Funny home cut out stickers.
Those salt and pepper shakers you've had your eye on are on sale. They've knocked $800 off!
iTable. These guys have made a touch-screen table that attaches to an iPhone (basically, the table becomes a giant iPhone).
Hungry, but not sure what to make? Check out photograzing! Browse a boatload of quality food pics to find the perfect meal.
Sandwich coasters that you can set your Brass knuckles coffee mug on.
Cold + Pillow = Chillow. Chillow is fun to say. Chillow.
A lightbulb storage solution to a problem we didn't know we had!
Nice magnetic doorstops Via KK's Cool Tools
Do I really need this thing? Ask yourself these questions while attempting to de-clutter the house.
NY Times articles on the tools you really need to maintain your home.
Pumpkin launchers should enjoy this collection of trebuchet/catapult designs.
NOTICE: Large moosehead wall lights have finally been invented.
360 Modern is a real estate firm in the Pacific Northwest U.S. that specializes in modern homes. Beautiful stuff.
Handy way to skip all the intro crap on DVDs that is usually forced on you when you throw a disc in your player. Apparently the chapters on DVDs that you can't skip (FBI warnings, copyright stuff, etc.) are flagged, on the disc, as UOP, or User Operation Prohibited. This site lists some of the techniques you can try to skip the ennui.
This colour coordinated bookshelf looks cool, but you might have a hard time finding a particular title.
For chewie edge lovers or corner brownie fans - it's the Edge Brownie Pan. All edges, all the time. Via BoingBoing
Puzzle carpet.
This to That is a handy site that will tell you what adhesive to use when attempting to glue various objects together.
Super creative bathroom tiles.
Skinny house in Brazil.
Apparently there are many LED lightbulbs available already. Via TreeHugger
WiiRoomba. YouTube of a guy controlling his Roomba with a Wii remote.
Hardcore Lost fans have a party and repackage the snacks and beer as Dharma Initiative rations. Make your own with the PDFs that they've so generously shared.
Here's a nice set of home improvement videos with the energetic and snappy Eric Stromer.
Faucet Fountain turns your regular faucet into a drinking fountain.
Kids and the Home Office. Here's a list of tips for the parent that works from home.
Save the Internet.
Great Pac-Man bathroom tile work.
Crazy toaster from the future TODAY!
Here is a nice napkin folding howto site with clean pictures and straightforward instructions. I think the shirt's my favourite.
DIY T-Shirt Rack via Instructables.
Stainless steel paint.
Onion goggles.
Batman-esque underground garage with hydraulic lift.
Microsoft to unveil a home server at CES this week in Vegas? This article at Arstechnica discusses the possibility of a machine focused on home automation and entertainment centralization.
Here's a blog full of interesting gifts for under 10 bucks.
WikiHow has a DriCore installation howto available for your edification.
Here is an energy saving tips post from last winter.
The USB humping dog you asked for is in.
Unique DIY photo ornaments.
A table that walks. Finally!
Twist and grow table. Amazing.
Roller toaster.
Make a nice 3D paper snowflake.
Tiny houses from the Tumbleweed Tiny House company.
Post-it note wallpaper made up of four different grey tones which, over time, reveals a usage driven design.
Sweet mug that comes with convenient built-in cookie chamber. Here's a great review of the mug in use.
Great unique gift idea and store thread on Ask Metafilter.
This is one massive bed that measures 12 feet by 10 feet.
Build your very own bottomless pit with this howto (heads up: there is some embedded audio on the site).
Laundry chute turned Cat chute.
PacMan arcade cabinet Halloween costume.
Crazy awesome self assembling robotic chair. Amazing.
DIY Bean bag sofa and/or bed from Instructables.
Another site on transforming household items into other useful (??) household items. Thanks for the tip Paul!
Environmentally friendly home cleaning service. I hadn't realized that there were companies that will clean your home using only animal and environmentally friendly products. This particular company is in the UK, but a quick googling pulls up similar companies in North America as well.
Here are some very unique hand made leaded glass doors, produced using the lead came method, a method in use since the middle ages.
Pumpkin carving. This site has some seriously impressive pumpkin carvings as well as a tutorial, which, although informative, still looks like it requires a lot of artistic ability. Worth a shot though - it's just pumpkin.
Another declutter your home tip page. This one's by FlyLady.net.
USB twister hub with Rubik's cube-like rotating ports.
An outdoor pizza oven party would be a cool alternative to summer barbeques.
Skeeter Bag is a bag that attaches to box fans to catch mosquitos by the thousands.
Lego ice cube tray.
Turn maple leaves into roses with the help of this photo tutorial. Very autumn/thanksgiving.
Interesting Alton Brown video on knife sharpening and maintenance. Instructables also has a step-by-step sharpening howto.
