Looking for a gift that feels personal and local? Here are my picks for the Ohio nature lovers, gardeners and DIYers on your list. A few of them I wrote myself, and the rest are tools I use on jobs around Northeast Ohio every week. This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I...
Garage cleanout pricing depends on how much you need removed, how easy it is to reach, what the material weighs, and how much labor and disposal the job requires. At Colin Can Help, we quote each project around those details—not simply whether you have a one-car or two-car garage. For example, our recent garage cleanout...
A handyman can handle more than the small repairs on your to-do list. Depending on their experience and the work they take on, that can include replacing light and plumbing fixtures, painting an entire house, making upgrades, and tackling multiple projects as part of a house flip. In my business, those are things I do...
Short answer: Topdressing a lawn means spreading a thin layer, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch, of compost, screened topsoil, sand or a blend over your existing grass. It improves the soil, helps thin spots fill in, and smooths out small bumps. In Northeast Ohio it works best in early fall or spring, ideally right after...
A ceiling fan can make a room feel more comfortable in every season, but only when it is turning the right direction at the right speed. The simple rule is this: run your ceiling fan counterclockwise in summer to create a cooling breeze, and clockwise on low in winter to gently circulate warm air without...
Short answer: mow by growth and weather, not by the calendar. Weekly mowing works when grass is growing fast in cool, moist weather. In heat, drought or frost, skipping a cut or raising the deck protects the lawn. Never take off more than about one third of the blade at once. Last updated: November 2026...
Cleveland in December can make any beginner gardener wonder if the season is completely over. The days are short, the skies are gray, and the first hard frost is long behind us. For gardeners in USDA Zone 6a–6b, that usually means outdoor planting has mostly wrapped for the year. But that does not mean you...
Key Takeaway To keep your garden tools in top shape for next season, clean and sharpen them, lubricate metal parts, store them in a dry, organized space, and winterize any hoses or power equipment. A little attention now prevents rust, damage, and costly replacements later. As the gardening season wraps up, most homeowners set down...
If you think you need raised beds, cedar fences, and matching planters before you “qualify” as a gardener, this isn’t that kind of guide. This is the real-life, beginner-and-budget-friendly version: dollar-store seeds, recycled containers, imperfect beds, and soil that gets better because you feed it with kitchen scraps and cheap cover crops—not because you buy...
A floating shelf is one of those simple projects that can totally change how a room looks and functions, but it’s also one of the easiest ways to rip a chunk of drywall out of your wall if it’s installed wrong. In this guide, I’ll break down what a floating shelf actually is, how it...
