Home Care Challenge: Small Fixes, Big Impact
When It’s Not the Oven—It’s Everything Else
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This week’s task was originally supposed to be a repeat of Week 5—oven cleaning—but after taking a peek inside ours, it honestly looked pretty clean.
So I decided to use the time to knock out a few small but annoying projects that had been piling up: fixing interior door closures, updating closet rod holders, and replacing some outlet plugs and extension cords.
Bye, Ball Catches
All of our closet doors use ball catch hardware. If you're not familiar, they’re the little spring-loaded balls that hold a door closed at the top. Over time, they can be a pain. Sometimes you have to slam the door to get it to latch—or worse, get up on a step stool every few months just to adjust the ball catch again.
I’d hit my limit. You know those days where your kids aren’t listening, your smart devices are ignoring you, and then the closet door won’t close either? It was just one too many frustrations.
So this week, I finally replaced all of our ball catch hardware with magnetic door catches. It’s a small thing, but it’s made a big difference. Doors close softly now, no slamming or adjusting needed.
How I Did It:
Removed the old ball catch hardware from the top of the doors and door frames using a screwdriver.
Patched any extra holes with wood filler (since magnetic catches often mount differently).
Installed magnetic catch plates at the top of the door and the matching magnet on the door frame. I used small screws to secure them in place.
Tested the strength of each one to make sure it could hold the door shut but still open easily.
I did this on all of our closet doors over the course of a couple days and wish I had done it sooner.
Upgrading Closet Rod Holders
Next up was a quick fix that’s been on my list for years—replacing our plastic closet rod holders with sturdier metal ones. The plastic ones just can’t hold up. Over the years, we’ve had a few snap under the weight of normal clothes. The one in my closet finally gave out last week, which was the push I needed.
Here’s what I did:
Took down the rod and removed the broken plastic holder.
Measured the space to make sure the new metal holders would align with the studs or existing holes.
Installed metal rod holders with screws into the wall, ideally into a stud for extra strength.
Replaced the rod and tested everything by hanging up a few heavier coats.
They’re so much sturdier—and they look better too.
Safer (and Tidier) Outlet Plugs
Lastly, I tackled a few updates around our outlets. Our kids are always bumping into plugs in their rooms or the playroom, especially if something sticks out too far from the wall. I swapped a few of our old extension cords for flat-plug versions and added rotating outlet extenders where needed.
Here’s what I used:
Flat plug extension cords behind beds and furniture so they sit flush against the wall.
Cord clips to secure longer cords along the wall or baseboard.
The bonus? Everything looks neater too.
Sometimes home care doesn’t mean deep cleaning or maintenance—it means removing friction from your everyday life. Our homes should work for us, and these little updates—doors that close quietly, rods that hold strong, plugs that stay out of the way—have already made things feel more put together.
Let me know what small fix you've been putting off—I promise, it’s worth checking one off the list.
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Products I used to tackle this week’s weekly home care challenge:
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