Welcome back to the Sidequest! This week, Samantha poses a deeply personal question to the group: How do you handle the stress and long hours when you're trying to create something incredibly important, but circumstances make it difficult?

If you are currently pouring your heart into a passion project, a small business, or just trying to survive a chaotic season of life, this episode is your official hype squad.

In this Sidequest, we cover:

• Coping Mechanisms & Avoiding Spreadsheets: We share how we actually get things done. From Emily’s hyper-focusing (and literally trading TikTok video creation to get out of building a spreadsheet) to Samantha’s "all the way on or all the way off" lifestyle that requires long, decompression baths.

• The Importance of Support Systems: We are destigmatizing therapy and talking about why having a solid support system is non-negotiable. Huge shoutout to the partners picking up the laundry and dog-walking slack during 80-hour work weeks!

• Reframing Disappointment: What happens when your big plan fails? We talk about pivoting our original November podcast launch and reframing that "failure" into building a massive online ecosystem instead.

• The Ultimate Mission: Why quitting is never an option for us. We are building this community to give women the autonomy, knowledge, and agency to make choices about their own homes.

When a project is this important, you aren't just the person who can make it happen—you are the person who cannot not make it happen.

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🏡 Check out our brand new ecosystem: howtohandymaam.com

Welcome back to How to Handyma'am! It is finally spring, and we are kicking off a four-part series dedicated to all things spring maintenance and landscaping.

But first, 3 Minutes of Chaos! We also take a moment to talk about leaning into who you really are and accepting your unique quirks. We also give a shoutout to our favorite med student, Hannah MacArthur!

Then, we dive into the Spring Handyma'am Showdown! We go head-to-head to list the top 10 things you need to check outside your house as the weather warms up.

Our top 10 spring maintenance tips include:

1. Check doors and windows: Ensure they open, close, and seal properly, and watch for sticky spots.

2. Turn on the power: Find your breaker box and flip the switch to test your outdoor outlets.

3. Test smoke detectors: Make sure you have working batteries (and a carbon monoxide detector!).

4. Change your furnace filter: Get ready for AC season.

5. Inspect the siding: Look for holes, damage, or missing pieces, and fill any gaps.

6. Check for water leaks: Check under sinks, around toilets, and make sure your sump pump is working.

7. Inspect your porch/deck: Look for rotting wood, peeling paint, or loose boards.

8. Check the mailbox: Ensure it's secure, not rotting, and firmly attached to the post.

9. Examine exterior trim: Look for peeling paint or wood rot, which can lead to water and pest issues.

10. Test the outdoor spigot: Turn the water on, attach a hose, and check for leaks.

We've got you covered with tips, tricks, and a little bit of chaos along the way. Be sure to check out our website for a printable spring checklist!

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Welcome back to the Side Quest! We kick things off with a truly chaotic (and somewhat mournful) rendition of our theme song, and then dive right into some excellent listener questions.

First up, a listener asks a question we've all been wondering: what happens to the painted exterior doors of a house that's been stripped down to the studs and abandoned for years? We break down a few ways to tackle chipping, lifting exterior paint, whether you choose to scrape, use a heat gun, or replace the doors entirely.

Next, we address the mystery of the missing studs. What do you do when your stud finder refuses to beep, even after dragging it across an entire wall? We share our favorite tips for finding studs manually (hello, rare earth magnets!) and how to make sure you're using your tools correctly.

Finally, we share a major tip from our time working on the VFW: how to hang things on solid concrete walls. We explain what "wall plugs" are, how to use them, and why they are the absolute best way to hang everything from TVs to artwork on concrete.

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  Don't forget to check out our Blog!

Welcome back to How to Handyma'am! We are kicking off today's episode with 3 Minutes of Chaos, featuring Samantha's Victorian romance tv show recommendations, a quick menopause update, and the hilarious story of her cartoon-style wipeout on a loose rug while chasing Winnie the Golden Retriever. (Spoiler: Winnie's response was to sit directly on Samantha to tell her to calm down!)

But we're also getting down to business for all of our new homeowners out there! If you just got the keys to your new house, do not move in yet. We are playing a game of "Must Do, Should Do, Nice To Do" to help you prioritize the most important tasks before you start unpacking boxes.

We explain why you must change your locks and test your smoke detectors, why you should figure out where your main water shut-off valve is, and why deep-cleaning the fridge is a nice to do before you move your stuff in. We also share a sweet client story featuring Hellboy the rescue Greyhound, and give you professional advice on how to deal with contractors who charge too much (and why it's totally okay to ghost them).

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  Check out our BLOG!

Welcome back to the Side Quest! Today, we are skipping the intro and diving straight into some listener questions, ranging from the highly technical to the completely chaotic.

We start by helping Sherry F. figure out how to restore the water-damaged fronts of her sink cabinets without totally replacing them. (And yes, we may have gotten a little distracted by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons along the way...). Then, Julie D. asks a great question: why is her grout cracking, and what can she do to fix it? We break down the structural reasons why you can never use grout where there is a change of plane (like where the wall meets the counter), and what you need to buy to fix it.

Finally, Tess M. wants to know if Musselbound is actually a legitimate product. We give our honest, professional review of this "giant double-sided sticky tape" and when you should (and shouldn't) use it in your home.

Plus, we share our best tips for what to do when you hit the dreaded "DIY Wall" and feel like abandoning your project entirely.

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Welcome to How to Handyma'am! We are kicking off Episode 16 with a little singing, a sweet dedication to Samantha's sister, Sandy, and a recap of our live TV debut on New Day Cleveland! Fun fact: Samantha and Sandy both have golden retrievers (including Samantha's dog, Winnie the Pearl) and the dogs are actually sisters! We also got to teach an amazing troop of Girl Scouts how to build their own toolboxes this week.

