The holidays are a magical time of year when everything seems lighter and brighter. You may have already started sorting through all the bins and boxes you've had tucked away since last year in preparation for a little home decoration. 

After gobbling up a leftover turkey sandwich for strength, many of us will set out (or more likely, lumber over to the computer) this Black Friday to further gorge ourselves on some of the year’s best deals on televisions and other nifty gadgets. 

We are happy to share our national appliance report to help consumers make the best appliance purchase decisions using our data on affordability, the best value for money, ease of use, and more.

If there’s an invention we’re extra thankful for right about now, it’s the smart doorbell. The relatively humble appliance has always been something of a silent (well, except for when it’s ringing) hero, helping connect visitors with hosts even when they’re at not home and assisting with getting packages delivered safely – and keeping them that way. But smart doorbells are coming in especially handy by helping minimize unnecessary face-to-face contact as people embrace the “new normal.”

Whether you own a home or manage several of them, the challenges can be the same especially when it comes to home maintenance needs:

With the change of seasons comes the time when those dreaded chores need to be done—closing up the pool, putting away the patio furniture, and making sure your home's heating system is ready to go. Of course, as you brace for that first cold night, you probably also worry about the high heating bills that are headed your way. The good news is that there are several things you can do to reduce those energy costs while improving comfort. Let's start at the top and work our way down:

As the days start to get shorter and school is, at least theoretically, back in session, there are plenty of autumn joys to charm even the most sun-hungry beachgoers – apple cider, comfy sweaters, pumpkin spice everything. 

If you find yourself working from home more often these days, there are lots of great reasons to create a dedicated home office space to work out of. Whether you’re looking for a quiet place out of earshot of the kids (and safely out of range of any flying toys), or if you happen to think more clearly if your television isn’t calling to you out of the corner of your eye, a dedicated workspace can provide a huge boost to your productivity. 

If you're spending more time in your home these days, you may have noticed that your garage has become a catch-all for toys, bikes, tools, empty soda cans, patio furniture, sports equipment, everything except what it was intended for—your car.  Owning a home means you also own a lot of home and garden essentials. While the garage seems like a logical place to store them, you can make room for everything you need with a few of these garage organization ideas. Make these do-it-yourself projects or hire a professional handyman to reclaim this prime space.

If you live in a warm climate or have toasty summers, your air conditioner unit is the household appliance that is used the most. Since the units are located outside of the home, most of us do not worry about them until a problem arises. It's easy to neglect your system, and you should recognize a problem before it shuts down your unit entirely. Some obvious signs will alert you to get a professional right away.

Texans like things big, and for good reason – bigger is almost always better. But with big things come big responsibilities, especially when it comes to windows. With temperatures pushing (or passing) 100 degrees most days, a naked window in the Texas summertime is – well, it’s an invitation to turn your home into a king-sized sauna. And the larger your windows are, the more heat they allow inside.

Many homeowners deal with plumbing problems. This can be a huge inconvenience with the kids home from school and friends and family members coming over for barbecues. Here are some of the most common things that cause these plumbing issues in the summer.

It's no secret that summer in Houston is downright tropical. With the average relative humidity exceeding 90-percent each summer morning, finding relief from the heat is a number one priority. While you may rely on your air conditioning to do the heavy lifting for cooling your home, it's going to cost you. A simple solution to cutting those high energy costs while increasing your comfort level is to install a ceiling fan.

It’s remarkable what can be accomplished in just a few hours – depending on who’s the one getting it done. While some of us might be able to struggle assembling a piece of furniture and stare despondently at the scattered pieces, a handyman can install a ceiling fan, paint a room, and assemble that furniture with no sweat. Hey, we’ve all got our strong suits. 

Today's home appliances are pretty reliable and durable. You've probably become accustomed to how much easier life is with all the built-in, high-tech features they have now, so when one of your prized appliances breaks down, things can become pretty chaotic. You might want to limp along with only three burners working on your range or just grab a drink of water from the faucet if your fridge's water dispenser stops working rather than call in reinforcements, but scheduling repairs with a professional could actually save you time and money.