CNN Money article: Middle-class families in worse shape than ever.
Nice and clean magnetic tool rack from Instructables. The nice thing about this organizer is that the actual tool holders can be positioned and rearranged (on the fly) on the metallic backboard.
Designer wood computers handmade in Canada.
Humanoid shaped shelves. Kind of looks like James the doorstop.
How to find a good neighbourhood. MSN article, via Lifehacker.
How to make clear ice cubes.
Use your PC and webcam as a motion activated security camera.
This Old House has made available a very large fall home inspection checklist for your downloading pleasure.
Mike Jagger of Provident security has been on the scene of thousands of residential burglaries and has put together this interesting walkthrough of a typical break-in.
Concrete countertops on Flickr.
This is pretty damn clever. Sizeasy is an online tool that helps you visualize the size of something you're reading about or considering buying online. Punch in your dimensions and see your widget along side things like a deck of cards or a piece of paper.
Here's the skinny on upgrading your home network to Gigabit ethernet. It's probably worth doing simply because "gigabit ethernet" just sounds cool and not at all nerdly.
Greenpeace is getting on Apple's case about their use of certain hazardous chemicals in iPods, iBooks and the like. Greenpeace claims that other manufacturers have discontinued the use of some of the chemicals that are still found in Apple products.
De-Clutter your home to sell it faster. Here's a page with a lot of ways to do just that.
Consumer Reports: 20 Free Ways to Save Energy is a nice list of things you can do, mostly around the house, to save energy and of course, as the two go hand in hand, cash.
Those salt and pepper shakers you've had your eye on are on sale. They've knocked $800 off!
iTable. These guys have made a touch-screen table that attaches to an iPhone (basically, the table becomes a giant iPhone).
Hungry, but not sure what to make? Check out photograzing! Browse a boatload of quality food pics to find the perfect meal.
Sandwich coasters that you can set your Brass knuckles coffee mug on.
Cold + Pillow = Chillow. Chillow is fun to say. Chillow.
A lightbulb storage solution to a problem we didn't know we had!
Nice magnetic doorstops Via KK's Cool Tools
Do I really need this thing? Ask yourself these questions while attempting to de-clutter the house.
NY Times articles on the tools you really need to maintain your home.
Pumpkin launchers should enjoy this collection of trebuchet/catapult designs.
NOTICE: Large moosehead wall lights have finally been invented.
360 Modern is a real estate firm in the Pacific Northwest U.S. that specializes in modern homes. Beautiful stuff.
Handy way to skip all the intro crap on DVDs that is usually forced on you when you throw a disc in your player. Apparently the chapters on DVDs that you can't skip (FBI warnings, copyright stuff, etc.) are flagged, on the disc, as UOP, or User Operation Prohibited. This site lists some of the techniques you can try to skip the ennui.
This colour coordinated bookshelf looks cool, but you might have a hard time finding a particular title.
For chewie edge lovers or corner brownie fans - it's the Edge Brownie Pan. All edges, all the time. Via BoingBoing
Puzzle carpet.
This to That is a handy site that will tell you what adhesive to use when attempting to glue various objects together.
Super creative bathroom tiles.
Skinny house in Brazil.
Apparently there are many LED lightbulbs available already. Via TreeHugger
WiiRoomba. YouTube of a guy controlling his Roomba with a Wii remote.
Hardcore Lost fans have a party and repackage the snacks and beer as Dharma Initiative rations. Make your own with the PDFs that they've so generously shared.
Here's a nice set of home improvement videos with the energetic and snappy Eric Stromer.
Faucet Fountain turns your regular faucet into a drinking fountain.
Kids and the Home Office. Here's a list of tips for the parent that works from home.
Save the Internet.
Great Pac-Man bathroom tile work.
Crazy toaster from the future TODAY!
Here is a nice napkin folding howto site with clean pictures and straightforward instructions. I think the shirt's my favourite.
DIY T-Shirt Rack via Instructables.
Stainless steel paint.
Onion goggles.
Batman-esque underground garage with hydraulic lift.
Microsoft to unveil a home server at CES this week in Vegas? This article at Arstechnica discusses the possibility of a machine focused on home automation and entertainment centralization.
Here's a blog full of interesting gifts for under 10 bucks.
WikiHow has a DriCore installation howto available for your edification.
Here is an energy saving tips post from last winter.
The USB humping dog you asked for is in.
Unique DIY photo ornaments.
A table that walks. Finally!
Twist and grow table. Amazing.
Roller toaster.
Make a nice 3D paper snowflake.
Tiny houses from the Tumbleweed Tiny House company.
Post-it note wallpaper made up of four different grey tones which, over time, reveals a usage driven design.
Sweet mug that comes with convenient built-in cookie chamber. Here's a great review of the mug in use.
