Creating a schedule to keep up with HVAC, plumbing, smoke alarm, landscaping, cleaning, roofing and appliance maintenance tasks or inspections will alert you of when they need repair before the problem gets bigger. The information and savings numbers depicted above are for demonstration purposes only, and your results may vary. Here is a plan for a size-it-to-your-space tool-storage bench that doubles as a work surface. Though it may look complicated, the construction couldn’t be simpler.

Fortunately, caulk is cheap, and applying it isn’t difficult. All you need is an hour, a few common tools, and materials easily found at any …