Slow and steady really does save your sanity... and your knees.
Couldn’t agree more about the knees—mine have seen better days after too many “quick” fixes. I’ll admit, I’m a bit old-school and usually just line up the screws on a magnetic tray, but that ziplock trick is clever. Only thing is, if you forget to tape it back up, you’re back to square one. Still beats crawling around with a flashlight muttering under your breath, though.
I hear you on the knees—mine protest every time I crouch down to fish out a runaway screw. I’ve tried the magnetic tray, but half the time I end up sticking it to something else by accident. The ziplock trick is decent, but honestly, I just use an old glass jar with a lid. Less plastic waste, and if I knock it over, at least the screws don’t go flying everywhere.
One thing I learned the hard way: labeling where each screw came from actually saves a ton of time when you’re putting everything back together. Otherwise, you end up with that one “mystery screw” and a nagging feeling you missed something important. Not exactly eco-friendly to have to redo the job because of one lost part...
Anyway, slow and steady wins, but a little prep work doesn’t hurt either. And if you can avoid crawling under the dishwasher more than once, your knees will thank you later.
labeling where each screw came from actually saves a ton of time when you’re putting everything back together
Couldn’t agree more about the labeling. I use painter’s tape and a marker—just stick a little flag on each jar or bag with “front panel” or “kickplate” written on it. Saves me from playing that endless game of “which hole did this come out of?” later. And yeah, my knees are definitely not built for crawling under appliances anymore... If you ever get tired of jars, old muffin tins work too—just keep them on a towel so they don’t slide around.
Labeling screws is a game changer, no doubt. I’ve tried the muffin tin trick too, but I always end up bumping it and mixing everything up—maybe I’m just clumsy. What’s worked best for me is snapping a quick photo of each step with my phone. That way, if I forget where something goes (which happens more than I’d like to admit), I’ve got a visual reference. It’s saved me from a few headaches, especially when dealing with those older dishwashers where every screw seems to be a different size.
What’s worked best for me is snapping a quick photo of each step with my phone.
That’s a solid move, especially with those older models where nothing matches up twice. If you’re dealing with a real tangle of screws, I’ve found laying out a strip of masking tape on the counter and sticking each screw to it in order as you remove them helps keep things straight. Just jot a quick note next to each one. It’s not totally foolproof—if you bump the tape, you’re back at square one—but it’s saved me more than once when photos alone didn’t quite cut it. Sometimes I’ll even combine both tricks if I’m feeling especially forgetful...