For our main topic, we are talking about exactly what to expect when you take on a new DIY project. Whether you are a "Type A" planner who maps out every single screw, or a "Type B" chaos gremlin who just starts ripping things apart (looking at you, Arly), we are sharing our professional process for getting things done. We cover how to define your project scope, why you need to watch tutorial videos just to build your materials list, and why you should always add a buffer to your budget.

Plus, we answer a listener question about how to properly repair torn drywall paper from a Command Strip!

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• Check out our Blog: https://howtohandymaam.com/blog/ep-16-what-to-expect-when-youre-expecting-a-diy-projec
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Welcome back to a very special Side Quest! We are officially recovering from a wild weekend at the Lansing Home and Garden Show, so we are opening up the vault and giving everyone early access to an episode originally recorded just for our Patreon.

This week, we are taking a break from home repair to share our ultimate "horror stories from the field". Warning: this episode is essentially a mother's (and husband's) worst nightmare.

In this episode, we confess to:

• Thinking we have the magical ability to hug wild bears.

• Picking up a rescued street raccoon and giving it a kiss on the head.

• Following a man wearing an ankle monitor into the deepest, darkest corner of a basement for an estimate.

• Picking up a hitchhiker and driving him all the way to Sturgis.

Ultimately, we are talking about why women need to embrace the phrase "F*ck Politeness". We put ourselves in dangerous situations because we don't want to be perceived as rude, but remember: you can always apologize later if you were wrong, but you can't fix being murdered!

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• Email us: [email protected]

Welcome to How to Handyma'am! This week, we are consulting Shakespeare for our home repairs and asking the ultimate DIY question: To fix, or not to fix? But first, we kick things off with a sweet dedication to Arly's grandma, the "OG Handyma'am," and spill the tea on the products we are absolutely loving right now.

From navigating the tragedy of dragging a refrigerator across your sheet vinyl floor, to deciding whether you should repair a hollow-core door or just buy a new one, we are giving you the ultimate cost-benefit analysis on common home damage.

Episode Timestamps:

• 0:00 - Welcome back! A dedication to Grandma Arlene.

• 3:55 - Product Reviews! We are fangirling over RTA Wholesalers out of Carson, California.

• 9:30 - Our review of Gorilla Glue Two-Part Epoxy (and why you shouldn't set construction adhesive on fire).

• 11:20 - Go-to bonding primer: Valspar Signature.

• 13:00 - The Main Event: To Fix or Not To Fix?

• 15:00 - Ripped linoleum/sheet vinyl floors.

• 21:50 - Punching a hole in a hollow core door.

• 26:00 - Sputtering sinks and cleaning your faucet aerator.

• 28:40 - Broken window panes (Single pane vs. Double pane).

• 31:20 - Broken PVC plumbing pipes.

• 34:30 - Splintered door jambs.

Products Mentioned in this Episode:

Heads up! Some of the product links below are affiliate links. This means if you click through and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It's a great way to support the podcast!

• RTA Wholesalers: https://rtawholesalers.com

• Gorilla Glue Two-Part Epoxy: https://shoplowes.me/4lqUmoM

• Valspar Signature: https://shoplowes.me/4bi1C1K

Join The Community!

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• Check out our Blog: https://howtohandymaam.com/blog/ep-15-to-fix-or-not-to-fix-when-to-diy-vs-replace-6-common-home-repairs

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Welcome back to another Side Quest! This week, we are answering three of your most pressing DIY questions from the community. If you have a question you want us to tackle on a future Side Quest, you can now submit it directly on our new website: howtohandymaam.com!

In this episode, we answer:

• Amanda's Question: How hard is it to take down old living room paneling, and what do I have to do to the walls underneath? We share the mid-century "plaster board" warning you need to hear before you start prying!

• Julie's Question: My painted shed door is so swollen it won't shut. How do I fix it? We break down how to trim a swollen door, and why painting the bottom edge is the secret to preventing it from happening again.

• Maureen's Question: A plumber just replaced my tub faucet, but there is no caulk around it where it meets the tile. Should there be? We settle the debate on whether you need 100% silicone or just a squeeze tube.

Join The Village!

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Welcome back to How to Handymaam! 🛠️ This week, we are introducing a brand new segment called "Three Minutes of Chaos" before diving into a highly practical checklist for securing your home. Whether you live alone or just want some extra peace of mind, we are breaking down the easiest, most effective security upgrades you can tackle this weekend.

In this episode, we cover:

• Three Minutes of Chaos: Arly rants about period products, Emily gets excited for spring and the Lansing Home & Garden Show, and Samantha talks about her favorite heavy-duty outdoor builds.

• Listener Question: Marybeth asks how to paint baseboards without ruining her wood floors. We explain why painter's tape is actually a terrible idea for old hardwood, and share the "plastic sleeve" trick instead.

• Practical Home Security Checklist: * Doors: Why you need to swap out your tiny latch plate screws for 3-inch screws immediately, and how to reinforce your deadbolts.

  • Windows & Sliders: The simple "dowel in the track" trick for sliding doors, and using privacy window film to keep out prying eyes without losing natural light.

  • Tech & Tools: Integrating motion-sensor floodlights, basic cameras, and exactly what tools you need to get the job done (plus how to borrow them if you don't have a drill!).

• Big Announcements: Come see us at the Lansing Home & Garden Show, and get ready for our upcoming weekend intensive workshops in June, August, and October!

Join The Village!

• Check out our Blog: https://howtohandymaam.com/blog/ep-14-feeling-safe-in-your-own-home-your-diy-security-checklist

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