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Whether you want to do a fun activity with the whole family or produce unique objects to make your home unique, arts and crafts are a great way to accomplish your goals. Get some new ideas and find out how to enjoy your craft projects in an economical way. This article is full of tips and tricks.

Make friends with the people who own or work at the local hobby store. This can help you get valuable insight on sales, loyalty discounts and special offers. You may even be able to display your crafts or meet others who are interested in the same crafts that you are.

There are several national chain craft stores that you could find. Take the time to go online to check out their weekly specials prior to actually going to the store. If you time it right, you can find some great deals. Many also offer coupons that you can print and take with you.

M&J Trim offers sewing enthusiasts a place to find quality trim and buttons at an affordable price. Their selection of buttons is second to none. You can find anything you need for your sewing projects and M&J Trim. Additionally, they offer one of the largest varieties of trim to finish all of your sewing projects.

Keep your glass jars from things like tomato sauces to the side. These small jars make for excellent containers for small arts and crafts items like buttons, marbles, and pebbles. You can see through the glass to know what’s exactly inside. And don’t throw away the lids either. They make for extra protection that your craft items stay all together.

If you are just learning oil painting, and decide you really don’t like something you’ve created on canvas, simply paint over it! Oil is flexible, and additional paint is not going to harm the surface. In fact, it can provide your new creation with amazing depth and an interesting design.

When you are building a Pinewood derby car, make sure that you drill holes carefully in the bottom of the car, near the front, to load your weights into the body. Having the front part much heavier pulls it down the ramp faster, making your car more likely to finish in first place.

Make a bird feeder. Get a plain pine cone, and smear the whole outside with peanut butter. Kids love this. Roll the peanut butter coated pine cone in birdseed for an instant bird feeder. The birdseed will stick tight to peanut butter, even when it is dry, so tie a string onto it, hang it, and wait for the bird to come.

When you do arts and crafts projects with your children, it can be so much fun and a wonderful bonding experience. It can also be quite messy, too. To keep your child’s clothes from being covered with paint, use an old, over-sized tee shirt as an art apron. You can simply launder this makeshift apron, and reuse it over and over again.

Do you like to make jewelry or want to give it a shot? Make any kind of jewelry from the fantastic variety of beads, chains and many other supplies for beading. Lots of today’s fashion includes some costume jewelry. If you create your own, then you will be saving money at the same time you are coordinating your jewelry to your wardrobe.

Making the decision to launch an Orlando Bounce House Rentals home business is exciting and scary at the same time. The following article will provide you with some know-how and how-to’s from people with knowledge in starting a home business and succeeding with it. Do whatever you need to remember this valuable advice.

Keep up to date business records. While you might think that the IRS isn’t interested in someone’s small home business – they are. In fact, one of the things that the IRS monitors closely is business income. Keep a daily log of all purchases and income. Keep all receipts and update your information weekly, whether using software or manually writing it in a ledger. When tax time comes around, you will be happy that you did this, as your tax return will be that much easier to prepare.

In order to be successful in terms of having a home business, it is very important that you like to do what you are doing. With that said, it is a common thing to choose a product or company that matches your interests. Like any other thing, choosing something you like will make you do the job better.

Write down business goals. This will give you a clear list of what you hope to accomplish instead of vague aspirations. Every day write down a few things you want to accomplish and what you don’t finish, do it first the next day. This way you’ll be able to keep yourself on the right path.

Make sure that any business you choose can be profitable. Research the demands and trends. Is there a market? Who are the competitors? If the market is crowded, can you fill a niche? Startup costs? Economies of scale? How much income fluctuation? What’s the revenue required to cover expenses? It may not easy but doing your homework now may reduce heartbreak later.

Make sure your family understands that you are working. Many home based business owners have families who ask them to run errands, without being aware that working at home is still working. Have a talk with them about what you are doing and what kind of support they can give you. You’ll have a smoother day when you can work in peace.

To ensure that your home business is successful be sure to network with other local or home businesses. If you run your business online, be sure to join an affiliate program. This can increase traffic to your site. Return the favor by supporting other home businesses by providing links on your site.

Use a good business plan. Though your business may be small, that doesn’t make it any less of a business, so treat it like one! Have a clear goal in mind, and outline the materials you’ll need and the steps you’ll take to get there. A well thought out business plan keeps you focused as the business grows and expands.

Opening and maintaining a new business can be incredibly time consuming. Because of this it is essential that you don’t let your social life fall by the wayside. Remember to set aside at least one entire day per week to relax, and try to go grab a beer with friends at least a few times per month.

