If you want to enjoy your living space more and raise the value of your home, it's time to pick up a hammer and get to work on some home improvements. When you think about how you can change your home, you should think about certain factors first. The information in this article will give you some great ideas to help get you started.

If your rooms are looking rough because of nicks and dents in your wall, then you should try putting toothpaste in the hole to patch it up. Toothpaste can fill small nicks easily and can keep your room looking great. This is a cheap alternative and a quick fix.

Don't overlook the addition of storage space to your new or existing home. Most homes are substantially lacking in storage space. Add built in bookshelves to the living room or dining room. Turn a broom closet near the kitchen into a food pantry. Small changes and additions will really add up.

Consider installing a water filtration system in your kitchen. Think of the money you spend on bottled water; that money can go back into your pocket with the installation of a quality filtration system. They are a relatively inexpensive improvement to make and will add a great selling point to your home when you sell.

Self adhesive drywall patches are a must-have home improvement. These patches come in many forms ranging from mesh drywall tape to those made of a polymer material. Press them carefully into place using an iron. Be careful not to scorch the patch or the wall surface. Paint right over the patch and you'll never know it's there.

Soak your hands in salad oil after completing an oil painting job. The oil will help release the paint from where it has splattered on your hands. Salad oil smells better and is a lot safer than the typical cleanup choices of mineral spirits or kerosene.

Shut the toilet lid! No, it's not a girl boy thing! Toddlers can topple into an open toilet and drown! Why take the chance of such a horrible thing happening when all you have to do is shut the lid. Keeping the bathroom door closed is another good practice when small children are in the house.

If you just purchased your home or are renovating it, you know that wallpaper borders can be a pesky item to remove. If you have the time and don't want to invest a lot of money in removing it, you can easily remove it with the following steps: 1. Get a small spray flask and fill it with water. 2. Grab a towel for the next step. Repeatedly spray the wallpaper border until it is thoroughly wet. The water activates the glue on the back and makes it slimy, which in turn makes it easier to remove. 3. Simply rub the towel over it in a circular fashion and it will start peeling off the wallpaper.

Exterior lighting will give you peace of mind at night, and add beauty to your landscaping. Consider motion sensor lighting, as this will reduce the amount of energy used when the outdoors are not occupied, and can also frighten away unwanted animals or even prowlers. Install the lights in strategic places, such as the exact area visible to you from a window, and the path from your vehicle to the front door.

Thinking of home improvement as a money sink is a narrow view. In reality, you're spending money now to save money later. New appliances will save you money on electricity. Another great way to save money through improvements is to put new insulation in the home and to fix the roof if damaged. You can improve more than the appearance of your home with home improvement projects, you can improve the appearance of your bank statements, also.

Building or buying a window box for windows in the front of your house is a very effective way to add color and visual interest to a drab exterior. A filled planter can be very heavy, so make sure that you use cleats to secure the box to the house. You can quality home improvement update the look by planting seasonal herbs, flowers, or grasses.

Move the furniture in your room away from the walls to give the appearance of a bigger room. It makes the room seem like there's more square footage, and it looks very modern too.

A large and bulky cabinet and sink can easily take up the biggest part of a tiny bathroom and make the area seem downright claustrophobic. Free up some additional space by having the cabinet and sink removed and replacing them with a sleek and attractive pedestal sink. The look is timeless, and the narrow silhouette will free up a great deal of space.

Before you try to remove your popcorn ceiling, have it tested to make sure there is not asbestos in it. Asbestos is harmful to your health and needs to be removed by knowledgeable professionals. Because of this, you might need to consider hiring a professional to come in with specialized equipment to handle asbestos removal, if your popcorn ceiling contains any.

When you are working on home improvement, you could end up with many varieties of screws in the process. Know what type of screw is required for the different projects around the home. Wood screws are ideal for tasks that incorporate wood. Sheet metal screws work best on sheet metal.

Find a video that will show you how to confidently attack the improvement you're about to do. Unless you're intimately familiar with everything on the web, you'll likely by surprised by the number of other homeowners who are eager to share their experiences. By watching the video, you will be able to stand on the shoulders of people that came before you.

While attending to home improvement on any property, remember that while personalizing a room to your own individual taste is great, the expense may not necessarily be recouped at the time of resale. Expensive wallpapers or tiles that suit your taste may be viewed for discarding by the next purchaser and therefore the cost will not be recovered.

When one is wondering what they can do to their house to improve upon it building a hidden room or disguising an existing door to hide a room can be a great project. This home improvement job can not only safely hide whatever valuables one wishes but provide a creative outlet.

One of the critical elements to doing any home improvement is to have the proper materials and equipment to do the job. Before starting any home improvement project, it would be a good idea to read about it some and figure out what is going to be needed to complete it. Another great resource is asking questions at the local home improvement store, they also sometimes offer classes on basics of home improvement.

Although it can be tempting to continually put off home repairs, or hire a professional to do simple repair work and, in doing so, rack up a costly bill, most people are amazed to discover how easily and readily they are able to do basic home repair work and maintenance themselves.