Category: Life Hack

Paint brush hack

On By CarynIn Life Hack

We’ve been painting rooms in the house, which is monumental, because we’ve lived here for five years and only done touchups. My kids wanted a room switch and that is a good time to paint. We did install a utility sink awhile back, because both my husband and I have always wanted one, and it makes a good place to do the final rinse of the brushes. But then where to let them dry? I grabbed some clips from the kitchen drawer and tada, paintbrush hooks.

Kitchen clips as paintbrush drying hooks

One of the clips is designed to hold spoons on a pot. It was not a stretch to extend the use to holding a paintbrush on a utility sink. The other two are clips made from coated wire, which are my favorite kitchen clips because they can be used in the pantry or the freezer. I bent open the thumb loops enough to hook the paintbrush handle hole through. It works to keep the bristles off the bottom of the sink and allow them to dry!

Chew this

On By CarynIn Life Hack, Wildlife

So the chewing squirrel has continued to break sections off the bungee cord holding down the lid of the metal can where I store the squirrel food.

Squirrel chewed bungee

Time for a new tactic. I went to the hardware store and bought a length of chain. I replaced the chewable bungee material with metal.

Metal can lid secured with double loop chain

I over estimated the amount of chain I needed, but that’s ok, because the chewer is also working on the knot in the rope that holds up the squirrel feeder.

Arm saver

On By CarynIn Cats, Life Hack

Uh oh, I left you without kitten pictures for two days. Let’s rectify that.

Today I present a DIY arm saver. A rolled terry cloth hand towel, secured with an elastic hairband, makes a good kitten kick and bite toy. Thor the kitten likes to wrestle and bite. For the most part he keeps his claws in for this play, but he is losing his kitten teeth and needs to bite. I would prefer he not lacerate my arm. When he jumps on my lap and gets feisty, I substitute the rolled towel. Everyone is happy.

Thor giving a towel a good kick and bite

As a bonus, it also makes a good nap pillow.

Nap time

Kitten ramp

On By CarynIn Cats, Craft, Life Hack

Thor the kitten was very interested in going out into the catio. The problem was, he is too small to jump back in the window. Hm. I grabbed a length of hardwood, wrapped it in outdoor fabric, secured the fabric with heavy duty staples, and screwed the end of the board to the catio structure. Now he has a ramp.

Kitten ramp

Like all good accommodations, this one can be used by everybody (well, every cat body), or easily by-passed by the older cats.

Thor using the kitten ramp.

Thor took a very long afternoon nap after spending time exploring the catio. He is relegated to the bottom layers until his muscles develop and his limbs get longer to make the big jumps possible, but that is OK because it gives Izzy the adult cat a place to escape.

Kitty overlook

On By CarynIn Cats, Life Hack

We are expanding the foster kitten’s range and kitty proofing as we go. We opened up the hall from the guest room, but we have an open railing that makes us nervous with a small kitten, so we lined the railing with nylon netting.

Second floor railing with nylon netting
View from below with kitten peeking down

The netting is see-through, but not very strong. Luckily he does not try to rip it, just looks through. It also does a good job keeping his toys from dropping over the edge. The sides are stapled to the wall, because staple holes are small and easily patched.