As any homeowner knows, owning a home is not only expensive, but takes work! On an average, homeowners usually spend up to 3 per cent of their home’s value on improvements each year. However, you can always cut costs; let’s look at some smart ways you can save money while you maintain and improve your dream home.

Use fans to cool your house in the summertime. Ceiling fans can be particularly great at cooling down a room because they improve a room’s circulation. The use of these fans can impact the use of your central heating and air system, which lowers your energy costs.

Lampshades all look the same. Get cheap stencils at the crafts store, an ink pad or acrylic paint, and try dabbing the designs around the shade. Using this simple tip can make your whole room appear livelier.

If your vinyl floor has a bubble, try removing it! It is a simple way to release all of the air. This part of the fix is only temporary, however. Inject glue into it to hold it to the floor after you have cut it. Glue, prepackaged in syringes, is perfect for this job.

When doing home improvement work, one of the most important tools to have is a drill. With a good drill, you can pre-drill a variety of surfaces to make installing screws easier. You can also screw in screws easily and quickly. Choose a battery powered, cordless drill with a variety of attachments and drill bits capable of handling both Phillips and flat-head screws.

Coffee Table

You could make a unique choice in coffee tables rather than settling for something ready-made. An old chest or piece of luggage used as a coffee table can double as storage space. Throw your books, accessories and magazines on top in order to give definition to your coffee table. You can go as far as adding a tablecloth and teacups to give it a country look.

Kitchen storage is simple when you have two-liter bottles around. Dry goods like flour, sugar and corn meal will hold up well in these. They can be kept in the refrigerator, freezer, or on the shelf. Whenever you need them, simply twist off the cap and empty the contents.

If you need to replace a window screen but can’t find one that fits your window, it’s easy to make your own. All window sizes can be cut via frame kits and then you just have use cording to actual attach the screen. Certain windows require a certain type of screening, but an external screen is attachable to most any window easily with the right adaptation.

Hopefully, the suggestions you’ve received here will send you off to the hardware store with a little more confidence (and some great ideas for saving money) the next time you tackle a home improvement project. By keeping your expenses down, and avoiding the common pitfalls, your next home project should turn out to be a big success.