Buy an HDTV
LCD is emerging as the flat-panel TV winner, over DLP and plasma. The average price of a 40-incher is now around $1,500. If you're budget is smaller, shop lesser-known brands like Westinghouse and Vizio. We like the 42-inch Vizio GV42L, which retails for $1,100. If you want to future-proof your investment, look for a 120Hz refresh rate, which all but eliminates errant pixels. One to consider: Sony's 40-inch KDL40-XBR4 ($2,500).
Paint without Tape
The trick is to create a 2-inch buffer zone around the trim and below the ceiling so you don't hit those areas with your roller, says Amy Matthews, host of DIY Network's Bathroom Renovations. Hold a 2-inch brush close to its base for maximum control, place the bristles about half an inch from the ceiling or trim, and apply slight pressure so the bristles expand outward. If you use short strokes and a lot of paint, you won't need a second coat.
The Average Guy: The Digits on Your Domain
An Inside Look at Men and Their Cribs
From the Editors of Men's Health Living
Year in which the average guy's house was built:
1975
Age at which the average guy becomes a homeowner:
32
Number of men who are single at the time:
1 in 10
The average price tag for his first piece of real estate:
$215,000
Number of years the average guy spends living in his first home before moving on up:
5
The average guy's decor of choice:
Modern, followed by minimalist
Number of men who say that a woman's influence has made their home more comfortable and stylish:
1 in 2
Number who feel she made it feminine but don't really mind:
1 in 14
Bathroom decoration most likely to cause the average guy to curse:
The fuzzy cover that causes the toilet lid to fall down midstream.
Number of men who would buy (and live in) a beautiful and cheap house in which the previous owner was murdered:
1 in 2
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Network the average guy watches on the sly:
HGTV (Home and Garden Television)
Percentage who've caused significant damage on a DIY project:
10
Number of men who have a week of meals ready in the fridge:
7 in 10
Number who keep a stocked bar in their home:
1 in 4
Number with a cache of cash:
1 in 3
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Number of men who've glimpsed their neighbor's wife standing naked in the window:
2 in 7
Percentage of couples who've had sex in every room of their house:
14
Trade the average guy is most comfortable practicing around his home:
Painting
Percentage of married men who would do all of the housework for a year if their wives would grant permission to buy an HDTV:
36
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Percentage of men who lock down the house with a security system:
26
The average guy's second choice for security:
A Louisville Slugger
Percentage of men who are trying to sell their current home:
4
Percentage who plan to sell it eventually:
89
Top reason the average guy intends to sell:
It's not his dream house
Our sources:
Men's Health Living Survey of 1,349 men; Realtor.org; National Association of Realtors; Century 21; Mintel Reports; Therma-Tru Doors Inc.; KB Home Builders; Hershocks Inc.; Hargitt Development LLC; Royal LePage Canada; Journal of Family Issues; Weber Inc.; Pew Research; Harris Interactive; Bureau of Labor Statistics; Dia Art Foundation; Valspar Paintings and Coatings; Coldwell Banker
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