Furniture that’s older than six months will need fixing, but the good news is that there are basic ways of repairing that allow you to maintain the wooden furniture in your home and make them last a long time.

In fact, you can even save furniture that’s hanging on its last legs – and here are a few tips on how you can do just that:

1. Shimming Hinges
Doors that won’t close or align with the catch might be solved by simply cutting out one or more playing cards to fit the recess of the door hinge. This is called a “shim”, and will kick out the lower or upper part of the door depending on which hinge you reinforce.

You can punch screw holes in the cards by using a small Philips screwdriver, after which you can mount the door hinge and attach the screws.

2. Adding Support Braces
When left alone, sagging shelves will further droop and eventually cause stress to the nails and joints to crack and wear down. While you can simply flip the shelves over, they will still droop again after some time.
A more permanent (and aesthetically pleasing) solution is to add wooden stair treads that have a rounded front edge. You can cut and paint them according to your shelves’ color and size.

3. Fixing Wobbly Chair and Tables
Wobbly chairs and tables are easy to fix by adding support braces, which are usually more reliable than L-brackets.
Tables can also be wobbly because of uneven legs. If this is the case, jamming something underneath is only a temporary solution – your best option is drill holes for nail-on glides and slip as many washers as your table leg needs to feel more stable.

4. Repairing Drawers
Drawer fronts that come loose or fall off completely can be saved and reinforced by adding a backer to its front. Make sure the backer is about the size of the drawer so that it fits tightly and ¾-inch holes for the handle screws.

For ready-to-assemble furniture that uses particleboard, reinforcing with screws might be the better option. No need to use the original fasteners when they can’t. You can bypass them instead and fasten the screws from the outside.

5. Filling Screw Holes
Filling epoxy putty for screw holes in handles is a more permanent fix if they keep falling or unscrewing off of drawers. Instead of using a larger-sized screw (which can also come loose), just cut off the amount of putty you need and knead it together to plug the hole.

When doing this, be sure to scrape off the excess before it hardens, and then you will be able to drill a new hole into the drawer handle once it does.

(Disclaimer: this list is compiled in no particular order.)

Life is a minefield and some people are just better at putting everything in place and getting over obstacles than others.

However, just because you seem lost doesn’t mean you can’t get back on track again. You just have to accept the fact that you’re slowly losing it all and identify the things you can change to take control of your life again.

If you find yourself in any of these life situations, then take 2017 as wonderful opportunity for a fresh new beginning.

1. You don’t work out

Being lazy is something all of us are guilty about. And surely, when you’re in your early 20s, you can get away without breaking a sweat—youth has its perks! But when life gets in the way, you need to take care of your body. Office is in third floor with no elevator? Take the stairs without catching your breath. Stop avoiding the gym just because you feel like you don’t fit in the sea of toned muscles and abs. All those slender bodies you see went through the same unhealthy phase as yours.

2. You’re always tired

It’s normal to feel exhausted at the end of the day, but if you’re constantly tired, then something isn’t right. Your sleeping pattern may be affecting your day-to-day life. When you don’t get the right amount of sleep, you’re less productive and are also prone to craving unhealthy food. Eliminate distractions when you’re already tucked in at night (i.e. checking your Facebook) and train your body to sleep and wake-up around the same time every day.

3. You eat too much instant food

After a long toxic day at work, the last thing you want to do is to whip up a dinner from scratch, so we often end up at the nearest fast food or local grocery for some instant meal. But pay attention to what you’re eating. Not only do you have slower metabolism to burn all those junk foods, but being conscious to what you’re consuming really pays off in the long run.

4. You keep comparing yourself to others

With today’s technology and popularity of social media sites like Facebook and Instagram, it’s easy to feel a tinge of insecurity with the things and the people you see. If you are constantly feeling unhappy or insecure after seeing those posts, think about why you’re feeling such way. Are you being too hard on yourself for leaving an unachievable standard? Why don’t you feel good enough or pretty enough or smart enough? Do not hesitate to make necessary changes if it means being more comfortable and much happier about yourself.

It will take time to get used to a new norm, but it’s definitely worth the effort when you know you’re living your life productively and to its fullest. Let the New Year be the time to start anew for a better and wiser you.