Take the time to showcase your knowledge of your product to others. Write online articles and put your contact information in them. Search for seminars that you can participate in and think of other opportunities to become involved. The reputation of your home business will increase the more you put yourself out there.

It is important to get business cards made for your business. It is possible to get the business cards made for free if you do some research online. The customers will not know that they are free and many of the free cards are still made by professionals. It is important to make sure that the cards contain all of the pertinent contact information for the business.

One of the requirements of running a home business, is the ability to conduct business transactions. First of all, you will need a business banking account. You will also need system for handling transactions with your customers, including a method for refunding payments, when necessary. There are online pay systems, such as Paypal, that you can use for this. However, if you need a more fine-tuned solution, you can also hire a freelance software developer, to create a system that is tailored to your needs.

If you operate an online business, get a post office box for your business “snail mail.” Posting your home address on the Internet isn’t always a good idea, but using a P.O. box can help protect your home and privacy. It can also help your business to appear more professional.

Knowledge is power and hopefully this article has empowered you toward success in your home business endeavor. It is a competitive world where you need to evolve and adapt to constant challenges. Here’s to the success of your home business!

Travel truly does serve as a gateway to the world and its cultures. Understanding the best techniques for maximizing your travel experience can prove extremely valuable on your next trip and all subsequent journeys. The article that follows offers a number of useful tips intended to help you make the most of your adventures.

If you are worried about safety, carry a fake wallet. If you are traveling through a rough area, take precautions and carry a spare wallet with a few token dollars in it. In the off chance you do get accosted, you can hand over the fake wallet and your real valuables will remain safe.

Take a good book with you to read when traveling. If you always have something interesting to do, you will be less likely to get frustrated or bored during layovers and other time delays that are beyond your control. Buy a new title that you have been wanting to read so that you have something to look forward to.

If you are going on a long plane ride and the person in the seat next to you has a lot to say, and you really don’t want to hear it, just pretend to nod off. When they see that you are sleeping, I would hope that they would get the idea and be quiet.

Airplanes can be filled with airborne bacteria. You can dab some Neosporin in your nose while on the plane to combat the germs in the air. You can also use hand sanitizer frequently. After you rub the sanitizer into your hands, put a small amount right under your nose.

Before undergoing any major traveling, make sure you get plenty of rest the night before you leave. A lack of sleep can cause you to make poor decisions and causes forgetfulness. The consequences of bad choices when traveling are far more severe, than normal, so make sure you’re well rested.

Check the local news for the area you are planning to visit. Whether it is finding out about fun, local events, holidays which may impact local attractions, or serious political matters that may affect foreigners, it is always a good idea to be informed on what is currently going on in your destination city, area, and even country. http://thedownlo.com/denver/aurora-untapped-food-destination/

As an investor in real estate, the moves you do are similar to chess moves and not checkers. One major mistake could crash your whole dream, but you shouldn’t let that scare you. You will become successful at it after learning about how to do it properly. Continue reading the Parallel Profits Review to learn more.

Know what the property’s value in the neighborhood is. Local mortgages and rent rates will teach you more about a property’s value than some financial statements. This will allow you to make a better decision regarding a given property.

Avoid purchasing property before having a property inspector come and take a look at it. Sellers often will cover the costs of inspections. However, it is best to use an independent contractor who is not connected to either you or the seller for best results. Always use a neutral party, or a trusted person.

Take into account the total time you really have to devote to real estate investments. Tenant problems can really kill your time. If you see that you don’t have enough time in managing it, you could choose to hire a person to manage it for you.

If you are looking to buy a rental property from a seller, ask to see his Schedule E tax form. That particular document will honestly tell you what kind of cash flow you can expect from the property in question. Crunching the numbers tells you all you need to know about whether or not to buy.

Beware of buying single-family homes in a neighborhood that is full of rental property. Typically, a rental neighborhood is not a desirable location for buyers who want to raise a family. The value of single-family homes in this type of neighborhood will not likely go up very much because of their location.

If you have an investment property, one of the most important things to have is an emergency fund for unexpected repairs or emergencies that might come up on the property. One way you can do this is by putting aside some of the monthly rental money you collect for this purpose.

Know a little about the neighborhood you are buying in. If you are just looking to buy cheap properties, you may in fact lose money if you purchase a building in a rundown area. Find out as much as you can about the neighborhood before you put any money into a building there, and you may avoid losses.

Real estate is one of those things where it helps to have a network of people who are your “go to” people. You should know someone who can give you a quick appraisal of a structures, whether they have deep flaws under a pretty facade of paint or have other faults that could end up costing you in the end.

