How To Handyma’am | A Home Improvement Comedy Podcast

Samantha Pearl|Lic. Builder, Emily Pearl Reist|Lic. Builder, and Arly Streed

Welcome to “How to Handyma’am”, where we educate and entertain with our experience as three women in the home remodeling business. We’ve learned everything the hardest possible way – so you don’t have to! We envision a community of women who are empowered to take care of the daily needs of their lives independently, with confidence and knowledge. That goes for how you care for your home, what you do with your career, and who you trust to provide services in your home! The Michigan-based home improvement podcast from the team at MyHandyma'am.

  1. 5h ago

    Don’t Burn Your House Down! 🔥 9 Common Home Fire Hazards | Ep 45

    Happy Fire Safety Awareness Month! 🔥 In this episode, Arley cooks up a high-stakes game of "Fire Hazard or False Alarm?" to test Emily and Samantha on household fire safety, hidden electrical dangers, and smoke detector myths! Before we dive into how to keep your house from burning down, we start with our signature "Three Minutes of Chaos"—which somehow turned into an intense, passionate debate about butter preferences, butter bells, and dogs stealing entire sticks off the counter! In this episode, we cover: • 🔌 Appliance Overloads: Why you shouldn't plug your toaster, air fryer, and coffee maker into one power strip. • 🧺 Dryer Lint Dangers: Accordion hoses vs. hard ducts, magnetic connectors, and the leaf-blower clearing hack. • ⚡ Warm Outlets & Extension Cords: What ungrounded outlets mean, GFCI upgrades, sleek sockets, and running cords under rugs. • 🚨 Photoelectric vs. Ionization Alarms: Why older smoke detectors have radioactive material inside and why your alarm keeps chirping. • 🪵 Fireplace & Furnace Safety: Handling hot ash, clearance around gas furnaces, and the scary "furnace fireball" story. • 🥩 Grill Rules: Siding melt risks, carbon monoxide, and why propane grills never belong in a garage. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Fire Safety Awareness Month! 🔥 01:00 - Episode Dedication to Cousin Teresa 💪 02:00 - 3 Minutes of Chaos: Search Histories & The Great Butter Debate 🧈 05:30 - Game On: Fire Hazard or False Alarm? 06:30 - Power Strips vs. Small Kitchen Appliances 🔌 08:30 - Dryer Lint Hazards, Flexible Hoses & Magnetic Connectors 🧺 11:00 - Warm Outlets Behind Furniture & Grounding Fixes 13:00 - Garage Grilling & Carbon Monoxide Risks 🥩 14:30 - Smoke Detector Science: Photoelectric vs. Radioactive Ionization 🚨 17:30 - Extension Cord Mistakes, Voltage Loss & Sleek Sockets 🔌 20:00 - Fireplace Ash Disposal & The Mystery Furnace Fireball 🪵🔥 23:00 - Smoke Alarm Chirping: End-of-Life Warnings & Bluetooth Alarms 📢 25:00 - Speed Round: Space Heaters & What to Fix First! 26:30 - Mrs. Worldwide, Charting Internationally & Newsletter Shoutout! 🌐 🔍 SEARCH OUR CONTENT: Looking for a specific tool tip, review, or tutorial? Search our full library of reels, TikToks, and podcast episodes all in one place: https://howtohandymaam.com/search-library 💌 JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER: Get exclusive early-access ticket sales for events 2 days before everyone else, weekly tool recs, and updates: https://howtohandymaam.com 📲 FOLLOW US ON SOCIALS: • Instagram: @howtohandymaam • TikTok: @howtohandymaam How To Handyma'am is a home improvement podcast hosted by Arley, Samantha, and Emily, dedicated to empowering women to take care of their homes, demystify trade skills, and laugh along the way!

