Once in a while, you end up with a smelly garbage disposal. There are several reasons for this, and plenty of easy solutions.

If you have small holes in a wall – say, from the nails where a painting used to hang – there’s a simple, cheap DIY way to hide them.

If you’re thinking of hiring a contractor to do some work for you, there are several ways to avoid ending up with a bad one. Ask people you know. But remember: just because someone’s a really great soccer coach to your kids does not mean he knows how to tell a good contractor from a …

Tonight, I discovered my refrigerator was emitting a burning plastic or rubber sort of smell, and the kitchen was hazy with something smoke-like, but more white (it may have been smoke, I don’t know). I pulled it out and unplugged it, and eventually aired the toxic fumes out of the apartment. Apparently, this happens all …