You need to consider the worst case scenario if you were unable to sell a property you were invested in. Could you rent it or re-purpose it, or would it be a drain on your finances? Do you have options for that property so that you can have a back up plan if you can’t sell it?

If a property sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be cautious of good deals. Make sure to always thoroughly do your research. Never just jump into anything. Consult with some specialists and really look a property over before committing to it. Make sure you’re not going to be paying for your good deal later on.

It is important to run a credit and background check on each potential tenant. You need to understand that individuals with a shady background will more than likely not take care of what is not theirs and damage your investment property physically as well as harming the assessed value. Background checks don’t prevent all issues, but they sure do eliminate a lot of them.

Before you begin investing, determine whether you are a conservative investor or one who can stomach some risk. Generally speaking, the younger you are, the more investment risk you can assume because you have more time to make up for any losses. But if you find it difficult to deal with the gyrations of the stock market, stick to more conservative investments, regardless of your age.

Keep your expectations realistic. Don’t count on investments making you rich. That’s a very unlikely outcome. Keep your expectations reasonable ones. You can still make a considerable amount of money off of investments, even if it is unlikely to be a fortune. Congratulate yourself for small successes rather than letting them discourage you.

The more knowledge you have, the better decisions you will make with your investments. The less you know, the harder real estate investing will be. So, use what you have learned, and realize that you should continue to pick up new information and have a strong plan prior to beginning your real estate portfolio.

How secure is your home? Security Guards Tyne and Wear, would it be protected from any danger? Or would you lose everything? If you are at a loss as to how to protect it, it is time to read the below article. All the secrets to home security are there, ready for you to put them to use.

Change your locks whenever you undergo a major life change. Whether it is moving into a new home or a former relationship moving out, you should always be aware of who has a copy of the keys to your home. You should also change your locks anytime you lose your keys.

Be smart about where you decide to hide spare keys. Placing a key above a door or under a doormat is quite obvious! Try to find somewhere less obvious.

Never open up your door to a stranger. People try many ways to convince others to open up their doors so that they can commit burglary or worse. Make a house rule forbidding anyone to open the door for an unexpected visitor.

When people come to your door unexpectedly, ask who is there before you open the door. Even if you live in a neighborhood that does not have a high crime rate, it is still a good idea to be careful. If the person on the other side is hesitant about replying, never open the door.

Be careful sharing vacation plans online. This is especially true when it comes to sharing plans on social networking sites and posting updates while on vacation. You don’t really know is reading your plans on these sites. Anyone could be planning on breaking into your home uninterrupted since you are not there because you have told everyone that you are not there.

Always lock your home, even if you plan on coming back within a few minutes. It is more common than you would believe for a thief to find a home, try the door and walk right in when it’s unlocked. Thieves can make off with large amounts of valuable merchandise very quickly.

Make sure your flashlights have charged batteries and are found throughout your home. Having these in an easy to find place will allow you to see in the dark much quicker. Teach your children how to use the flashlights so that everyone in your household can help.

Keeping your doors and windows locked may seem like an all too simple action to deter theft, but following through can greatly increase the security of your home. Even if you live in a neighborhood free of crime, leaving doors and windows unlocked is an invitation to intruders. Remember to lock doors and windows, even if you’re home during the day.

Parenting can be the most rewarding thing in your life. Yet, it can also be the most frustrating. You are not alone in feeling this way. Parenting takes experience, and it helps to find out some of the ways that other parents have found helpful. Read this article for some ideas.

When traveling with small children, consider booking two rooms with an adjoining door. This will allow you to have your child sleep in a separate room without being too far away from you. It also provides more space to unpack without baby going through the suitcases. Be sure to double-check when you make the reservation that the rooms are physically connected with a door, not just next to each other.

When trying to potty train your child, it is advised that you give them a reward each time they successfully use the toilet. This reward can be their favorite food or candy, a sticker, or anything else they enjoy. By doing this, they will be encouraged to consistently use the potty.

When training your child to use the potty, buy them underwear with their favorite cartoon character on it. Children always do better with encouragement. By letting them wear these kind of underwear, they will feel better about using the potty because they do not want to have an accident in their “special” underwear.

Limit the amount of television your child watches each day. Too much television is bad for your child, mentally and physically. It is one cause of childhood obesity, can lead to poor eyesight, and contributes to feelings of anxiety. Have your child play with toys or go outside instead.

Try to avoid giving children “I told you so answers.” Although in some specific cases this may be necessary there is generally a better way. It is very important for children to understand why they should not do anything because this allows them to grow as a person and to learn how to make their own good decisions.

