Your Home’s Holiday Helpline

Inviting doorway with snow on porch stairs and railing
Photo: David Sucsy | Getty Images

Is your home ready for the holiday season?

If not yet, it will be soon! Our editors have packaged their best decorating, cleaning, and gifting advice into one major cheat sheet, all but wrapped here with a bow. We’ve compiled tips on choosing a tree, decorating on a budget, troubleshooting tricky string lights, finding the perfectly practical gift for every recipient on your list, and much more.

Christmas Trees

Winter Blizzard Preparation—Retailers Are Stocked With Snow Blowers, Generators, and More Storm Essentials With Same-Day Delivery or Pickup
Generators

Winter Blizzard Preparation—Retailers Are Stocked With Snow Blowers, Generators, and More Storm Essentials With Same-Day Delivery or Pickup

Winter Storm Hernando is bearing down on the Northeast this weekend, bringing up to 24 inches of snow and blizzard conditions. Here’s everything you need to prepare.

A warm and inviting winter scene featuring a roaring fire in a brick fireplace, a wicker basket of birch logs, and a thick, chunky green knit blanket draped over a sofa nearby.
Fireplaces & Chimneys

The One Project Pro Painters Never Do in Their Own Homes

There are better options than painting this classic home feature.

Walmart Is Clearing Out Milwaukee Power Tools Ahead of Spring: Save Up to 66% on Batteries, Drills, Saws, Grinders, and More
Power Tools

Walmart Is Clearing Out Milwaukee Power Tools Ahead of Spring: Save Up to 66% on Batteries, Drills, Saws, Grinders, and More

From $16 bit sets to top-quality impact wrenches, these are the best Milwaukee deals at Walmart this week.

group of best hygrometer options
Tech & Electronics

The Best Hygrometers to Measure Your Home’s Humidity

Don’t sweat over guessing your home’s humidity levels. Get accurate information on how much water vapor is in the air with a reliable hygrometer.

Young woman in winter clothes and knitted white hat with scarf in the winter garden with snow-covered plants.
Lawn Care & Gardening

3 Crucial Gardening Tasks to Do in February, No Matter Where You Live

Here’s what you can do to prepare for gardening season, even if winter isn’t quite over yet.

Dyson Slashes the WashG1 Floor Cleaner to Its Lowest Price Ever Ahead of Spring Cleaning: Save Up to 48% Off Vacuums, Air Purifiers, and More
Deals

Dyson Drops the WashG1 Floor Cleaner to Its Lowest Price Ever Ahead of Spring Cleaning: Save Up to 48% Off Vacuums, Air Purifiers, and More

From cordless vacuums to air purifiers, Dyson’s spring sale has something for every room in your home.

Holiday Lights

String of pearls and other succulents in decorative pots.
Houseplants

These 8 Houseplants Actually Thrive in Dry, Low-Humidity Homes

From aloe vera and pothos to snake plant and Chinese evergreen, these houseplants will thrive in arid conditions.

A welder in protective gear works on a large piece of sheet metal.
Skills & Techniques

MIG vs. TIG Welding: What’s the Difference?

Which of the two rhyming welding methods is easier for novices to learn, and which is best for your next DIY?

Smiling excited Black man and woman standing in entry of their new home with cardboard boxes.
Home Finance

New Redfin Data Reveals a Widening Gap in Homeownership for Young Black Americans vs. White

How a collaborative effort is addressing this issue.

The Best Rechargeable Hand Warmer Options
Clothing & Gear

The Best Rechargeable Hand Warmers Will Keep You Toasty in Cold Temps

Stay warm this winter with a cost-efficient, convenient, and environmentally friendly rechargeable hand warmer.

BISSELL FlexClean™ FurForce™ 2-in-1 Vac and Mop Robot in the foreground with a dog standing on the floor and a woman sitting on the couch in the background.
Cleaning

Bissell’s New FurForce Robot Was Built Specifically for Pet Owners

Maintain cleaner floors with this innovative hands-free tool.

The Best Hammers
Hand Tools

The Best Hammers for Any Project, Tested and Reviewed

Perhaps the most often reached-for tool, the right hammer makes jobs easier. Find out what to look for and how to choose the best hammer for your needs.

