How do I dry and store a tent so it does not go mouldy?
Why a damp tent is ruined rather than just smelly, drying it properly indoors when the weather will not cooperate, and dealing with mould that has already grown.
beginner1 hr5 min read
Lifestyle
Organisation, routines and everyday practical skills. The test applied to everything here is whether it still works on a bad week, not whether it looks good in a photograph.
812 guides
How do I dry washing on a line outside properly?
Outdoor drying is free, faster than most people expect, and gently bleaches and deodorises — but wind matters more than sunshine and some fabrics should stay in the shade.
beginner20 min4 min readHow do I edit photos properly on my phone?
The built-in editor on any modern phone has everything most photographs need. What it lacks is an order to work in and any indication of which sliders quietly ruin pictures.
beginner15 min4 min readHow do I keep a hobby affordable?
Where the ongoing cost actually sits, buying second-hand and sharing, and resisting the upgrade cycle.
beginner25 min4 min readHow do I keep moving through a cold or a busy period?
The above-the-neck rule for illness, keeping a minimum through a busy stretch, and getting back afterwards.
beginner20 min4 min readHow do I lace walking boots so my heel does not lift?
The heel lock and the two-zone lacing that stop heel lift, black toenails and pressure points — all from a boot you already own.
beginner10 min5 min readHow do I look after merino wool base layers?
Merino base layers resist odour genuinely, so they need washing far less often than synthetics. What kills them is heat, biological detergent and rucksack abrasion — not dirt.
beginner12 min3 min readHow do I make a mitre joint stronger?
A glued mitre is two half-end-grain faces and is weak by nature. Splines, keys, loose tongues and dowels each fix it, and each suits a different corner.
intermediate40 min3 min readHow do I make a wooden drawer that runs smoothly?
Sizing to the opening you actually have, the joint at each end and why they differ, a bottom that floats, and fitting the drawer to run rather than to measure.
advanced4 hr5 min readHow do I mix paint colours without getting mud?
Why complementaries cancel, mixing with two colours rather than four, and using a limited palette to keep everything harmonious.
beginner30 min3 min readHow do I photograph a group so everyone looks good?
Arrange the group in as few depth planes as possible, stop the aperture down, put the light behind you, and take far more frames than you think you need — someone always blinks.
beginner18 min4 min readHow do I pitch a tent in strong wind?
Choosing and orienting the pitch, guy line and peg angles that actually hold, and the order of pegging that stops the tent leaving without you.
intermediate40 min6 min readHow do I plan for an evacuation from my home?
Evacuation is rare but fast when it happens — a flood warning, a gas incident, a fire nearby, a police cordon. An hour of preparation now removes almost all of the panic later.
beginner2 hr6 min readHow do I polish leather shoes to a proper shine?
Cleaning before conditioning before polishing, why wax and cream do different jobs, and the water and thin layers that produce an actual shine.
beginner30 min4 min readHow do I protect photographs and documents from heat?
Heat, humidity and light degrade prints and paper together, and a loft is the worst place in the house for all three. Where to keep them instead, and what to digitise first.
beginner25 min5 min readHow do I replace the elastic in a waistband?
Unpicking one small opening rather than the whole casing, measuring the new elastic against the body rather than the old piece, and stopping it twisting inside the channel.
beginner30 min4 min readHow do I sew a badge or a patch onto clothing?
Positioning it so it sits where it should, holding it still while you sew, and the stitch that goes round the edge of a woven badge without showing on the front.
beginner25 min5 min readHow do I sew a straight seam with an accurate seam allowance?
Accuracy comes from a fixed guide and from watching the edge rather than the needle — and from realising that small consistent errors are what make a garment come out the wrong size.
beginner20 min5 min readHow do I sew on a button?
How to sew a button so it stays on — including the shank that most people miss, which is what stops it pulling off again.
beginner15 min3 min readHow do I stop a wooden frame or carcass racking?
A rectangle of four sticks folds into a parallelogram unless something stops it. The five things that do — a diagonal, a sheet, a rigid joint, a fixed shelf, or a wall.
beginner20 min4 min readHow do I stop chlorine ruining my swimwear?
Chlorine and sun cream both attack elastane directly. Rinsing in cold fresh water within minutes of getting out is the single change that most extends the life of a swimming costume.
beginner10 min4 min readHow do I store clothes out of season?
Packing away winter or summer clothing so it comes out wearable, without moths, damp or permanent creases.
beginner1 hr 30 min2 min readHow do I take a bearing with a map and compass?
Setting a bearing from the map, adjusting for magnetic variation, and walking it accurately by using intermediate features.
intermediate45 min4 min readHow do I take things to the tip without being turned away?
Booking, resident proof, van and trailer permits, what counts as chargeable DIY waste, and what a UK recycling centre will not take at all.
beginner20 min4 min read