  2. 3d ago ·  Bonus

    The Woman Who Secretly Built the Brooklyn Bridge! | SideQuest 43

    Live from Podcast Movement in New York City! 🗽 In this special NYC-themed Side Quest, the Handyma’am crew takes over the convention studio to play a round of NYC Fact or Fiction before diving into the incredible, uncredited story of Emily Warren Roebling—the badass woman who actually built the Brooklyn Bridge! From fake brownstone subway vents and wooden rooftop water tanks to a woman riding across a suspension bridge with a live rooster in her lap, this episode is packed with wild engineering history, trade tricks, and classic Handyma'am chaos! In this episode, we cover: • 🧱 NYC Fact or Fiction: Brownstone vs. sandstone, Grand Central ceiling myths, and fake houses hiding subway vents. • 🐘 P.T. Barnum’s Elephant March: Reassuring New Yorkers the Brooklyn Bridge wouldn't collapse. • 🌉 The Untold Story of Emily Warren Roebling: How she learned bridge engineering on the job site, took over for her disabled husband, and managed construction for 11 years. • 🏗️ Caisson Disease & Construction Fraud: Catching corrupt wire suppliers and convincing a room full of 1880s male engineers to let her finish the project. • 🐓 The Victory Lap: Why the first person across the Brooklyn Bridge was a woman carrying a rooster. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Live from NYC at Podcast Movement! 🗽 01:15 - NYC Fact or Fiction: Brownstones, Fake Houses & Water Tanks 🧱 03:00 - Grand Central Ceiling Myths & P.T. Barnum's Elephants 🐘 05:30 - The Badass Woman Who Built the Brooklyn Bridge: Emily Warren Roebling 🌉 07:30 - Pressurized Caissons, "The Bends" & Learning Trade Work on Site 🏗️ 10:00 - Stopping Wire Corruption & Addressing Male Engineers in 1882 🏛️ 11:30 - The Victory Lap with a Rooster 🐓 13:00 - Wrap-Up & NYC Side Quest Secrets 💌 JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER: Get weekly DIY tips, studio updates, and early access to live events: https://howtohandymaam.com ⭐ SUPPORT US ON PATREON: Get uncut studio chaos, bloopers, and extra video content for $5/month: https://patreon.com/howtohandymaam 📲 FOLLOW US ON SOCIALS: • Instagram: @howtohandymaam • TikTok: @howtohandymaam How To Handyma'am is a home improvement comedy podcast dedicated to empowering women to take care of their homes, demystifying the trades, and celebrating historic women in engineering!

  3. Oct 2

    Where to Save vs. Splurge on Your Home! 🏠 Cheap vs. Quality (Part 3) | Ep 44

    Where to Save vs. Splurge on Your Home! 🏠 Cheap vs. Quality (Part 3) Should you buy the $20 light fixture or the $200 brand-name version? 🛠️ In Part 3 of our Cheap vs. Quality series, we are breaking down 9 common home fixtures to tell you where to save your hard-earned cash and where cheaping out will ruin your life! Plus, in our 3 Minutes of Chaos, we recap our wild trip to New York City for Podcast Movement—including seeing our faces on the Nasdaq billboard in Times Square and visiting Nathaniel (and his store dogs Stinky & Kangaroo!) at Scarborough Hardware, the oldest continuously operating hardware store in NYC! In this episode, we cover: • 🚰 Faucets: Why plumbing supply house fixtures outperform big-box store models. • 💡 Light Fixtures: Why you should NEVER spend big bucks on light fixtures (and how to find high-end dupes). • 🌀 Ceiling Fans: The single "ball-and-socket" feature to look for so you don't drop a fan on your face during install. • 🥔 Garbage Disposals: Horsepower breakdowns, under-sink switches, and Grandpa's 5-lb potato peel disaster. • 🚪 Doorknobs & Locks: Why Schlage is king for exterior doors, plus dogs that open lever handles. • 🪛 Cabinet Hardware & Bath Accessories: Multi-pack hacks and aging-in-place tips. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Welcome & Episode Dedication 01:30 - 3 Minutes of Chaos: NYC, Times Square Billboard & Hardware Store Dogs 🐶 05:30 - Faucets: Plumbing Supply vs. Big Box Stores 09:00 - Light Fixtures: How to Find the Dupes 💡 12:00 - Ceiling Fans: The Solo-Install Hack & Clicking Noises 🌀 16:00 - Garbage Disposals: Horsepower & Potato Peel Meltdowns 🥔 20:00 - Shut-Off Valves & Showerheads 🚿 23:30 - Door Hardware: Schlage Locks vs. Dogs Opening Doors 🚪 27:00 - Cabinet Hardware & Bath Accessories 🪛 30:30 - Wrap Up & How to Join the Newsletter 💌 JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER: Be the first to hear about live events, studio updates, and weekly DIY tips! Sign up at: https://howtohandymaam.com ⭐ SUPPORT US ON PATREON: Get bonus monthly episodes and extra chaos for just $5/month: https://patreon.com/howtohandymaam 📲 FOLLOW US ON SOCIALS: • Instagram: @howtohandymaam • TikTok: @howtohandymaam How To Handyma'am is a home improvement comedy podcast dedicated to empowering women to take care of their homes and demystifying the trades!

