Home Improvement With A Few Easy Words Of Advice
If you've got a spare weekend and want to do something to improve your home, take a few seconds to read the advice that follows. While not everyone can do it themselves, even those who are hiring a professional, will benefit from understanding a few of basics of home improvement.
An easy and cost effective way to spruce up your home is by painting the interior. To estimate the amount of paint you need, you have to calculate the square footage of the walls. Simply multiply the length of the wall by its height. One gallon of paint will cover approximately 350 square feet. Bear in mind that you may need two coats of paint, depending on what color you are painting over.
You can add storage to your rooms by simply recycling old shoe boxes. You can create great designs by adding leftover wallpaper, or even fabric, as a cover to those old shoe boxes. This way you get an extra storage solution while adding drama and design to your room.
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.
Children tend to stick their fingers where they don't belong and touch things they shouldn't. Leaving your outlets uncovered leaves the chance of your child getting electric shock. You can buy small plastic covers from your local store for electric outlets to keep your child from reaching in and getting shocked.
The long blind cords in your home should be cut, tied or put in loops. These long cords cause a strangulation hazard to children and pets. Ensure that you have a sufficient length to operate the blinds, but eliminate any unneeded length from the cords. Tie it up or cut it to avoid any unfortunate events.
If your shower and bathtub seem to be building up mildew, or leaking a little bit, it may be time for you to re-caulk. Removing your old caulk and putting in new should actually be done once a year as your typical bathroom maintenance. You can purchase calk from any hardware store for a very reasonable price.
A homeowner should always hire a licensed contractor to do any home improvement work. Contractors are required by law to have some certifications. While these requirements do not guarantee contractor competence, they are legally required. Another important factor is that a contractor that does not have the proper license probably does not have the insurance he needs.
To give your house more curb appeal, you can try to paint the doors for your garage. The harsh heat of summer and the icy cold of winter both take a toll on the look of any garage door. A new coat of paint helps make your house look new and more valueable. Choose a new color that blends in better with the palette of your house instead of sticking with the original, standard shade.
Rather than allowing a spare bedroom to sit empty and unused, why not turn it into your own personal library? Even if you don't feel that you enough books to warrant a library, you can also fill its shelves with DVDs, CDs and your favorite magazines or paper. Add a plush rug and a high-backed chair for an extra touch of class.
Now that you have a basic understanding of home improvement, in general and the types of projects you should be looking into, you can see how it has the potential to benefit the quality of your home, as well as, your bottom line. You're ready to get out there and tackle the weekend.