Great unique gift idea and store thread on Ask Metafilter.
This is one massive bed that measures 12 feet by 10 feet.
Build your very own bottomless pit with this howto (heads up: there is some embedded audio on the site).
Laundry chute turned Cat chute.
PacMan arcade cabinet Halloween costume.
Crazy awesome self assembling robotic chair. Amazing.
DIY Bean bag sofa and/or bed from Instructables.
Another site on transforming household items into other useful (??) household items. Thanks for the tip Paul!
Environmentally friendly home cleaning service. I hadn't realized that there were companies that will clean your home using only animal and environmentally friendly products. This particular company is in the UK, but a quick googling pulls up similar companies in North America as well.
Here are some very unique hand made leaded glass doors, produced using the lead came method, a method in use since the middle ages.
Pumpkin carving. This site has some seriously impressive pumpkin carvings as well as a tutorial, which, although informative, still looks like it requires a lot of artistic ability. Worth a shot though - it's just pumpkin.
Another declutter your home tip page. This one's by FlyLady.net.
USB twister hub with Rubik's cube-like rotating ports.
An outdoor pizza oven party would be a cool alternative to summer barbeques.
Skeeter Bag is a bag that attaches to box fans to catch mosquitos by the thousands.
Lego ice cube tray.
Turn maple leaves into roses with the help of this photo tutorial. Very autumn/thanksgiving.
Interesting Alton Brown video on knife sharpening and maintenance. Instructables also has a step-by-step sharpening howto.
CNN Money article: Middle-class families in worse shape than ever.
Nice and clean magnetic tool rack from Instructables. The nice thing about this organizer is that the actual tool holders can be positioned and rearranged (on the fly) on the metallic backboard.
Designer wood computers handmade in Canada.
Humanoid shaped shelves. Kind of looks like James the doorstop.
How to find a good neighbourhood. MSN article, via Lifehacker.
How to make clear ice cubes.
Use your PC and webcam as a motion activated security camera.
This Old House has made available a very large fall home inspection checklist for your downloading pleasure.
Mike Jagger of Provident security has been on the scene of thousands of residential burglaries and has put together this interesting walkthrough of a typical break-in.
Concrete countertops on Flickr.
This is pretty damn clever. Sizeasy is an online tool that helps you visualize the size of something you're reading about or considering buying online. Punch in your dimensions and see your widget along side things like a deck of cards or a piece of paper.
Here's the skinny on upgrading your home network to Gigabit ethernet. It's probably worth doing simply because "gigabit ethernet" just sounds cool and not at all nerdly.
Greenpeace is getting on Apple's case about their use of certain hazardous chemicals in iPods, iBooks and the like. Greenpeace claims that other manufacturers have discontinued the use of some of the chemicals that are still found in Apple products.
De-Clutter your home to sell it faster. Here's a page with a lot of ways to do just that.
Consumer Reports: 20 Free Ways to Save Energy is a nice list of things you can do, mostly around the house, to save energy and of course, as the two go hand in hand, cash.
Powercast Wireless Power Transmission
Powercast is a Start-up out of Pennsylvania that has come up with a way to wirelessly transmit power to electronic devices. According to this article on CNN, the technology uses radio frequency and has a range of about 3 feet, making it suitable for charging mobile phones on desks or keeping wireless mice and keyboards charged. Thanks to the tiny receiver chip, electronics manufacturers can implement the technology into almost any device.
Powercast won CNET's Best in Show for Emerging Tech at the 2007 Consumer Electronic Show, and they describe the technology thusly:
While it's presented as wireless power, Powercast isn't just a replacement for a universal charger. Instead, it's meant to either continuously charge a battery or replace the need for them altogether.
It works like this: a transmitter can be placed anywhere--in a lamp, for example, that is plugged into the wall and sits on a table. The transmitter in the lamp sends out a continuous, low RF signal. Anything with either AA or AAA batteries set within its range--and equipped with a Powercast receiver, which is the size of your fingernail--will be continuously charged.
The first Powercast devices will be hitting the market in 2007, according to the Powercast website.
Better Cable Management through Pegboards
Cables and desk clutter are often the bane of many people's home office experience. Decluttered.com demonstrates one way to get a handle on the situation by making clever use of a pegboard and wires. A pegboard is mounted on the underside of the desk and any routers, powerbars, modems and the like can be lifted off the ground and secured to the pegboard, bringing the plethora of associated cabling along for the ride. The site has a lot of pictures of the process and results, and has recently added pictures sent in by people who've tried the pegboard method on their own desks.
Total cost: $33.42 CDN.
Doormat with Direction Dependent Message
Here's a nice doormat that both welcomes guests and, later, bids them a coarse adieu. The designers of this clever mat have been able to massage and manipulate a font in such a way so as to create a readable message from both right-side-up and upside-down orientations. Upon arrival, the mat offers a welcoming "Come in", while departing guests are left to deal with the blunt "Go away" parting shot.
