Whether the projects of which you’re thinking are big or small, any home improvement can dramatically affect the look and feel of your home. You can get a better living environment and get more out of your home if you decide to sell it. Home improvement projects are not easy and often take a lot of time and a lot of work, but the reward is always worth it. Here are a few tips for getting great home improvement results.

Use fans in your home during the summer months in order to be more energy efficient. Using a ceiling fan to circulate air in a whole room is a smart way to keep cool. You can place some smaller fans around your home as needed. This will help you lower your electric bill during the summer months since fans use less electricity than an AC unit.

Make your house energy efficient by using weather stripping for your doors and windows. This is an inexpensive material purchased at the home improvement store, and seals out exterior cold and hot air to stabilize inner temperatures so that your heater and cooling systems do not need to work as hard. You can also reduce the drafts you feel inside your home on windy, cold nights.

There are a few simple ways to give the appearance of a higher ceiling in your home. Paint a striped pattern on the wall or get a very tall floor lamp. By putting this in a room, you will make an optical illusion in your home. Your ceilings will look higher and your rooms will look bigger.

Shoe Boxes

If you have old shoe boxes handy, then you have extra storage for any room. Take some left over wallpaper or fabric in various prints and cover your shoe boxes in a pleasing design. This way you get an extra storage solution while adding drama and design to your room.

Plan out all the changes you want to add to your home before you even start a project. Planning is essential if you want to complete your project in a timely manner while staying within your budget. You also know how much more adding in different things to your project might cost you. You will also be able to save quite a bit of money by having a plan in place before hiring a contractor.

It is always wise to shop around and look for the best deal when purchasing supplies for your home improvement project. Adding new flooring can cost quite a bit of money so make sure you do your research and compare prices. Check out larger, big-box suppliers and discount stores for better deals.

When it comes time to purchase furnishings, shy away from living room pieces that have active patterns in the upholstery. You may love loud florals or crazy geometric shapes, but they can be a challenge to decorate around. Accessories are an inexpensive and easily changed way to give neutral, solid-colored furniture an injection of pattern and color. You can use different colored pillows and throws to create a unique effect.

If your home has any cracks, seal them as quickly as possible in order to reduce your energy bill and avoid insect and vermin infestations. Use caulk around your home’s baseboards, windows and even electrical outlets. After caulking, your home will have an air tight seal which will prevent bugs from entering your home.

It’s an excellent idea to visit open houses around town (new subdivisions are best) to gather ideas before you embark on renovations to your own house. You’ll get some great ideas on the newest styles. Decorators are often used for modern homes, and in a sense, you can be your own decorator by using these styles.

When doing home improvement work, the wise homeowner will spend money on high-quality fixtures and materials before spending it on pricey furnishings and decor. Obviously, you will bring your decorative items and furniture with you when you move, so they won’t add to the value of your home. Fixtures, on the other hand, are durable and stay in the home, adding to its value and commanding a greater sale price.

Research ideas for your home improvement projects before you begin. Start planning ahead of time to compare as many different ideas as possible. You won’t have to clamor to choose a color at the very last minute.

A quick way to make an old home seem new is to give the walls a fresh coat of paint. It’s amazing how the appearance of a room can be changed simply by painting the walls. Interior painting offers an excellent return on your investment; the cost is modest but the value it adds to your home is significant. Complement the decor of the home with light colors and neutral shades.

As much as a fifth of all heat and cool air in homes is lost through windows. One way to make windows more efficient is by having a second glaze added to them. The energy savings with just this step can be significant, especially during the hot summer months or the coldest days of winter.

Make sure to insulate your pipes before winter to avoid having your pipes freeze. Many stores carry weatherizing tape that you can easily apply yourself. This way, you can prevent accidents due to frozen or burst pipes.

When you are going to remodel your bathroom, go small at first. Even if you don’t have a big budget, you can still make some dramatic changes, and make the remodel look like it cost a lot more than it really did. Replace different parts of your bathroom like the towel holders and curtains. Change the color of the paint for a fresh, new look. You will have a seemingly new bathroom for less money than you probably thought possible.

By using tips like these and by being prepared, you can avoid troublesome, poorly-planned home improvement tasks. Once you start improving your home, you’ll never want to stop!