  4. Sep 29

    Super Glue vs. Gorilla Epoxy: The Ultimate Junk Drawer Debate! | SideQuest 42

    Welcome back to the How to Handyma’am SideQuest! 🎙️✨If a main episode is a structured build, the SideQuest is the junk drawer of our podcast—unfiltered, chaotic, and full of surprising gems! 📦In today's episode, Emily presents her "Official Top 10 Ideal Junk Drawer Items" to Samantha and Arly. From precision screwdrivers and zip ties to heated debates over Gorilla Epoxy vs. Super Glue and the hidden danger of Magic Erasers, we break down what actually deserves a spot in your home's most famous drawer!--------------------------------------------------🤝 SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY--------------------------------------------------• 🧡 Become a Patron: Get monthly bonus episodes and unhinged behind-the-scenes chats at https://www.patreon.com/c/HowtoHandymaam• 💌 Newsletter Signup: Get 2-day early ticket access to future workshops at https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter--------------------------------------------------🛠️ OUR FAVORITE TOOLS & STOREFRONTS--------------------------------------------------• 🛒 Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/howtohandymaam• 🛒 Lowe's Storefront: https://www.lowes.com/l/creator/howtohandymaam--------------------------------------------------🎧 LISTEN TO THE PODCAST--------------------------------------------------• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-handymaam-a-home-improvement-comedy-podcast/id1858097879• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qJ623LRS6Dluzpkiv45Xs--------------------------------------------------📱 HANG OUT WITH US ON SOCIALS--------------------------------------------------• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtohandymaam/• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@howtohandymaam• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HowtoHandymaam• 🌐 All Links: https://howtohandymaam.com/links--------------------------------------------------👋 ABOUT US--------------------------------------------------We are Samantha, Emily, and Arly—the crew behind How to Handyma'am. We started a licensed handyman business in Lansing, MI to give women the agency, skills, and confidence to fix their own homes!Disclaimer: For educational and entertainment purposes. Always check local building codes when necessary!

  5. Sep 25

    Blind Date with a Floor! 💘 How to Choose the RIGHT Flooring for Your Home | Ep 43