Holiday Decorations

Five of the Best Pipe Wrenches on a wood work surface
Hand Tools

The Best Pipe Wrenches for Plumbing and Heavy-Duty Repairs

We tested five top-rated pipe wrenches on steel, aluminum, and PVC to find which models grip hardest, adjust smoothly, and deliver the torque plumbers and DIYers rely on.

Glass with dirty water near kitchen sink faucet.
Plumbing

7 Common Household Water Issues and How to Fix Them

If the water coming out of your faucets looks or smells funny, or leaves strange residue behind, it’s time to do some troubleshooting.

Amazon Slashed Spring Cleaning Essentials to Clearance-Level Pricing—Save Up to 50% Off Dyson, Shark, Bissell, and More
Deals

Amazon Slashed Spring Cleaning Essentials to Clearance-Level Pricing—Save Up to 50% Off Dyson, Shark, Bissell, and More

Save up to $550 on vacuums, steam mops, robot cleaners, and pro-level scrubbing tools before the spring cleaning season hits.

We Tested a $250 Grow Light That Doubles as Home Decor—Here's Our Honest Take: Soltech Aura lamp Review Tested
Houseplants

We Tested a $250 Grow Light That Doubles as Home Decor—Here’s Our Honest Take

This sleek, design-forward grow light promises to elevate both your plants and your space. But does it truly deliver?

Home Depot Slashes Prices on Ryobi Tools: Save Up to 55% Off Combo Kits, Impact Wrenches, and More
Power Tools

Home Depot Slashes Prices on Ryobi Tools: Save Up to 55% Off Combo Kits, Impact Wrenches, and More

This savings event includes Ryobi’s highly rated circular saw, impact kits, and more. At prices too good to ignore.

sawhorses-group-shot-worx-wen-toughbuilt-stanley-bora-speedhorses.jpeg
Workshop

The Best Sawhorses of 2026, Tested and Reviewed

We tested today’s toughest sawhorses for load capacity, setup speed, and durability—and one outperformed them all.

Gifts

Multiple circuit breaker finder tools lined up on a floor
Lighting & Electrical

The Best Circuit-Breaker Finders for Your Electrical Projects

A circuit-breaker finder can be a must-have tool for anyone planning DIY electrical upgrades. After testing 10 top-rated models, here are our favorites.

The best roof rake option in action pulling snow off a roof.
Tools & Materials

The Best Roof Rakes of 2026, Tested and Reviewed

Safely remove snow from your roof with a rake designed to reach high places and dislodge heavy snow loads.

This 300-Piece Ryobi Bit Set Is Under $75—and Worth Every Penny
Tools & Materials

This 300-Piece Ryobi Bit Set Is Under $75—and Worth Every Penny

This value-packed kit covers nearly every drilling and driving job you’ll run into at home, and then some. For most DIYers, it’s the ideal set of drill bits.

A wet shower drain in a shower with turquoise tile.
Tubs & Showers

Why Your Shower Drain Smells: 6 Possible Causes and How to Fix Them

Noxious odors emanating from your shower drain should be dealt with promptly, whether you’ve used the shower recently or not.

A person getting a glass of water from a kitchen faucet that's hooked up to the best whole house water filter option
Plumbing Supplies

The Best Whole-House Water Filters of 2026, Chosen By Experts

Improve the taste and smell of your water by removing common contaminants directly at the inlet valve with a whole-house water filter.

A person applies grout to tiled flooring (left) and someone applies caulk to a bathroom seam.
Tubs & Showers

Grout vs. Caulk: What’s the Difference?

Grout and caulk are both necessary when working with tile, but they’re not used interchangeably.

Multiple indoor plants beside window sill.
Houseplants

It Finally Dawned On Me Why I was Failing at Indoor Plants

Despite years of gardening experience, my houseplants struggled—not from neglect, but from a fundamental misunderstanding of indoor light.

The Best Cordless Hammer Drill Options
Power Tools

The Best Cordless Hammer Drills, Tested and Reviewed

Don’t waste effort trying to drill through tile or concrete with the wrong power tool. See which tested cordless hammer drills are tough enough to power through almost anything.

close-up from the best jackhammers options laid out on a patio
Power Tools

The Best Jackhammers, Tested and Reviewed

Nothing beats a jackhammer for breaking up concrete or asphalt, and many make great general-purpose demolition tools. This guide takes an in-depth look at top options.