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When you reroof, be sure to use a light colored or white shingle or tile. Light colors tend to reflect the rays of the sun while darker colors will absorb the heat and cause higher energy usage. You will save a lot of money on energy bills by doing this.  
  
While the term home-improvement is often associated with costly remodeling jobs, there are plenty of simple ways to increase the value of your home. With a little home improvement knowledge, you can get a better-looking home with out spending much time or money. Take a look at these tips to get an idea of where to start.  
  
Adding extra insulation in your home can help save you money. An older home may not have enough insulation. Adding more to your crawl space or attic is going to lower utility bills and help you save money for years to come.  
  
For a paint finish that really lasts, always sand, strip and prime, prior to applying a fresh coat. Many people think that skipping the preparatory steps of painting will speed up the process, but down the road old paint will peel through the new finish, ruining Decorate Your Home paint job and forcing you to strip off yet another layer of paint before repainting again.  
  
Think about the colors you want to add to your home and decide what is a good fit for the impression you want to give off. Linens and cotton fabric add to a peaceful atmosphere. Put some potpourri atop the coffee table and have scented candles in order to create a tranquil heaven for yourself.  
  
Light is a premium often overlooked in home improvement projects. There are far, far more rooms in the world that are too dim than there are rooms that are too bright. Adding more light fixtures is almost always a wise home improvement job, and often a fairly simple one. In more extensive renovation work, installing more windows accomplishes similar results.  
  
For many of us, our home represents our greatest financial asset. Although many people believe that home repair is something that only trained professionals are capable of doing, that is often far from the case. Many Home Tips & Guides repair jobs can easily be done by the average person, with just a little guidance.  
  
Seek out advice before starting on do it yourself projects. There may be important steps you will overlook if you don't know what you are doing. Although many household jobs can be done yourself, it is always a good idea to ask an expert how to do the job properly.  
  
Are the fans in your home looking a bit overworked? Why not buy new fan blades and replace the old ones, so that your home looks clean. Dirty fan blades can make your home look dirty. If you are looking for an easy way to keep your home clean, try putting in new fan blades.  
  
Always comparison shop for contractors when you need to fix up your home. Later, if you decide to sell your house, it is almost certain you will need to have some repair work done. If the work you require is extensive enough, you will have to hire a contractor. This is not something to do on the spur of the moment. Not all contractors are created equal; shop around before engaging one!  
  
Hang your pickle jars up by their necks! Well, really by their lids. Jars you would normally discard make great storage containers. To organize them tack the lids in a line under your shelves or cupboards. Fill the jars and screw them in place to make see through storage for small items like screws, pencils, pens, whatever!  
  
Do not get too personal. When you over-personalize your home to fit the way you want it to look, it is very doubtful that you will be able to recover your investments once you attempt to sell Decorate Your Home home. Opt instead for a timeless look that you still enjoy, and you will quickly make your money back if you have to sell.  
  
Recycle your plastic bottles to use as cord keepers! Smaller bottles like pill bottles work well to keep small appliance cords from tangling and bigger bottles like those vehicle oil come in work great for big shop extension cords. Just clean the bottles thoroughly, cut off the top and bottom, and use the resulting sleeve for your cords.  
  
Keep your home and family safe by properly installing a smoke detector in your home. Smoke detectors detect unsafe and hazardous smoke before you do. Stay on the safe side and purchase a new smoke detector. Make sure to check the batteries every month to ensure that it is working correctly when tragedy strikes.  
  
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.  
  
No matter what your budget, there are plenty of ways to get a better-looking home. Keep these tips in mind the next time you look around your house. You should easily be able to find a do-it-yourself project that will make your home feel like new again.