    Welcome back to How to Handyma’am! 🎙️✨ In today’s episode, Samantha debuts her brand-new game show: "Blind Date with a Floor"—the only dating show where getting laid correctly is extremely important! 🪵💘 Choosing flooring based purely on appearance is like picking a life partner from a flattering profile picture—eventually, you have to live with it. Emily and Arly ask secret questions to figure out which floor is which, and we break down what flooring you should ACTUALLY put in your house based on dogs, basements, kids, and moisture. -------------------------------------------------- In This Episode: -------------------------------------------------- • 🌸 Shoutout to Shirley Bebo: Finding and being an "encourager" in your community. • 📺 3 Minutes of Chaos: Emily’s grievance over TV show recommendations (Hacks & Detroiters)! • 🚨 Airbnb Scam Warning: Why you should NEVER communicate off-platform (and how Gemini caught a sketchy host). • 🌻 Arly’s Garden Drama: Squirrel sunflower heists and a giant guard spider protecting bunny kale. • 💘 Game Show: Blind Date with a Floor! - Date #1: Gorgeous, timeless, and emotionally involved with dog nails (Hardwood). - Date #2: Looks fancy on a budget, but hates water (Laminate). - Date #3: Easygoing, practical, and unbothered by moisture (LVP). - Date #4: Extremely durable, cold, hard, and permanent (Tile). - Date #5: The underrated boomer classic for small bathrooms (Sheet Vinyl). - Date #6: Real wood, but structurally more stable (Engineered Hardwood). • 🏡 Flooring Matchmaking: The best floors for large dogs, flood-prone basements, 3-kid bathrooms, and historic homes[cite: 4]! -------------------------------------------------- 🤝 SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY -------------------------------------------------- • 🧡 Become a Patron: Get monthly bonus episodes and unhinged behind-the-scenes chats at https://www.patreon.com/c/HowtoHandymaam • 💌 Newsletter Signup: Get 2-day early ticket access to future workshops at https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter -------------------------------------------------- 🛠️ OUR FAVORITE TOOLS & STOREFRONTS -------------------------------------------------- • 🛒 Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/howtohandymaam • 🛒 Lowe's Storefront: https://www.lowes.com/l/creator/howtohandymaam -------------------------------------------------- 🎧 LISTEN TO THE PODCAST -------------------------------------------------- • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-handymaam-a-home-improvement-comedy-podcast/id1858097879 • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qJ623LRS6Dluzpkiv45Xs -------------------------------------------------- 📱 HANG OUT WITH US ON SOCIALS -------------------------------------------------- • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtohandymaam/ • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@howtohandymaam • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HowtoHandymaam • 🌐 All Links: https://howtohandymaam.com/links -------------------------------------------------- 👋 ABOUT US -------------------------------------------------- We are Samantha, Emily, and Arly—the crew behind How to Handyma'am. We started a licensed handyman business in Lansing, MI to give women the agency, skills, and confidence to fix their own homes! Disclaimer: For educational and entertainment purposes. Always check local building codes when necessary!

  6. Sep 22

    THE CASE OF THE MISSING SAMANTHA! (Buy, Borrow, or Build Tool Guide) | SideQuest 41

