Quit using liquid or dry graphite, and WD-40 on your locksets. When you use the graphite, it gets all over everything and makes a real mess. WD-40 attracts dust and dirt, and "gloms" up the backset mechanism, as well as the interior of the lockset. Instead, use spray silicone. When it dries, it does not attract dirt like an oily substance, and will not stain you or your clothing when dry. The lubricant stays on the surface pretty good, and is much more slippery than the oily stuff. Use in on Garage Door tracks, Patio Door tracks, all and any mechanicsms that require lubrication. I especially like it on exterior door weatherstripping and on the door sill, where the weatherstrip meets the sill.
If you have a hard-to-remove stain on your kitchen counter laminate top, try lacquer thinner. Dampen a paper towel with lacquer thinner, don't get it dripping wet, and rub on the spot. Most of the time it will get the stain right off. Much faster than bleach. WARNING! Lacquer thinner is EXTREMELY flammable, and the vapors are EXPLOSIVE...do not use around any flames (LIKE THE STOVE OR OVEN). Be careful. Put some on the paper towel outside the house, and then bring into the kitchen.
On outside wood mitres, if the mitre shows a small crack, take your finish hammer and carefully, lightly, tap on the mitre crack, and the wood will dent in a little, close the crack, and PRESTO!, you will have a perfect mitre, sort of.
When you apply caulking, use blue masking tape on either side of the area where you want to caulk. Do this so a perfectly even opening is between the two pieces of tape. Apply caulk, wipe with tool or your finger, so that the caulk is spread onto the tape on either side, and then pull off the tape, and VIOLA! you have a perfect caulk line. This works best when you use the least amount of caulk, and spread the caulk so that it just goes on the tape a little bit. Do not leave the caulk on long enough to "set up", or when you pull the tape off, it will make a ragged edge. On large caulking projects, do a section at a time.
When you think that you are taking longer at doing something that you should, wait until you are done, and tell yourself that you really finished sooner than you thought. Sometimes you need to repeat this to yourself several times.
Use needle point pliers for holding small nails or brads when you are going to drive them with a hammer. Also, grind down the ends of the needle point pliers real sharp, so that you can remove the splinters you may get.
If you normally wear a carpenter's tool pouch/belt with a lot of tools and such in it, get rid of it, and start using a 5-gallon bucket with a bucket tool pouch accessory. Not only can you get more tools and necessary junk in the bucket and pouches, your back will feel better, and since you will now weigh less, you will be able to do a better job, and last longer doing it.
Nothing is free in this world. Everything comes with a price. This is not going to change, period.
If you use a router free-hand, and do not have a "D-handle" model, get rid of your router, and go get a D-handle model, or buy an accessory D-Handle frame for yours. You will thank me for this later. Really.
I have a hearing deficiency...high pitch sounds are hard to hear, difficult to hear speech clearly in a crowd, a little hard of hearing. Doctor said it was from years of using power tools without hearing protection. Go get some hearing protection before you become like me. You will not like it. And don't feel sorry for me, I don't.
If you have a tool that you really like, go buy another for a spare. When the one you are using wears out or breaks, you will not be able to get another. Carroll's Tool Law #1.
A dull tool will eventually hurt you, and will do a poor job. Carroll's Tool Law #2
If the very best tool you can buy is really not good enough, and they aren't, where does that leave the rest of them? Buy the very best you can. Carroll's Tool Law #3
A real sharp tool will leave a cut that is easily stitched together by the emergency room staff. However, it will do the absolute best job for you on your project! Always be careful. Carroll's Tool Law #4
If you have not tried torx head screws, you should. I quit using phillips head screws, unless I cannot or do not have the torx head on hand. Virtually no pressure from your gun is required to drive these screws. It is a mechanical installation, not a push it in operation. GRK is the brand I like, and they make several diameters and lengths of standard screws, as well as finish screws with very small heads. I think they are simply the best, period. I do not use anything else. Try 'em, you will love 'em!
Not all torx head screws are created equal, however. I have tried several brands from suppliers here in Clinton, and the only one that stands up is the GRK Brand, at Full Line Lumber.