Small bags of fancy coffee have heavy-duty ties to keep them airtight. The ties are handy for securing small coils of electrical cable and rope. They’re usually fastened to the bag with just a dab of glue, making them easy to pull off.”
Great use for old milk jugs
Those gallon milk jugs have a built-in handle, which makes them useful for a variety of tasks around the house. Here is one to remember.
“Make a milk jug scoop by cutting off the top of an empty gallon or half-gallon milk jug with sharp scissors. It helps to draw the cut line with a Sharpie first. Clean up the cut to make sure there are no sharp or rough edges. Use as a scoop for pet food, potting soil, etc. Remove the cap and you can use the scoop as a funnel!”
These are just a few of the great homeowner tips that can be found in the 2026 Almanack. To get your copy just click on this link: localnews1.org/almanack-order.
LocalNews1 has partnered with The Almanack to bring you a story every Monday taken from current or past editions.
First published in 1797, it’s the second oldest almanac in the United States and has been in continuous publication for 230 years and is the only almanac in the United States still published by the founders’ direct descendants.