    Welcome to another chaotic Side Quest episode of How to Handyma’am! 🎙️✨ Samantha is out taking care of business today, leaving Emily and Arly completely unsupervised in the studio to play a game of BUY, BORROW, OR BUILD! 🛠️ We’re breaking down 10 major homeowner tools and equipment to tell you what's worth building yourself, what you should rent or borrow, and what you should buy secondhand. -------------------------------------------------- In This Episode: -------------------------------------------------- • 🔍 The Case of the Missing Samantha: Emily steals Samantha's chair and Arly realizes Emily actually has legs! • 🪵 Workbenches & Tool Storage: Why reclaimed kitchen island tops make the best workbenches and why slatboard beats pegboard. • 😱 The $300 Sawhorse Horror Story: Why cheap plastic sawhorses collapsed and smashed a historic 16-lite crystal door. • 🪜 Ladders & Scaffolding: Proper 3-point contact safety and why you should NEVER try to DIY heavy climbing gear. • 🧰 The Only 2 Tools You ACTUALLY Need to Own: Why impact drivers and oscillating multi-tools beat traditional drills every time. • 🎨 Paint Sprayers & Face-Paint Accidents: Consumer Wagners vs. Pro Gracos (and the time Emily predicted getting sprayed in the face). • 🪚 Miter Saws, Tile Saws & Table Saws: How to navigate tool libraries, Home Depot rentals, and jam extension trim projects. -------------------------------------------------- 🤝 SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY -------------------------------------------------- • 🧡 Become a Patron: Get monthly bonus episodes and unhinged behind-the-scenes chats at https://www.patreon.com/c/HowtoHandymaam • 💌 Newsletter Signup: Get 2-day early ticket access to future workshops at https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter -------------------------------------------------- 🛠️ OUR FAVORITE TOOLS -------------------------------------------------- • 🛒 Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/howtohandymaam • 🛒 Lowe's Storefront: https://www.lowes.com/l/creator/howtohandymaam -------------------------------------------------- 🎧 LISTEN TO THE PODCAST -------------------------------------------------- • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-handymaam-a-home-improvement-comedy-podcast/id1858097879 • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qJ623LRS6Dluzpkiv45Xs -------------------------------------------------- 📱 HANG OUT WITH US ON SOCIALS -------------------------------------------------- • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtohandymaam/ • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@howtohandymaam • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HowtoHandymaam • 🌐 All Links: https://howtohandymaam.com/links -------------------------------------------------- 👋 ABOUT US -------------------------------------------------- We are Samantha, Emily, and Arly—the crew behind How to Handyma'am. We started a licensed handyman business in Lansing, MI to give women the agency, skills, and confidence to fix their own homes! Disclaimer: For educational and entertainment purposes. Always check local building codes when necessary!

  7. Sep 18

    FIREWORKS IN THE BREAKER BOX! 💥 (Our 1st Live Podcast!) | Ep 42

    Welcome to a very special episode of How to Handyma’am—our FIRST EVER live podcast recording! 🎙️✨ We sat down in front of a room full of incredible women at our full-day hands-on DIY workshop to debrief the magic, tears, and toilet-on-wheels engineering of the event before diving into a rapid-fire Q&A session. -------------------------------------------------- In This Episode: -------------------------------------------------- • 🛠️ Workshop Event Debrief: 12-hour days, female-owned catering, mini tattoos, gumball machines, and Chief Vibe Officer duties. • 🏚️ Older Home Priorities: What to fix first when you buy a pre-war home (leaks, fires, and safety over aesthetics). • 🧱 Plaster vs. Drywall Breakdown: How plaster keys work, horsehair allergies, and the secret yellow-lid spackle for flexible stress cracks. • 🚿 Plumbing & Access Panels: Why you should do a "flush test" and why you should never drywall over your shower valves. • 📋 Codes, Permits & Red Flags: Why contractors must pull their own permits, using AI for code questions, and the truth about lead paint & asbestos. • ⚡ Knob & Tube Hazards: What happens when fireworks shoot out of a breaker box and how GFCI outlets keep old wiring safe. • 💡 How We Got Started: Biology degrees, delusional COVID confidence, and changing careers at 44. *(Note: Audio was recorded live in the event venue to prioritize the attendees in the room!)* -------------------------------------------------- 🤝 SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY -------------------------------------------------- • 🧡 Become a Patron: Get monthly bonus episodes and support our mission at https://www.patreon.com/c/HowtoHandymaam • 💌 Subscribe to the Newsletter: Get 2-day early ticket access to future workshops at https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter -------------------------------------------------- 🛠️ OUR FAVORITE TOOLS -------------------------------------------------- • 🛒 Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/howtohandymaam • 🛒 Lowe's Storefront: https://www.lowes.com/l/creator/howtohandymaam -------------------------------------------------- 🎧 LISTEN TO THE PODCAST -------------------------------------------------- • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-handymaam-a-home-improvement-comedy-podcast/id1858097879 • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qJ623LRS6Dluzpkiv45Xs -------------------------------------------------- 📱 HANG OUT WITH US ON SOCIALS -------------------------------------------------- • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtohandymaam/ • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@howtohandymaam • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HowtoHandymaam • 🌐 All Links: https://howtohandymaam.com/links -------------------------------------------------- 👋 ABOUT US -------------------------------------------------- We are Samantha, Emily, and Arly—the crew behind How to Handyma'am. We started a licensed handyman business in Lansing, MI to give women the agency, skills, and confidence to fix their own homes! Disclaimer: Educational & entertainment purposes only. Always check local building codes!