Sort of related: Love-Hate shirt.
Via haha.nu
Pelican Emergency Flashlight with Photoluminescence
If you've ever had your power go out in the evening and found yourself stumbling around in the dark to find your flashlight, you may be interested in a glow-in-the-dark flashlight like this one by Pelican (that also happens to contains a 4-hour backup bulb). From the site:
...outfitted with a lens ring that emits a bright glow in the dark. The new generation photoluminescent material in the plastic absorbs the energy from any light source - fluorescent lights, the sun, or even the flashlight's own beam
As useful as charging the photoluminescent matierial on the flashlight with the beam from the flashlight itself sounds, one might be better off storing the flashlight in the garage rather than a broom closet to expose the material to some light, both natural and artificial, during the day. The description suggests the material is 'new generation' - and it would have to be, as the stuff found in toys and trinkets never lasted long enough for any practical purpose. Perhaps Pelican used something along the lines of this material that is both brighter and longer lasting.
Something to think about before the next late night power outage.
Amazon.com link: Pelican Big ED 3700PL Flashlight w/ Photo Luminescent Shroud
DIY Chalkboard Wall Calendar
Martha Stewart offers directions on creating this slick chalkboard wall calendar / planner for your home office. From the site:Start with a base coat of store-bought black chalkboard paint, and then mix in varying amounts of white chalkboard paint for lighter squares.
The effect is nice and the calendar would probably be quite handy, although it might be tedious painting work to ensure straight and clean lines.
Via Lifehacker
Harmony Flush Activated Toilet Seat
Although not as advanced as the Japanese inspired Brondell Swash, the Harmony toilet seat seems like a pretty ingenious product. The seat makes use of a small connector that runs from the bottom of the toilet seat latching mechanism to a float that you place in the toilet tank. When the toilet is flushed, the float lowers with the water in the tank which triggers a lever on the connector under the seat, which in turn releases a latch that activates the seat closing action. The seat closes very slowly for, as the company refers to it, a pinch-free close.
The unit is currently only available in Home Depots of the American Midwest.
Also: Froogle Search gives a price of about $80.
Promo Video of the seat in action.
Link: Harmony Toilet Seat
The unit is currently only available in Home Depots of the American Midwest.
Also: Froogle Search gives a price of about $80.
Promo Video of the seat in action.
Link: Harmony Toilet Seat
Flickering LED Candles that Can be Blown Out
We've seen some nice flickering LED candles before, but none were quite as clever as this set that can actually be blown out (and back on).From ThinkGeek.com:
The LED Blow On-Off Candles still have a waxy coating and a natural-looking, flickering light just like normal candles, but they have one magic feature. Regular candles will blow out if you blow on the flame, but these LED candles will also blow on. All you have to do is press the master on/off switch on the bottom, and these candles will turn on and off with just a puff at the "flame." From the proper distance and height, these candles will fool everyone into thinking they are the real thing; they are a fantastic way to put candles where it is too dangerous to have open flames. And, they won't drip wax all over your mithril armor either.
Unfortunately the candles are not rechargeable, but they do, however, light for 300 hours off of two AA batteries.
Gutter Tongs Eavestrough Cleaning Tool
If, like most people, you aren't using something like Gutter Stuff and still have to manually clear your eavestroughs, then this tool called "Gutter Tongs" might be something to consider. From the site:Eliminate the danger of climbing ladders and crawling along roofs. Efficient, safe, and easy to use from ground level: extend your reach to approximately twelve feet! Manufactured with lightweight, anodized aluminum shafts, generous pliable rubber hand grips and fiberglass ABS jaws, hinged with a steel pin: Gutter Tongs are 60 inches in length, durable, and made to last!
And for those of you confused by this tong-technology-of-tomorrow-today, the site offers a breakdown:
To use the tool: merely spread the arms apart and slide the open jaws either from left to right or right to left along the inside of the gutter. Once sufficient material is collected, swing the arms together, lift upwards, and remove the debris.
Via Toolmonger
Categories: eavestrough gutter tongs clever invention tools maintenance
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26 Comments | Permalink |
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PowerSquid Electrical Outlet Multiplier
Put this one in the "Why didn't I think of that and have tens of thousands of dollars to pursue the idea assuming I had sufficient motivation to actually follow through with something for once in my life?" file.The PowerSquid is a power bar that will actually allow you to utilise all 5 of its outlets, regardless of the size of any attached power adapters, thanks to its unique, power distributing tentacles. Pure genius for like $12.99.
Categories: electronics electricity computer organization clever invention gadgets
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Recent stuff from HouseHacker:
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