Claire Bennett
DIY Projects & Home Improvement
Claire Bennett is Suiep's editorial persona for DIY projects and home improvement. Her articles break down practical upgrades into clear steps, with material lists, budget considerations, and realistic expectations. She focuses on manageable projects and explains when a task calls for professional help.
Practical, organized and realistic, Claire starts every project with the expected result, materials, time and effort involved, then walks through the steps without hiding the tricky parts.
A good project starts with knowing what you can finish.
Categories
- DIY Projects — Step-by-step weekend builds and creative home projects.
- Home Improvement — Renovation advice, repairs, and upgrades for every room.
Typical topics
- Storage and organization
- Painting and wall repairs
- Shelves and simple builds
- Small home repairs
Claire Bennett is an editorial persona used to give each section of Suiep a consistent voice. Guides are researched against manufacturer instructions and established best practices; read more abouthow we work.
Articles by Claire Bennett (24)
DIY Projects
Pegboard, Slatwall, or French Cleat: How to Build the Right Tool Wall for Your Garage
Compare pegboard, slatwall and French cleat tool walls, then build one: layout, anchoring into studs, weight limits, and the mistakes that make it sag.
Claire Bennett · Nov 2, 2026
Home Improvement
How to Test and Winterize Your Sump Pump Before Winter
How to test your sump pump, clean the pit and check valve, choose a battery backup, and avoid the mistakes that cause a flooded basement this winter.
Claire Bennett · Oct 26, 2026
DIY Projects
How to Build a DIY Reclaimed Wood Pendant Light (No Electrician Required)
Build a plug-in wood pendant light: socket and cord specs, safe bulb clearance, step-by-step wiring, and when the job needs an electrician instead.
Claire Bennett · Oct 19, 2026
Home Improvement
How to Get Your Fireplace and Chimney Ready for Winter: A Pre-Season Safety Checklist
What to check yourself before the first fire, the signs that mean you need a professional chimney sweep, and the safety steps too many people skip.
Claire Bennett · Oct 12, 2026
DIY Projects
How to Build a DIY Potting Bench with Soil Storage and a Built-In Sieve
Build a sturdy outdoor potting bench with a soil-sieve cutout, a lower shelf for bags and pots, and a tool rail: cut list, assembly steps, and surface options.
Claire Bennett · Oct 5, 2026
Home Improvement
How to Prevent Ice Dams This Winter (Before the First Hard Freeze)
Why ice dams form, the attic fixes that actually stop them, safe short-term options for this season, and what to do if one is already damaging your roof.
Claire Bennett · Sep 25, 2026
DIY Projects
How to Build a DIY Compost Bin from Pallets
Build a sturdy four-sided compost bin from free pallets with a gate for turning: choosing safe pallets, setting posts, hinging the front, rodent-proofing and expanding to more bays.
Claire Bennett · Sep 21, 2026
Home Improvement
How to Get Your Furnace Ready for Winter: A DIY Maintenance Checklist
A safe, step-by-step pre-season checklist for gas and electric forced-air furnaces: filters, vents, condensate, thermostat, detectors, warning signs and when to call a pro.
Claire Bennett · Sep 18, 2026
DIY Projects
How to Build a DIY Cold Frame to Keep Your Garden Going Into Winter
Build an unheated cold frame with a sloped clear lid: how it works, lid materials compared, cut plan, assembly, venting to avoid overheating, and what to grow through fall and winter.
Claire Bennett · Sep 15, 2026
Home Improvement
How to Winterize Outdoor Faucets and Prevent Frozen Pipes
Disconnect hoses, shut off and drain hose bibs, tell frost-free faucets from standard ones, add covers, and know what to do if a pipe freezes or bursts.
Claire Bennett · Sep 12, 2026
DIY Projects
How to Build a DIY Firewood Storage Rack
Build a covered, open-sided firewood rack that keeps wood off the ground and dries it faster: sizing and capacity, materials, posts, rails, roof, placement and loading tips.
Claire Bennett · Sep 9, 2026
Home Improvement
How to Clean Your Gutters Safely This Fall
When to clean gutters, the ladder setup that prevents falls, how to clear debris and downspouts, what to check while you're up there, and when to hire a pro.
Claire Bennett · Sep 6, 2026
DIY Projects
How to Build a DIY Mudroom Bench with Boot Storage
Build a sturdy plywood entryway bench with an open boot cubby: sizing, cut list, cleat assembly, seat, trim, finish, wall anchoring and ways to handle wet boots.
Claire Bennett · Sep 3, 2026
Home Improvement
How to Weatherstrip Doors and Windows for Winter
Find drafts, pick the right weatherstripping for each gap, install it so it lasts, and know when a leak needs caulk or a frame repair instead.
Claire Bennett · Sep 1, 2026
DIY Projects
How to Build a Wood Fence: A Step-by-Step Guide
Plan and build a 6-foot wood privacy fence: permits and property lines, materials and quantities, setting posts, rails and pickets, slopes, gates, finishing and maintenance.
Claire Bennett · Aug 27, 2026
Home Improvement
How to Paint a Room in the Right Order
The sequence for ceiling, walls and trim, how much paint to buy, which sheen goes where, prep that prevents problems, and fixes for streaks, bleeding and lap marks.
Claire Bennett · Aug 27, 2026
Home Improvement
How to Unclog a Drain Without Harsh Chemicals
Clear slow and blocked sink, tub and shower drains with a plunger, stopper cleaning, a drain snake and the P-trap, plus when natural remedies help and when to call a plumber.
Claire Bennett · Aug 18, 2026
DIY Projects
How to Build a Simple DIY Garage Workbench
Build a sturdy 4 × 2 ft workbench from 2x4s and plywood: choosing the right height, full cut list, square assembly, lower shelf, vise options and anchoring.
Claire Bennett · Aug 15, 2026
Home Improvement
How to Caulk a Bathtub Like a Pro
Remove old moldy caulk, choose the right sealant, and lay a clean, watertight bead around your tub, with tips for wide gaps, curing times and keeping mold away.
Claire Bennett · Jul 31, 2026
DIY Projects
How to Build a DIY Pallet Coffee Table
Pick a safe pallet, cut it to coffee-table size, raise it to a comfortable height, and sand and seal it so it's splinter-free. Includes materials, cost and time.
Claire Bennett · Jul 28, 2026
Home Improvement
How to Fix a Running Toilet in 15 Minutes
Find out why your toilet keeps running with a dye test and a look inside the tank, then fix the flapper, chain, float or fill valve step by step.
Claire Bennett · Jul 13, 2026
DIY Projects
How to Build a Floating Shelf With No Visible Brackets
Build a clean floating shelf on a hidden steel bracket: the right board thickness, rod vs. blade brackets, finding studs, drilling straight, mounting and weight limits.
Claire Bennett · Jul 10, 2026
Home Improvement
How to Patch a Hole in Drywall and Paint It Like a Pro
Fix nail holes, dents, doorknob holes and larger damage in drywall: which method fits each hole size, how to feather compound, sand, match texture and prime so the patch disappears.
Claire Bennett · Jul 1, 2026
DIY Projects
How to Build a Raised Garden Bed in a Weekend
Build a sturdy 4x8 raised garden bed from untreated cedar: materials and cuts, assembly, how much soil you need, the right soil mix, and how to maintain it.
Claire Bennett · Jun 25, 2026