  8. Sep 15 ·  Bonus

    How to Become a Handywoman (And Why Your Cabinet Paint Chipped!) | SideQuest 40

    Welcome to another weekly Side Quest episode of How to Handyma’am! 🎙️✨ In this episode, we’re diving into porch-garden drama, real-life shop safety lessons, and an honest Q&A session unpacking everything from switching careers at 44 to busting major cabinet painting myths. -------------------------------------------------- In This Episode: -------------------------------------------------- • 🌻 Arly’s Porch Garden vs. Squirrel Heists: How local squirrels managed to haul off giant 8-inch sunflower heads right off the sidewalk. • 🪵 Table Saw Kickback & Childhood Myths: Samantha shares a recent table saw kickback story—why a 2x4 push stick saved her hands—and reframes a childhood fear about bandsaws vs. table saws. • 🛠️ Q&A: Pivoting into Trades Later in Life: • How Samantha switched careers at age 44 after 26 years in the professional world. • The "pursuer of joy" mindset and overcoming the fear of starting over. • Practical advice for women wanting to break into home improvement (painting, Habitat for Humanity, Home Builders Associations). • The reality check of working IN a business vs. working ON a business. • 🔩 Q&A: Trimming Cabinet Hardware Screws: • Why cutting break-off machine screws usually ruins the threads. • Simple hacks: Using washers for loose handles, buying Amazon hardware kits, or using a vise and hacksaw. • 🎨 Q&A: The Truth About Chipping Cabinet Paint & Contractor "Kickbacks": • Debunking the myth that contractors get kickbacks from paint brands. • Why Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane and Benjamin Moore Advance are both great—and why CHIPPING is a 100% preparation failure, not a paint failure. • The ultimate 6-step cabinet prep process (degreasing, washing, mechanical sanding, dust removal, chemical etching, and shellac primer). • Budget paint tips: Why you should never use flat paint on walls, buying un-tinted paint during 30–40% off sales, and Dutch Boy containers. -------------------------------------------------- 🤝 SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY -------------------------------------------------- • 🧡 Become a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/c/HowtoHandymaam • 💌 Newsletter Signup: https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter -------------------------------------------------- 🛠️ OUR FAVORITE TOOLS -------------------------------------------------- • 🛒 Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/howtohandymaam • 🛒 Lowe's Storefront: https://www.lowes.com/l/creator/howtohandymaam -------------------------------------------------- 🎧 LISTEN TO THE PODCAST -------------------------------------------------- • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-handymaam-a-home-improvement-comedy-podcast/id1858097879 • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qJ623LRS6Dluzpkiv45Xs -------------------------------------------------- 📱 HANG OUT WITH US ON SOCIALS -------------------------------------------------- • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtohandymaam/ • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@howtohandymaam • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HowtoHandymaam • 🌐 All Links: https://howtohandymaam.com/links -------------------------------------------------- 👋 ABOUT US -------------------------------------------------- We are Samantha, Emily, and Arly—the crew behind How to Handyma'am. We started a licensed handyman business in Lansing, MI to give women the agency, skills, and confidence to fix their own homes! Disclaimer: For educational and entertainment purposes. Check local building codes when necessary!

4.6
out of 5
26 Ratings

About

Welcome to “How to Handyma’am”, where we educate and entertain with our experience as three women in the home remodeling business. We’ve learned everything the hardest possible way – so you don’t have to! We envision a community of women who are empowered to take care of the daily needs of their lives independently, with confidence and knowledge. That goes for how you care for your home, what you do with your career, and who you trust to provide services in your home! The Michigan-based home improvement podcast from the team at MyHandyma'am.

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