Weekend DIY Ideas: 6 Easy Ways To Fix Up Your Home In 2 Days (PHOTOS)

Ah, another weekend is finally here. Which also means we have another great opportunity to work on improving our homes. If you've been putting off some important repairs, such as fixing a cracked floor tile in your kitchen, now's the time to learn how to do it right. Or, maybe you just want to make some useful additions, such as a lazy susan for your table. In the slideshow below, you'll find these and four more great weekend DIY ideas that will keep you busy and really spruce up your home.

Repair Broken Floor Tiles.


To fix a broken floor tile, you will need a replacement tile, tile adhesive and latex-fortified grout. If you do not have an extra tile, try to find one that matches as closely as you can. And, make sure to choose matching grout. Get the grout out from around the cracked tile and remove the broken pieces, using a chisel and hammer. Then, scrape underneath to remove old adhesive and vacuum. Apply adhesive and press the new tile into place. Finally, apply grout around

Fix A Leaky Washing Machine 


If your washing machine is leaking, it's probably because of a crack in the hose. If this is the case, it's time to buy a new hose. Before you start, shut off the water supply. Then, it's as simple as unscrewing the old hose and screwing on the new one.

For more details, visit MSN Real Estate.

Build A Lazy Susan. 


A lazy Susan is a great addition to any table, especially when you're entertaining a ton of people. To make one, you'll need to glue together five wooden boards. After sanding it down, use a compass to trace a circle onto the boards. Cut out the circle with a jigsaw. Then, flip over and attach the swivel base and turntable. Finish it off by sanding the entire piece and applying a wood sealer.

Install A Curtain Rod 


Positioning a curtain properly above your window will ensure you have the best lighting throughout the room. Use a tape measure to draw a guide line on the wall where you'd like the rod to be. Position the brackets and screw them into place. Cut the rod to the correct length, making sure that there's some extra on each end. Place the rod through one bracket, attach the curtain rings then thread through the second bracket. Finally, attach the ends on the rod and secure

Create A Mirrored Wall 


Arranging mirrors on one wall is an easy way to open up a room. Start by mapping out where you will place the mirrors and molding. Choose mirrors that will allow you to create a window effect. Paint and install the moldings, creating a grid pattern along the wall, spaced out enough so that a mirror can fit in each section. Attach molding to the mirrors by following these steps. Then, hang the mirrors on the wall.

How to Plant Bulbs in Winter

Just because it's wintertime, it doesn't mean you can't get some work done in the garden. As long as the soil is still penetrable, you can plant bulbs. Place the bottom (where the old root is coming from) into the ground, as deep as twice the length of the bulb. Then, simply dig holes and arrange bulbs in the ground. Cover the bulbs with dirt. If the soil is dry, water them.

Check out the video for all the details: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/12/weekend-diy-ideas_n_2458045.html#slide=1972155

By Amy Marturana

Taken from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/12/weekend-diy-ideas_n_2458045.html

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Top 10 Consumer Complaints, Mortgage And Debt Collection Are The Fastest Growing

Auto, credit and debt, and home improvement problems top this year’s list of of consumer complaints.

Not much of a surprise there but a closer look at the information collected by The Consumer Federation of America shows some interesting new changes in the fastest growing consumer complaints.

The top five fastest-growing complaints last year were about fraud, debt collection abuses, Do Not Call violations, mortgage-related problems, and home improvement. Also, the top five worst complaints last year involved mortgage-related problems, home improvement, timeshare sales and resales, Internet sales, and fraud. “Worst” is based on the number of complaints about a particular subject, the dollar amount involved, the impact on particularly vulnerable consumers, the outrageousness of the situation, the agency says.

Mortgage and foreclosure problems have become increasingly problematic for consumers. That’s of course the result of the bursting of the housing bubble followed by problems where homeowners owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth. It hasn’t stopped there.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In an effort to get money from homeowners behind on their mortgage payments banks engaged in some very shady activity. Remember robo-signing? Load of homeowners were wrongly foreclosed on by banks without the proper documentation. There was a massive $25 billion settlement with the nation’s largest lenders including Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo and Ally Financial for their role in the scheme.

The report today from the CFA notes some anecdotes by consumers with those kinds of run-ins. Here’s one:

In another example of mortgage modification madness, a consumer complained to the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office that he tried for eighteen months to work out a loan modification with Bank of America, repeatedly filling out documents and sending them as instructed, only to be told that more was needed. After being notified that his loan modification had been approved and asked to fill out more papers, which he never received, he got a call from the bank telling him that he had in fact been turned down. No explanation was provided, and his home was placed into foreclosure, despite the fact that he had successfully completed the trial payments and had a friend who was prepared to provide financing.

The CFA notes that consumers can get free help from the government by going to www.makinghomeaffordable.gov or talking to a housing counselor certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development by calling 888-995-4673.

Of course, foreclosures weren’t the only financial problem for consumers. Debt collection is an ongoing issue too. In Georgia for instance, “debt buyers” who purchase uncollected debt for pennies on the dollar from creditors are topping the list of complaints there. One such debt buyer threatened consumers with arrest and imprisonment, the CFA notes. It refused to provide consumers with proof of the debts, collected more than the amount owed, threatened to call consumers’ employers and garnish their wages, calledg repeatedly – sometimes as much as 50 times a day – and outside of the times of day that are allowed, and continued to call after consumers told them to stop.

The other big complaints at the top of the list? Auto. This one is actually #1 on the list and relates to misrepresentations in advertising or sales of new and used cars, lemons, faulty repairs, leasing and towing disputes. Home construction problems are #3 on the list including shoddy work, failure to start or complete the job.

See the full report from the CFA and the North American Consumer Protection Investigators (NACPI) here.
Taken from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/halahtouryalai/2012/07/31/top-10-consumer-complaints-mortgage-and-debt-collection-problems-are-the-fastest-growing/

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