So you’re away at college and notice that things aren’t up to par in your apartment. From squeaky sounds to the weird smells that mysteriously come from the sink drain, you want it fixed and, of course, your landlord won’t take the time to fix it. What sucks even more is that school just started which means no money for food (Ramen and PB&J don’t count), books, and definitely no trips to Home Depot until the disbursement check comes in. Lucky for you, everything you need to get the job done you already have.
1) Pam – My freshman year, we moved into a brand new apartment with the worst door ever. Luckily we had Pam, and she was a great alternative to WD-40. Just spray the hinges liberally and move the door back and forth and the noise will go away. It is also great for loosening a door lock (spray the key), unjamming a zipper, getting paint off your skin, and of course, making the perfect omelet.
2) Ice – If your ice machine actually works (unlike mine), ice is a cool tool to fix things around the house. If you got a funky smell coming from your disposal, pour a cup of ice in and run the motor a few times. Did feng shui-ing your living room leave a few carpet indentations? Put a piece of ice on it and let it melt, then rub the area with a towel until the fibers come back up. Ice is also great for your leftover coffee from this morning, just add milk and sugar and save that $5 you were gonna use at Starbucks.
3) Combs – If you are like my roommates, then I fear for your life when you use a hammer and nail. Instead of risking your fingers on your aim of that hammer, take a comb and put the nail in the teeth and use it to keep the nail steady as you hammer it in. That way you can hang that ridiculous Audrey Hepburn poster that you bought at the Union Poster Sale (fyi, every girl has one in their dorm, you are not that original.)
If you are having any other issues in your house or apartment and you don’t feel like spending money to fix it, post a comment below about your issue and I’m sure we can come up with some way to take care of it…without spending money, of course.