A tip for parents of teething babies is to offer some alternatives to the traditional frozen washcloth. Putting flavorful, cold vegetables in a mesh teething bag can be a great way to soothe a child’s discomfort. The extra taste imparted by the food may help the baby chew longer, thus extending their relief.

Make sure to wait at least 3 to 4 weeks before introducing a baby to the bottle. Doing so earlier can confuse the baby and it will reduce your milk supply for breastfeeding. Women’s bodies produce milk based on the demand. So, the more often that you supplement with a bottle, the less milk you will produce.

Do not try to introduce the bottle to a normally breastfeed baby who is hungry. A hungry baby will not understand what the bottle is for and will reject it immediately because he at this point only associates food with the breast. Get the baby used to the bottle when they are not hungry so that they can learn that it provides food as well.

If you need to use the restroom, and your baby is upset at being placed in their carrier, turn on the bathroom fan and sink. Both of these noises mimic the sound of your heartbeat, which your baby was consistently soothed by in the womb. This technique should give you a few quiet minutes to take care of yourself.

If your baby is irritable and not relaxing as quickly as you want him to, head to the bathroom with him. Make yourself comfortable on the toilet and rock your baby as you have the exhaust fan and the faucet running. These sounds mimic the sounds of the noise of the heartbeat in the uterus.

If you find that your baby’s diaper tends to leak over night and during naps, consider investing in a bag of diapers that is a size too big for her. It will absorb more liquid and keep you from having to lose more sleep than what you already do by not having to change the sheets and pajamas.

Being a parent can be the biggest challenge in your life. How to conceive a boy naturally since children are unique individuals, and the key is to find methods that will work in your family. Try the suggestions you just read, and continue to seek out other advice. The more experience you gain as a parent, the more effective you will become.

An iPhone is a great investment if you are constantly on the go, but it can be difficult to figure out how to use it to its maximum potentially. If you find that you feel this way you should read the article that follows below, as it will give you the tips that you need.

If you have the misfortune of dropping your iPhone in water, use rice to dry it out. First, dry off the phone with a towel. Without turning the phone on, place it in a bowl of dry white rice for at least 8 hours. The rice will help to absorb moisture, and it may keep your phone from shorting out when you turn it back on.

To get the most out of your iPhone, use it as a storage device. You can use your iPhone to store all sorts of files with the help of readily available software. Aside from the obvious music files, you can store pictures, documents and more. The best advantage to this is the fact that you always have access to those files wherever you go.

If you are searching the internet on your iPhone, click the forward arrow on the middle bottom to forward the link to the page that you are on to your email address. This can be very useful if you are searching your iPhone for important articles and do not have enough space to store them all.

You can edit the pictures you take on your iPhone. Go to the picture you want to edit. Once you find the picture, click the Edit button in the top right corner. This will allow you to fix red eye, crop, rotate or auto enhance. After you make your fix, click Save in the top right corner.

Make sure that you update your iPhone whenever this becomes available, as this can give you the ability to gain new functions that are created by Apple. Typically, you will find a notification under the settings tab, which will prompt you to update your entire phone to get these different abilities.

Use your iPhone to store files. If you need files on hand but don’t want to lug around a flash drive or your laptop, just store the files on your phone. By sending files over via WiFi or USB, you can keep them stored on your phone. You if you need can even purchase extra space to store them, buy them here, should the need arise.

If you find an app that you like and want for your iPhone, look at the cost. Chances are that there is a free or cheaper equivalent that does the same thing. This way, you can get the same desired functionality, but save yourself, all or some of your money.

When in a call with someone, take advantage of the mute button. The mute button is located on the top left when you are in a call and will prevent the person on the other end of the line from hearing your voice. If you need to talk to someone else while on the phone, this is a great time to use this function.

A good tip if you’re new to using the iPhone is to learn about the built in video recorder. A lot of people don’t even know that their iPhone is capable of recording videos, which is pretty sad. A lot of users submitted videos on YouTube are straight from someone’s iPhone.

Do not allow your phone to suggest words to you as you create messages. If you do not want to receive suggestions when composing a message, just tap the screen to make the suggestion box go away. Doing this means that you no longer have to hit ‘x’ after each and every word.

If you use your iPhone to store huge numbers of contacts, songs, email and websites, you may find it time-consuming to scroll from the end of the list to the beginning. Save time by double-tapping the clock icon at the top of the screen. This will immediately take you to the very top of the list.

There are applications on the iPhone that let you track where your friends are at all times. These applications require both, you and your friend to accept each other on the application, but can be worth the download. This is because if your friend or their phone ever becomes lost, it or they will be easy to find.

Getting the weather forecast on your iPhone is simpler than most think. Bring up the weather app and you will see the weekly weather forecast for your area. If you are interested in seeing an hour by hour forecast, all you have to do is click on the current day.

