10 Things Millennials Should Know How to Fix Before They Graduate

One of the perks about being in college is that you probably live on campus where you can put in maintenance requests if something gets broken. If you try to fix something yourself, there’s a chance that if you do it wrong, the school will fine you for not calling their crew in. While this can save you time that you’d rather devote to studying, it keeps you from learning how to fix things, especially if the work gets done while you’re away in class.

For the next few minutes, read up on some things everyone should know before they graduate. If you don’t know how to fix things when you’ve moved on into your own space where there isn’t a crew to come fix things that break, you’ll find yourself in a tight spot later. Save yourself the worry and brush up on your maintenance skills now with a quick read before your study break ends.

1. Holes in the Wall

Almost every school tells their students to not tape things up on the wall and to use tacks instead. This leaves little holes in the wall that are magically painted over by the time you get back for a new semester. If you use tacks in your future home, have some spackle and extra paint ready for repairs. A quick swipe of the spackle with a little bit of sanding and some paint will cover up almost any holes you make hanging pictures and decorations.

2. A Running Toilet

Right now, you can just use your roommate’s bathroom if your toilet starts running, but what happens when you live on your own? You can easily fix a running toilet in no time, without needing to take a plumbing class. You’ll be able to fix any future running toilet so fast, you’ll flush with pride.

3. Clogged Gutters

If you plan on living in a home, you’re going to have to deal with clogged gutters at one point or another. There’ll be a big storm system that moves through and seemingly forces all the leaves on the planet into your gutters. That’s when you should know whether you should replace your gutters or repair them. Repairing them could be much easier than replacing, depending on the damage done, so know the difference before another storm rolls in.

4. Squeaky Floors

When you first get out of college, you’re not going to be able to afford the newest house on the market, especially if it’s not a rental. That means that at some point you’re going to have to deal with squeaky floors. Know how to fix them by reading a quick fix guide that you can always save for later. It’s a lot easier than you’d think and worth trying.

5. An Unbalanced Washing Machine

You know your washing machine is unbalanced when it goes into the spin cycle and the whole house starts shaking! Don’t feel like you need to buy a new washer when the one you have is probably just unbalanced. First, check it with a level and then see if you can try any repair tricks. One will eventually stick, and you can get back to getting that laundry done.

6. A Leaky Sink

It’s okay to feel that panic that sets in when you reach under your sink for a bottle of cleaning spray and find that it’s been leaking. Just know that you don’t have to pay a repairman to fix it for you! If you learn how to adjust connections and clear pipes, you could have your leak solved in a matter of minutes.

7. A Stopped-Up Drain

Whether it was your shower or your sink, you’ve probably run across a clogged drain before. When you can’t manage to pull out a lump of hair with some tweezers, you can unclog it with baking soda and vinegar. Those are two things you’ll probably already have in your pantry, so there’s no need for an extra trip out to the store.

8. Cracked Grout

The white stuff in between the tiles that make up your bathroom floor? That’s called grout and it doesn’t last forever. At some point, you’ll see it start to crack and chip away, so don’t be unprepared when that happens. There are eight steps between you and a refreshed bathroom floor, so roll up your sleeves and get ready to fix some grout. You’ll feel like a real handyman by the time you’re finished.

9. Wobbly Ceiling Fan

Summer is almost here, so you’re going to be using your ceiling fans more often. When you hear that familiar wobbling of a loose fan, don’t panic! It’s not going to fly off. Instead, you’re going to be able to easily fix it. With a quick switch of the power breaker and a screwdriver, you can fix any wobbly ceiling fan. It’s a talent that will let you relax and cool off on a hot day.

10. Leaking Shower Head

If you’re in the shower and notice that the shower head is leaking where it’s screwed on, that’s actually an easy fix you don’t need to sweat. You can get Teflon tape at almost any store and only a little bit will be needed to solve your problem. Wrap the tape around the shower head pipe and then screw the nozzle back on. The tape helps lock in the water to save you some cash on your water bill and some peace of mind.

You’re going to be faced with a lot of new challenges once you graduate college. One of those is going to be how to fix things around the house when they break, since you’ll be on your own. Try not to worry about future repairs too much! Most of what you’ll need to fix around the house will be simple, so as long as you read up on potential future repairs, you’ll be ready to go when the time comes to actually get some repairs done on your own.