You’ve made it! You want to enter the world of home improvement, right? Well, guess what — now is the right time. Of course, wanting to make improvements and knowing exactly how to go about it are two different things entirely. This article contains tips that can help you begin your home improvement projects.
Put in an outdoor motion detector for your outside lighting. This way the lights will only be on when they are activated and not all day or all night unnecessarily. Most people don’t need their outside lights other than when they come home or leave after dark.
Make sure to have a contractor or electrician install a power outlet in the cabinet above where the microwave will go. If you don’t do this, you will be struggling to find a place to plug it in during or after the installation of the microwave and hood vent.
Install a lazy Susan in those odd corner cabinets. It can be difficult to properly use the storage space they provide, if you have to get down on your hands and knees to search for the items in the back corners. A lazy Susan will allow you to reach your items easily every time.
When you are deciding what it is you want to remodel ask for opinions. You want to make sure you are giving off the right vibes when you are choosing how to remodel your home. Ask for advice from neighbors or close friends and family. Sometimes other people’s advice can help you in the decision making process when remodeling your home.
Try your best to color coordinate your rooms when you are repainting them. You don’t want to throw people off when they come visit your home with colors that don’t match. You want to show people that you know style, one of the best ways to do this is with a good color combination.
If you don’t want to refinish your old and weathered wooden floors, you can instead, give your home a cottage style boost. Buy some oil based paint and choose some affordable stencils. Use the stencils and paint to re-design your wooden floors. Add some cute designs in varying patterns, to give a full on-cottage look to your home.
Organize your closet by purchasing some designer paper boxes. You can usually find paper boxes with a nice patterned design at your local store. Use these boxes to organize your seasonal clothing, hide winter accessories, purses you aren’t using or shoes you won’t need for a while. Using patterned paper boxes makes the layout of your closet appear more organized and provide a hiding spot for things you’re not using.
Before you begin your next home improvement project, think about how long you would like to stay in your home. If you are planning to move this year, you may have a different budget for improvements than if you were staying for awhile. You would also want to focus on areas in the home, like the kitchen and bathrooms, that buyers think are most important.
It can cost a lot of money to replace a roof. Carefully check the references of your potential roofing company, and always get estimates from three different companies before committing to one. There are numerous options for roofing materials ranging from lightweight tiles to metal roofing, as well as more traditional materials like composite shingles. A contractor can help you make the right decision.
Keep bowls of fresh fruit on your dining room table and kitchen counters. Use a decorative bowel and fill it with bananas, pre-washed apples, oranges, even grapes. Not only will the bowls of fruit add beauty to your home they will be right there when you need that quick snack.
You can diagnose easily if you think you lost water pressure. Begin by talking to your neighbors to see if they’re having similar issues. If they’re not, the problem is with your home exclusively. Check the water pressure at all faucets in the home to see if it is a whole house problem. It could be an aerator you need to adjust, but if not, a professional may be needed.
Replacing your old windows with energy efficient windows is a very wise investment. They will quickly pay for themselves in the form of savings on your utility bills. You will be rewarded with substantial savings on your heating and cooling bills.
Plumbing and electrical issues should be fixed before you begin doing cosmetic improvements. These repairs usually require holes to be drilled into walls and floors, so it is best to do these repairs before others such as wallpapering or laying new flooring. If you already have your walls open for renovation, then it is a perfect time to improve or replace old wiring and plumbing.
Make sure you are regularly keeping up with your home’s septic tank. There are many chemical applications available to promote decomposition to help avoid costly buildups which overflow. When you are planning your home improvement project, be careful to not mess with the septic tank. It would be wise to have a set of plans for your home so you can avoid damages.
If you take on the task of staining your deck yourself be sure to protect yourself. Stains are full of harsh chemicals so it is a good idea to wear eye protection, rubber gloves, long sleeved shirts and pants that cover your legs, and shoes that will protect your feet.
Now, you should be prepared for home improvement projects. While you may feel you know a lot, there is always more to learn. These tips should help you get motivated to make changes to your home.
