It’s almost “that time of the year” again. Are you getting ready for the holidays? Expecting family and friends at your home? At TimBuild Somerset West we would like to help you simplify the holidays and we’ve searched the internet to create a list of nifty DIY ideas to make your holiday preparations, just a little bit easier.

Food Containers for Ornament Storage

Empty egg cartons, drink carriers, plastic clamshell boxes from the bakery and other disposable grocery containers are excellent for storing holiday ornaments. They can be stacked neatly inside a larger bin and will keep your ornaments safe while in storage.

Lazy Susan Tree Stand for Wood Floors

Winding the lights around your Christmas tree can be a pain. Here’s a great way to rotate the tree in its stand without scratching up your hardwood floor. Put a bath rug underneath the tree stand, fabric side down, rubber side up. You can easily turn the tree to string your lights and place your ornaments just where you want them. It makes ‘undecorating’ the tree a breeze too. Fold the rug under the tree skirt to keep it hidden.

Peel Apples Super-Fast

First, chuck the spade bit into your drill. Make sure it’s held in tight because you’ll be applying pressure to it. Then, insert the spade bit into the center of the bottom of the apple. To peel, simply run your peeler over the edge of the apple while you hold down the drill’s trigger. As the apple rotates, the peel is quickly cut off.

Crack Nuts with Hand Tools

Just a couple of whacks with a hammer cracked open a Brazil nut, which is known to have a pretty tough shell.  Use small pliers to hold the nut (and protect fingers) and place a cutting board underneath to protect the countertop.

Holiday Light Hangers

Instead of poking nails into aluminum soffits and fascia when you’re hanging holiday lights, clip the wires to the bottom lip of the fascia with clothespins. But be careful up on the ladder.

Drill-Powered Cheese Grater

First remove the plastic rotary handle. Most just thread off if you hold the grating barrel and rotate the handle in reverse. Then remove the grating barrel from the cheese grater. Insert a ¼” bolt into the threaded hole in the bottom of the grating barrel. Secure it in place with a flat washer, a lock washer, and a nut. If you can’t get enough tightening pressure by just holding the bolt inside the grating barrel, you can use two sets of pliers (one to tighten and one to hold the bolt in place).

Make Cardboard Storage Spools for Your Holiday Light Strings

Here’s another great DIY idea and getting your home ready for the holidays. A great way to recycle cardboard and keep your strings of holiday lights from getting tangled when you store them, simply use strips of cardboard and cut out a slot at each end to make a ‘spool’ to keep the lights from slipping of.

Need more space with a house full of visitors? We’ve got you covered! Have a look at the storage crates on promotion this month and our SMART DIY cupboards will definitely give you some additional breathing space. The ultimate way of getting ready for the holidays.

If you are planning a road trip this December, now is the time to visit TimBuild Stellenbosch, Somerset West or Woodstock. Spend R500 or more in store between 1 November and 14 December and stand a chance of winning one of three Elite 5 Venter trailers! Now wouldn’t that make your holiday even better?