Home inspectors are seeing a shift in how Americans care for their houses, and the patterns are not all reassuring. As more owners delay repairs, attempt complex projects themselves, or overlook emerging environmental and safety risks, the quiet problems behind the walls are getting bigger and more expensive. I set out to understand which maintenance…
Across the country, homeowners are discovering that simple jobs like fixing a leaky faucet or replacing a broken outlet now come with surprisingly long wait times. What used to be a next-day visit can stretch into weeks, as the basic machinery of home maintenance strains under worker shortages, fragile supply chains, and a packed remodeling…
Using live plants at Christmas makes the house feel richer and more “put together” than plastic everything. They add color, scent, and movement, and a lot of them will keep going well after the holidays if you treat them right. You don’t have to turn your place into a greenhouse, either. A handful of the…
Live plants do something fake decor can’t: they move, they change, and they make the air feel fresher instead of stuffy. A few good flowers and stems around the house can make the whole place feel intentional without adding more plastic clutter. Here are some of the best flowers and greenery to lean on at…
Vases are one of the easiest things to decorate for Christmas, but a lot of common fillers shed glitter, fake snow, or tiny beads all over the floor. You can still get pretty, full arrangements without dealing with a mess every time a kid bumps the table. Here are vase fillers that actually behave. 1….
Natural textures keep Christmas decor from feeling plastic and flat. Wood, greenery, woven pieces, and simple fabrics calm everything down and make rooms feel more grounded. The trick is sprinkling them through the house instead of piling everything in one corner. Here are practical ways to add texture without going overboard. 1. Swap shiny trays…
Some houseplants sulk in winter. Others quietly hit their stride when the air is cool and the light is softer. Those are the ones you want front and center when everything outside is bare and your Christmas decor is doing most of the work. Here are winter houseplants that tend to look especially good in…
For many buyers, the real shock of homeownership arrives after the keys change hands, when the first big repair bill lands and the “dream home” starts behaving more like a demanding side business. Surveys show that unexpected fixes and ongoing upkeep are straining budgets just as housing costs in general are climbing, turning small inspection…