Home hacks just as brilliant today as they were 100 years ago

Clean your one-story-high gutters right from the ground using an old paint roller on an extension handle. It’s angled just right to push leaves and debris out quickly and easily. — Lee Sens

Keep those young trees in your yard from being damaged and possibly killed by the lawn mower or string trimmer. Cut the top and bottom off a clear 2-litre drink bottle, then slice this cylinder down the middle. It will curl around the tree, stay in place, and be almost invisible. — Louise S. McMillian

Learn the 15 trees you should never grow in your yard.

How do you hold those studs in place when you’re driving nails at an angle (toenailing) into the soleplate? Just tap the heads of two nails into the soleplate right where the side of the joist is supposed to be. Then do the same on the other side and drive the opposing toenails. — Ron Matthews

Paint narrow soffits and fascia fast and easy from the ground with no brushing, very little dripping and, for one-story homes, no ladder. Use disposable 100mm long rollers that are sold in packages of two for a couple of dollars at most home centers. Attach the roller handle to a length of 1×2 with duct tape. For wider soffits, use a standard 230mm or 270mm roller. — Jim Mazur

If your shop vacuum’s hose or rigid tubes come apart while you’re using them, stop swearing and fix them this easy way: Use an awl or other sharp pointed tool to score deep X’s on the ends, both inside and outside, at each offending joint. The added surface friction from the X’s will keep them together. — Richard Dorsey

Some nails just refuse to be pulled out, or the heads break off. Then what? Place the “V” of a pry bar around the nail, then clamp the nail with a locking pliers and pry away. — S. Overmeyer

Check out these basic finish nailer tips.

Need to reach high places with your shop vacuum? Or move around a lot, and the thing always tips over? Strap the vacuum to a backpack frame using a couple of elastic cords, strap the pack to your back, and vacuum away. It works great for cleaning window trim, blinds, roof rafters, joists and ceilings. Stay off ladders, though. — Barbara Wills

Try this easy way to keep the paint off your carpeting when you’re painting baseboard: Roll out 5cm wide packing tape so its upper edge rests about 1cm above the carpeting on the baseboard. The tape should rest lightly on the baseboard so it doesn’t adhere. Then tuck this edge down behind the carpet edge, first with your fingers, then with a wide putty knife. Remove the tape carefully after the paint dries. — James Aleo

Are you tired of your chair cushions sliding all over, and always looking askew? Here’s a way to keep them in place: Buy a piece of thin, non-slip rug padding that’s used under area rugs. Cut it about 1 in. smaller than the chair cushion all the way around. Then just lay it in place under the cushion. — Judy Stone

How many times has your hammer fallen off the top step of the stepladder and you had to climb down to get it? With a piece of old leather belt or canvas strap, and a 20mm long screw, you can fix the problem for good. — Lin George

Get the facts on ladder safety.