If you're having lots of people over to your home and feel like you don't have enough seating you can make a temporary lounge seat from 4-5 gallon plastic buckets, a tablecloth or sheet, and large cushions such as couch or futon cushions. More »

So you're out of the house for the weekend, and you've brought your trusty laptop with you, but you need something from your home machine. Here are a ton of different ways you can get to your home computer from anywhere, whether you just need a few files or full, unfettered access. More »

I like chopsticks when I'm eating out with friends and want to look like a superstar, but when it comes to takeout in my own home I just get the food into my mouth as quickly and efficiently as possible. This has led to a surplus of takeout chopsticks that, after nearly four years, have become unruly in my utensil drawer. I asked the internet what to do about it, and found that there were actually some pretty clever uses. Here are the best. More »

After many uses you'll find marks in your dinnerware, making it look old and worn down (you know, because it is). Rejuvenating an old plate, bowl, or whatever else turns out to be pretty simple. Apartment Therapy's discovered that you can easily get the scratches out with Bar Keeper's Friend. More »

Have you ever gone to put on a collared shirt only to find the collar has lost its form and sags awkwardly around your neck? Reddit user PTKIRL noticed that by storing his shirts with only the top button clasped, the collar stays crisp, no ironing required. More »

Even if you have nothing to hide secret rooms, can safes, and the like are fun projects that can help you protect your valuables when not at home. YouTube user luvguns61 is a high school teacher who transformed a standard coat closet into a hidden room with a two-way mirror. More »

This impressive, large shelving unit with built-in desk is something you can make yourself out of plumbing pipes and pine planks for about $200. Morgan Satterfield of The Brick House offers step-by-step directions for creating this massive storage unit. More »

It was just a few days ago that news of a mysterious home-oriented Google device was being prepped for testing in the homes of 252 company employees, but the associated FCC filing left most of the specifics up in the air. Now, if a new report from the Wall Street Journal holds true, Google’s next foray into the hardware space could be all about pumping up those jams.

According to WSJ’s sources, the device in development is a “home entertainment system” that can wirelessly stream music throughout users’ homes. Google has attempted to make inroads into the living room before with initiatives like Google TV, but this would mark the first time the search giant would be developing and selling products under their own name rather than relying on external hardware vendors.

The pieces we have at this point certainly seem to line up. In their FCC application, Google representatives noted that the at-home beta test was meant to accomplishing the following:

Testing throughput and stability of home WiFi networks using an entertainment device. Testing will include functional testing of all subsystems, including WiFi and Bluetooth radio. Users will connect their device to home WiFi networks and use Bluetooth to connect to other home electronics equipment.

WiFi support seems like a no-brainer when it comes to streaming content, but the inclusion of a Bluetooth radio (commonly seen on phones of all stripes) hints at the possibility of a close connection between the box in question and mobile devices.

The mysterious entertainment device is reportedly the result of years of work from Google’s Android team, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. With movies and more recently music being introduced into the Android Market, it was only natural that the device in question would be able to capitalize on all that content. WSJ’s sources acknowledge that notion, as they note that the Google Mystery Box may be able to stream content other than just music.

Still, media/hardware ventures like Google TV haven’t been as strong a performer in the marketplace as Google would have hoped, so it’s a bit surprising to see that another media-oriented device seems so close to fruition. Maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise though — Google chairman Eric Schmidt reaffirmed himself as being a proponent of a highly-connected home life while at this year’s CES.

One of the bigger questions that this whole situation raises is whether or not the entertainment box will ever actually see the light of day. At first glance, the answer seems obvious — why put a petition for testing that much new hardware outside of the lab in front of a federal body if it’ll never see the light of day? WSJ’s sources seem to confirm that the device isn’t just vaporware and that it will launch later this year, but a lot could happen between now and then.

If it is real though, and Google can churn out reliable — and preferably cheap — units, they stand a chance at yanking the rug out from under a major competitor: Apple and its $99 Apple TV.

In December, Eric covered Open Home Pro, a startup that lets realtors sell homes via their iPads. Today, there comes a similar effort from Pixloo, expect this service is designed for use by anyone – realtors and homeowners alike. With Pixloo, you can upload information about your home, including text, photos and even videos and then immediately export that data to major real estate sites including Trulia, Zillow, Realtor.com and others, all for free.

OK, technically, Pixloo is freemium. The pricing tiers depend on whether you need one virtual tour, the number of exports per tour and access to statistics, among other things. For just one tour and five exports per tour, however, it’s free. And that will be good enough for many folks. The other paid tiers are $9/month (Pro) or $24/month (Premium). TechCrunch readers can use the coupon code “TECHCRUNCH” for a free Pro account. 

For those that need it, the startup can provide customers with an MLS # for $399, which is what’s required to export to the realtor-friendly sites like Realtor.com, RealEstateBook.com, Homes.com, or AOL or Google Real Estate, for example. (Disclosure: TechCrunch is owned by AOL).

But homeowners selling their homes themselves have the option of exporting to the sites mentioned above (Trulia, Zillow) as well as to social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Also, Pixloo is available worldwide, thanks to some support for localized sites. However, the majority of the focus at present is on the U.S. market.

Since the startup’s soft launch just three weeks ago, it’s already signed up over 500 customers before even seeing press. People found the site just by searching for keywords like “virtual tours,” for example – and apparently liked what they found.

Pixloo is currently bootstrapping, according to co-founder John Rampton, who has previous experience in this vertical thanks to time spent with real estate virtual tour company Obeo. Pixloo’s technical co-founder Mark Higbee keeps a low profile.

Although still a small team, the company has big plans to expand Pixloo’s offerings, and claims to be adding new export locations at a rate of one per day. The company also hopes to delve deeper into value-added services in the future, including things like text messages about new listings, mobile support, assistance in connecting homeowners with good realtors, and partnerships with sites like Zillow to help homeowners determine what their house may be worth.

To try Pixloo for yourself, head over here to sign up.

Wouldn't it be nice to just plug your USB device right into the wall and not have to use the power adapter and take up an outlet? Apartment Therapy has a guide for you to do just that or you can use a plug-and-play option. More »