Owning a home or renting an apartment comes with a certain sense of pride. It is your space, your sanctuary. But let’s be real: it also comes with a lot of unexpected headaches. One day everything is fine, and the next, a faucet is dripping, a door won't close properly, or a mysterious hole appears in the wall. The immediate instinct for many of us is to panic and call a professional. While experts are necessary for major electrical or structural work, calling a handyman for every little squeak and leak can drain your bank account incredibly fast. The truth is, you are more capable than you think. With a few basic tools, a little bit of patience, and the right instructions, you can tackle many common household problems yourself. This guide is designed to empower you to pick up a screwdriver or a wrench and fix those annoying little issues that have been driving you crazy, saving you both money and the hassle of scheduling an appointment.

Unclogging a Slow Drain

There are few things more annoying than standing in a shower where the water is rising around your ankles, or washing your hands in a sink that refuses to empty. Before you rush to the store to buy harsh chemical drain cleaners, which can actually damage your pipes over time, try a simpler approach. The most effective tool for a simple clog is a plunger. Yes, the same tool you use for the toilet works wonders on sinks and tubs too. Make sure there is enough water in the basin to cover the rubber part of the plunger. Create a tight seal over the drain and pump vigorously up and down for about 20 seconds. The pressure usually dislodges whatever hair or soap scum is blocking the pipe.

If the plunger doesn't work, you can try a natural chemical reaction. Pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed immediately by half a cup of white vinegar. Cover the drain with a plug or a cloth and let the mixture fizz and foam for about 15 minutes. This reaction helps break down grime. Afterward, flush the drain with a pot of boiling water. This method is safe for your pipes and surprisingly effective for minor clogs.

Fixing a Squeaky Door Hinge

A squeaky door sounds like something out of a horror movie, especially when you are trying to sneak a midnight snack without waking the whole house. Fortunately, silencing that screech is one of the easiest home repairs you can do. The noise is caused by friction in the hinge pin. The quickest fix is lubrication. You can use a commercial spray lubricant like WD-40, but if you don't have that handy, household items like petroleum jelly, cooking oil, or even a bar of soap can work in a pinch.

To apply it properly, you might need to remove the hinge pin. Close the door and use a hammer and a nail to gently tap the pin upward from the bottom of the hinge until it pops out. Coat the pin in your lubricant of choice, then slide it back into the hinge and tap it down. Open and close the door a few times to work the lubricant into the joint. Just like that, the noise should be gone.

Patching Small Holes in Drywall

Whether it was a misguided attempt to hang a picture or a doorknob slamming into the wall, holes in drywall happen. They look unsightly, but patching them is very straightforward. For tiny holes left by nails or screws, you don't even need a full patch kit. You can fill them with a dab of spackle or putty using a putty knife. If you don't have those, white toothpaste (not the gel kind) works surprisingly well as a temporary fix for white walls.

For slightly larger holes, up to the size of a doorknob, you will need a mesh patch kit, which you can find at any hardware store for a few dollars. Clean the area around the hole and sand it lightly. Stick the self-adhesive mesh patch over the hole. Then, using a putty knife, spread joint compound over the patch in a crisscross pattern. Feather the edges so the compound blends smoothly with the wall. Let it dry completely—it will usually turn white when dry—then sand it until it is flush with the wall. Paint over the spot, and no one will ever know it was there.

Tightening Loose Cabinet Knobs and Handles

Kitchen cabinets and dresser drawers get opened and closed thousands of times. Over time, the screws holding the knobs or handles in place can work themselves loose. A wobbly handle makes the whole piece of furniture feel cheap and broken. The fix is obvious—tighten the screw—but sometimes the screw just spins and won't grip because the hole in the wood has become stripped or too wide.

If tightening the screw doesn't work, don't drill a new hole. Instead, remove the screw and grab a wooden toothpick. Dip the toothpick in a little wood glue (or regular white glue) and stick it into the screw hole. Break off the excess part of the toothpick so it is flush with the cabinet surface. If the hole is really big, you might need two or three toothpicks. Let the glue dry for a bit, then drive the screw back in. The wood of the toothpick fills the gap, giving the screw something solid to bite into, making your handle tight and secure again.

Stopping a Running Toilet

A toilet that won't stop running is not just noisy; it wastes a tremendous amount of water. If you hear that constant hissing sound or water trickling into the bowl long after you have flushed, the problem is likely inside the tank. Take the lid off the tank and look inside. The most common culprit is the "flapper"—the rubber seal at the bottom of the tank that lifts up when you flush to let water out.

Over time, flappers can get warped, dirty, or brittle, preventing them from creating a watertight seal. Sometimes the chain connecting the flush handle to the flapper is just too short or gets tangled, keeping the flapper slightly open. Try jiggling the handle or adjusting the chain length first. If that doesn't work, you probably need a new flapper. They are inexpensive and universal for most toilets. Turn off the water supply valve located behind the toilet, flush to drain the tank, and unclip the old flapper. Clip the new one in place, turn the water back on, and your toilet should be silent once again.

Replacing Weather Stripping

If you feel a cold draft coming from your windows or doors during the winter, you are literally throwing money out the window in heating costs. The seal around these openings, called weather stripping, wears down over time. Replacing it is a simple way to make your home more comfortable and energy-efficient.

You can buy rolls of foam weather stripping with an adhesive backing at any hardware store. First, remove the old, peeling strip and clean the surface thoroughly with soap and water to remove any grime or old adhesive. Dry the area completely. Then, measure the length of the window or door frame and cut your new foam strip to size. Peel off the backing and press it firmly into place along the jamb where the door or window meets the frame. It’s essentially like applying a giant sticker, but the result is a warmer, cozier home.