Simple DIY spring home repairs, on the cheap

Winter's been pretty brutal for most of the country, and your home may have taken a bit of a beating.

But with spring just five days away, it's time to think about tackling a few fix-up projects around the house.

On "The Early Show," Matt Blashaw, a licensed contractor and host of the DIY Network's "Money Hunters," explained how to do some of the most common ones:

Gates sagging, scraping the ground

The wind, snow and changing temperatures may have warped your fence gate during the winter months, and put it out of alignment. So every time you open and close it, it's scraping along the ground. The problem starts at the hinges and causes the gate to sag and not work properly.

The easiest, least expensive way to fit it?

You can get a Fence Gate Repair kit, costing anywhere from $8 to $40. The one Matt had on the show was only $8. It's an inexpensive way to get everything back in place and make it square again. Attach the kit to the gate with just a Philips-head screwdriver. Then tighten the wiring until it's plumb again.

Worsening cracks in sidewalks, driveways and patios

The harsh weather may have left cracks in your driveway or patio. The winter weather certainly plays a factor in their expansion. If you notice cracks, fix them now, before they create bigger problems. Use latex concrete caulk to fill up the crack, and smooth it with a putty knife. Before the concrete dries, toss on some sand. We used "leveling sand" on the show, but another type of sand could be used -- even simple play sand. Just select something that matches the color of your concrete. Once it's had a chance to dry, simply brush off the excess sand. The sand helps make the crack less noticeable because it adds that gritty texture of the concrete.

Clogged gutters

With spring showers on the way, it's important to clean out the gutters so they flow freely and don't back up and cause water damage on the side of your home. Wear some nice, sturdy work gloves so you don't get cut by broken twigs and such. One of the easiest ways to clean out the gutter is by using a pasta scoop! Don't use the one from the kitchen -- go buy an extra, inexpensive one. Simply scoop out all the debris that's accumulated.

After the gutters are clean, save yourself some work next year and install some gutter guards. There are some great, inexpensive options at home improvement stores, and it's an easy do-it-yourself project. Costs range from about $7-10 for 15 feet. The guards slide under roof shingles to stay in place.

Built-up dirt and grime on windows

Is a standard bottle of window cleaner and roll of paper towels to clean them, or is there a better way?

Cleaning windows is probably the No. 1 spring fix-up you can do to freshen your home. And cleaning windows can be tackled easily if you get a partner. Instead of a store-bought window cleaner, create your own mixture, and fill two spray bottles.

Mix two cups hot water, 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch. The vinegar does the cleaning, and the cornstarch really gives the windows a great shine! Instead of using paper towels, get some newspapers out of the recycling bin. Newspapers work great for cleaning windows.

It's best to do this with a partner: Have your partner work on one side (for instance, inside) of the window while you work on the other (for instance, outside). The trick is to have one person clean side-to-side and the other person work up-and-down. That way, streaks are easy to see and fix.

If you notice any scratches on the windows, a little toothpaste (paste, not a gel) applied with a soft toothbrush or rag will buff them out!

Organizing garage clutter

Spring is indeed a great time to get everything in order -- and that includes items in the garage. Keep tools in place using a peg board with various sized hangers. You could, for example, put tools on the peg rack. As an option, you could use a marker and outline around each tool to make sure everything gets put back in its proper place.

For all those other items you need in a garage, such as nails, rolls of tape, paint buckets, etc., a lazy Susan is a great do-it-yourself storage unit. It works great in the corner of a garage. We used birch plywood on the show, because it's smooth and flat. You'll also need lazy Susan rings, which you can get from a home improvement store. And vinyl strips were attached for the curved edging. This project takes about an afternoon to do, but is well worth it to stay organized.