Nail trimming at home — tips?

My green cheek conure needs a nail trim but last time I took them to the vet it was so stressful for both of us. Anyone successfully trim nails at home? What technique do you use? I'm nervous about hitting the quick.

So what I ended up doing was rearranging the cage every couple weeks to prevent boredom. Within a few days there was a noticeable improvement. Definitely worth trying.