Wearin’ a helmet while ridin’ a bicycle just makes good sense. ‘Course growin’ up I never even considered the idea. Didn’t bother me any. Back then, anyone ‘fraid to take their lumps didn’t need ta be tacklin’ a two wheeler. Ya might as well of had a set of trainin’ wheels. If I ever had a helmet on while peddlin’ a bike, I was on the way to a neighborhood touch football game (at least that’s what our parents were told. Typically there was plenty of real tacklin’ goin’ on. Didn’t bother me any.)

The real bumps to the head in my case were those times playin’ hide and seek in the dark and runnin’ into the clothsline pole. Only happened a couple a times I can remember. Then the baseball bat incident. Don’t ‘member that one much either. The head is a terrible thing ta waste.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’

THIS IS A HAMMER

By Samantha Mazzotta

DEAR HAMMER: I hope this tip will be useful to some of your readers. I’m a die-hard do-it-yourselfer, and every spare moment I’m finding something else to do around the house. I also don’t like to putter around too much when I start a project, so I keep a lot of things organized where I can grab them and get going.

For painting, there is a metal shelf unit in my garage where used and new paint cans, brushes, rollers and pans are kept. Whenever my wife retires a set of bedsheets, I fold up the flat sheets in a box on the shelf to use as dropcloths. I also keep a filter mask and goggles, a box of disposable rubber gloves, an old flannel shirt and a pair of old sneakers in that box. So all I have to do is grab that box, the paint I need and brushes, and I’m ready to go.

Painter’s tape is also good for more than just masking-off areas. Since I usually have to remove socket and light switch covers in order to paint the walls, I stick the small screws that attach them to a piece of painter’s tape and then put that tape on the back of the cover.

Hope your readers will get some organizing ideas from this! -- Jared in Unionville, Conn.

DEAR JARED: Great tips, and many thanks for sharing them. As you can see, organizing a DIY-friendly garage or storage area doesn’t mean you need to have strict categories and neat shelves. Things can be grouped in certain areas -- such as painting supplies or lawn-care tools -- and placed in containers that are easy to grab and take to the work area.

Readers, do you have organizing tips you’d like to share? Pass them on!

HOME TIP: When painting a masonry or wood walkway, mix fine sand into the paint. The sand will provide added traction when the walkway is wet.