As any homeowner knows, owning a home is not only expensive, but takes work! The average amount a homeowner can expect in annual home improvements is 1 to 3 percent. There are some ways to reduce the costs, so consider the following money saving tips while maintaining or improving your beautiful home.

Use a sponge when installing drywall. Skip the sanding and sponge drywall seams instead. With practice, a wet sponge is just as effective in smoothing out the seams of a drywall job as is careful sanding. Sponging is a better option because it does not create any dust.

Aluminum Foil

Before painting, cover outlet covers with some aluminum foil. Aluminum foil has several advantages over tape; it is easier to use and will still protect your outlets from paint splatters. Cleanup is easy with this method. Make certain that the paint is completely dry prior to removing the foil.

Creativity is one of the most important factors in home improvement. You want to steer clear of the bland and boring. Once you have begun the project, having a plan will make it easier to follow through on. Pull ideas from magazines, others homes and anything that you really like.

If you have many small parts, such as screws and bolts, that you need to store but still need to access quickly, you should try small magnetic trays so they won’t slip off. When seeking one little piece of hardware, it can be problematic even with the best labeling system. Written labels all tend to merge together when you are searching container after container for parts.

When it comes to home improvement projects, having fun is essential. Even though you should use care when doing a project, it’s important to enjoy it as well. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, you will likely make mistakes. Under these circumstances, it is probably best to consider hiring an actual professional.

Things like gutters and chimneys are forgotten about when most people are making home improvements. However, without regular inspections, you may not discover if there is an issue with how these items function. Your chimney can catch fire if not cleaned on a regular basis and gutters and downspouts can become clogged with debris, which can lead to water damage if not addressed.

Natural lighting in the basement is something that most people don’t have in their homes. To ensure your basement is more livable, plan your artificial lighting layout carefully. If your basement is planned well, it might have taller walls. If this is the case, you will be able to add some windows for ambient lighting.

Extra Bricks

If you are doing any brick work, it is smart to buy extras. If a brick cracks down the road, you’ll struggle to find one in the same color. Brick colors and styles change often; therefore, you should purchase extra bricks for any repairs. Stocking up on extra bricks now can save you a lot of time and effort later.

A new glaze can uplift the look of a bathroom. A fresh glaze could make a worn out bathroom look new and shiny. Plus it’s a much cheaper choice than replacing all of those older fixtures and flooring; a bathroom can be glazed for just a couple of hundred dollars. Glazing a bathroom is a good way to raise the house’s value without spending tons of money.

Consider installing motion sensor lights to improve your homes exterior. These lights consume less energy by switching on only in the presence of movement. Anyone trying to break in will steer clear, because the will see the motion lights.

Think small when doing a bathroom remodel. Small budgets can still make large impacts. You could, for instance, replace fixtures, towel bars and other small details. Make the room brighter with some paint. Just these small changes will give your bathroom an inexpensive face lift.

Home improvement has much more to do with saving money than it does with spending money. With new appliances, you will save on electricity. Make appropriate repairs or updates to your roofing and/or insulation. Your heating and cooling costs will be reduced. Learn how to plan ahead and think about your finances constantly.

Do you enjoying being outside, but hate having to deal with pesky mosquitoes and other bugs? A screen-door or netting will help keep the critters at bay. It can mean somewhere to relax and read, or for family dining, all free of insects. If you would like, you can add a large ceiling fan.

Give rooms a brand new look by changing window dressings. Curtains are an affordable way to change the entire character of a room through creative use of patterns and different fabrics. Choose fabrics and colors carefully, and do not hesitate to change your curtains regularly to reflect the season or the current color patterns in your home.

Everyone knows the importance of planting trees for the future. You can plant trees to grow the value of your property that your home sits on. Currently, it is believed that each mature tree increases property values by approximately $1000.

Figure out where you will dump the debris. When you demo, you’ll have left over debris which will have to be removed. Be sure that there’s a dumpster rented or you have a big truck that’s able to hold debris as you work on a home improvement project.

After reading the tips for home improvement discussed in this article, you can rest assured that your next trip to the large home improvement stores won’t break the bank! Home improvement projects can turn your home into a more enjoyable place.