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This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.

With lots of time spent at home because of the lockdown plus beautiful, mild spring weather, Steph and I have been busy checking off a lot of maintenance projects that had been put off far too long!

Luckily, many of the tools we received for this quarter's The Home Depot ProSpective tool campaign to use and review lent themselves to our outdoor home maintenance projects. 

The most versatile of the bunch was a 23 foot multi-positional ladder by Gorilla Ladder. We've purchased many Gorilla Ladders products over the years so it came as no surprise, that we were expecting great things from it!

We put together an entire video just to showcase all the things it can do. We used it to install a new garage lighting fixture, clean the screen porch inside and out, clean out the gutters and try out the scaffolding feature to clean the tallest windows at Steph's house. It did not disappoint. 

I should point out that we have a love/hate relationship with ladders, especially the really tall ones. We learned that we both are afraid of heights while painting the house when neither of us could go past the sixth rung of an extension ladder. We finished that painting trim work with a creative brush we safely used from the ground!

Anyway, if you are looking for a ladder that feels secure, this is the one. Order online at The Home Depot and pick up curbside! It's a super convenient way to shop!

Read on to see what other tools we used to clean, maintain, and to make improvements at Steph's house. 

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During this pandemic, when the CDC finally issued the statement that we should ALL wear a mask, I started researching various patterns so that I could  make them for Steph and I, friends, and anyone else that might want one. I've since joined a Facebook group that sews masks for medical groups and facilities, fire fighters, and more. I've also taken many to our local food bank for those that deliver food to others.

Here are some things I've learned during my weeks of sewing masks. Please add your tips in the comments!

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Whenever we shop at Costco, we always take a look at the products for sale in the lighting/electrical aisle. It seems on every trip they have brand new and exciting LED lighting options! We are sold on LED for lighting in our homes and workspace!

Earlier, this year, we purchased a skylight fixture for Steph's garage to replace a fluorescent fixture that had seen better days. Once installed, the difference was remarkable! Clean, even looking light that actually does look like a skylight!

Well, I was sold and told Steph I wanted one for my very dark closet. The one where I choose my clothes and then realize later on when I'm in the sun, I'm actually wearing, what I thought were black pants, but they are actually blue! 

I loved that lighting solution so much in the closet that I talked Steph into installing one in my laundry room. My sad, dark mess of a laundry room. 

So here is that install! And like most DIY projects, there was a hiccup or two to figure out...

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This "vs" post was purely accidental. While pressure washing the driveway, we ran out of time and finished with Wet & Forget sparking this accidental pressure washing verses Wet & Forget comparison!

Let me back up to the "why" we ran out of time. Last fall, we decided to keep ourselves busy while Mac, Steph's greyhound, was at the vet for some dental surgery. Greyhounds aren't like most dogs as the use of anesthesia is tricky for them. We needed an easy, mindless activity to keep ourselves occupied as to not dwell on "what could happen"--pressure washing the driveway was the perfect activity!

Luckily, the procedure went well and the vet called sooner than we expected to come get her! That was good news, but meant we couldn't finish pressure washing the driveway. That's how we ended up with this accidental "vs" post!

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With the increased use of fabric and medical masks, the need for ear savers has grown. Ear savers are most often worn by health professionals to ease the discomfort of wearing a mask for a long time. As the general population adopts the use of masks for every day use, we all could benefit from these simple little devices.

In the workshop, we we've been wearing masks for years. We tend to take them off as soon as possible because they can be uncomfortable so we wanted a couple of these for ourselves and to giveaway. 

In April 2020, Cricut added three sizes of ear protectors to Cricut Design Space. They are free, but they did not offer up a tutorial on how to actually use the pattern. 

​Steph found a way to use the file, and we found an inexpensive, readily available resource from which to make them.