Do you have a lamp or light fixture in your home in which light bulbs just don't seem to last that long? If so, you need to know this. There are two main culprits that cause incandescent light bulbs to burn out prematurely: excessive heat and vibration. The simple solution is to just stop using an incandescent bulb in the fixture and use a compact fluorescent. Compact fluorescents are not affected by heat or vibration. About a year ago I was having a real problem with the lights in my garage door opener. I was changing bulbs every month. Since going to compact fluorescents, I've been good to go.

Here's an important tip for when you're loosening a tight nut or bolt. Whatever you do, don't hold the wrench by gripping it with your hand. Instead, push the wrench with your open palm. Why? Because inevitably the nut or bolt will quickly loosen and you'll smash your knuckles on something. By pushing with an open palm, you'll never have to worry about this.

If you're installing carpet in your house, make sure you put it in your closets. The reason for this is because if you ever have to replace a piece of your carpet that's been burned or stained, you can get a patch from the closet.

For mothers who can't get the family to help with the laundry, the solution is simple. Get a basket for every member of the family and put their names on them. When you pull the clothes out of the dryer, separate them into the different baskets. Let the family do the folding. (I'm probably going to get hate mail from the kids for this one).

For mothers who can't get their kids to hang up their coats: Instead of constantly fighting this battle, buy some coat hooks and install them on the inside of the coat closet door. Be sure to install the hooks where the kids can reach them.

If you bite into a hot chili, there are three things you can do to minimize the pain. One, drink milk; two, eat bread and three, put salt in your mouth. Bet you didn't know about the salt.

Pet hair gets on everything. Here's the quickest way to get the hair off of a sweater or blanket. Put the item in the dryer with a damp towel and a fabric softener sheet. Run it for about 15 minutes. The fabric softener sheet reduces static electricity and helps loosen the pet hair from the item. The towel knocks the hair off. Make sure that you clean out your dryer vent after you do this.

Tim Thompson lives in Gainesville. E-mail Tim your ideas for tips, tools or tricks.