When you Google search, notice that a lot more DIY websites are popping up? DIY, or do-it-yourself, sites provide you with directions on how to build, install, remodel, landscape and fix without hiring professionals. If you have the skills, DIY work could save you loads of money. Especially if you’re fixing something that you already have instead of replacing it.

Fixing items around the house could save you ample amounts of money while also saving the environment from access waste and toxins. Fixing items around the house used to be second nature, and now that people are pocket pinching, the method is coming back in style. According to The Daily Green, a rule of thumb to help you decide whether you should fix or replace something is to fix it if the repair costs are less than 50 percent of the original price.

• Little items around the house can easily be fixed with a little tape or glue. Snap a broken piece of picture frame back into place with a drop or two of Super Glue. If the glued spot looks shinier than the rest, camouflage it by applying a glossy finish to your frame. Glue is also helpful with dishes, clocks, laundry baskets and more.
• Larger items, like electronics, get a bit trickier. If the electronic seems broken, try switching the batteries in the remote or replacing the power cord. Oftentimes, the gadget itself isn’t broken, just a smaller part of the whole is. If you’re not sure how to repair your gadget, call the manufacturer or look up guidebooks to help you figure out how. The time you spend learning the tricks of this trade is well worth it if it comes in handy again in the future. Also, oftentimes the electronic or appliance isn’t broken, it’s just temporarily impaired. Taking apart an object to clean out the dust inside, changing a filter or replacing one small part can often fix the problem.
• You can fix outdoor items instead of replacing them too. First off, plant perennials instead of annuals. You can pull weeds, fertilize and fix up perennial gardens year after year instead of constantly replacing the flowers. If a potted plant seems to have died, try moving it to a new location, watering it more or less, and adding organic nutrients before you entirely give up on it. When it comes to surfaces, you can easily fix up holes and cracks. Fill cracks in cement with small amounts of fresh cement. If one piece of your wooden deck has rotting, replace just that piece. Sand, stain and paint surfaces to make them last as long as possible.
• Furniture is simple to fix. First off, if a piece of your furniture looks worn, simply cover it with a slipcover and it’s as good as new! Slipcovers can easily be taken off and washed too. Upholstery shops allow you to change the fabric and add cushioning so an old piece of furniture seems as good as new.
• Sealing and caulking are jobs that you should become familiar with. They can be used to your advantage all over your house. If you have a window that air gets through, seal the edges with weather-stripping. Caulk and seal your attic and basement before replacing an air-conditioning unit to see if that does the trick. Seal and caulk pipes to prevent or fix leaky faucets or toilets.

For more tips on what to repair instead of replace, read The Daily Green article here.