If you are looking to zoom in on an internet page on your iPhone, you can do this by putting both fingers on the screen and moving them in separate directions. This will help a lot when you are on a page that has a font that is too small, and you want to see it more clearly.

If your iPhone freezes and the Sleep/Wake button does not work, do not worry. There is another option. Try pressing and holding on the Home Button and the Sleep/Wake button instantaneously. Then, you’ll be notified to slide the tab that will turn off your phone. This type of hard-reset can revive your frozen iPhone.

It is easy to share a URL with a friend that you think they would be interested in. When you are on the site, tap the address bar and then the Share button. All you have to do is put in the person you want to receive it and hit Send.

Now that you have read this article you have probably realized that your phone is even better than you ever thought. Now just take the information that you learned about your iPhone to use so that your iPhone can make your busy life easier than you had ever imagined before.

Who says that buying real estate is easy? There are so many things to consider that you have to be ready to get down and dirty and really do the work it takes to find the right property. Using this guide, however, could get you to the right start in your search.

If you are trying to buy a new home and you find the one that you want and you end up in a bidding war you need to keep something in mind. You may think that you have found your perfect home but there are probably numerous homes in that town that you may like just as much if not more. So be sure to keep looking around.

As the government is subsidizing your home purchase, buying a home not only provides housing to you and your family, but it has tax advantages too. All of the property taxes and mortgage interest you pay on the property can be deducted from your gross income, which may significantly reduce your taxable income.

You have more than one choice for a mortgage lender, so look around for the best fit for you. A lot of new buyers make the mistake of just going to their current bank and taking whatever mortgage they offer. Lenders are always looking for good candidates for a mortgage, so the bank down the block may be offering terms that your current bank won’t be. Shop around before making a final choice.

The dream of owning a home of your own still exists, even though real estate has been in a downward cycle the last few years. If you are interested in buying a home of your own, you should do some research on your own on prices and how much homes in your area are actually selling for. It is not wise to depend on your real estate agent to do the research for you, or ensure you get the best price. You could potentially save yourself a lot of money just by spending some time doing a little research and you could also get a really great deal on your dream property.

One important tip to remember when investing in commercial real estate is to try to avoid the most common first purchase – apartments. This is important because of over saturation as well as the possibility for a much higher profit elsewhere. Try to pick a specialty property that is unique to you.

If you are trying to purchase a home but aren’t sure you can afford it, look into buying a home that needs cosmetic repairs. The lack of curb appeal on a home that needs its porch painted or some trees trimmed in the front yard could mean a much lower asking price.

After you make an offer on a house, you will then make a earnest money deposit. The amount of the deposit is up to you. You want the deposit to be substantial enough that the seller knows you mean business, but not so large that you are placing your money at risk. It is advised to deposit a little less than two percent of the price that you have offered.

Don’t buy the first house you see and don’t jump on a home just because it is cheap or will close quickly. Do research, see other homes, and keep track of offers. By rushing into a purchase, you may skip steps like doing an inspection or buy something you don’t actually like.

Make sure all members of your family are involved in real estate decisions. Your kids don’t have the right to tell you that you can or can’t buy a property, but their likes and dislikes should be consulted and considered. The family home needs to be just that, a family decision.

If you are looking for ways to come up with a down payment for a home purchase, there are some less-than-usual ways you could do this. Some examples are to offer the seller a car or a boat in place of a down payment, or offer your services through odd jobs such as landscaping, rides or even doing their taxes.

Before buying a property, find out whether the fitting are included in the purchase price. Many houses are presented with luxurious carpets, curtains and fitted bathrooms, bedrooms and kitchens. Many buyers are then surprised when they move into their new house and find that the previous owner has took all the fittings with them.

Be careful to avoid relying on verbal agreements when you are buying a home. As a general rule, you want to stay away from these types of deals because they are unreliable. However, if you do make a verbal arrangement with someone, put your agreement into writing as soon as possible and have all interested parties sign the document.

Carefully consider whether the benefits of a new construction home outweigh the negatives. Many homes are immediately available to move in to but their prices may not be comparable to pre-owned homes. Developers do offer incentives, so it is possible that they can make up the difference in price with other attractive features.

Never buy a home before you sell your property. If you purchase a house first, you might get stuck with two mortgage payments when your home doesn’t sell as quickly as you thought it would. Paying all that extra money will lead to a sense of urgency to sell, meaning that you might accept an offer that is too low.

Using the tips provided in this article can be just what it takes to get the right property no matter what you are looking for. You cannot buy real estate without a notary west lake hills TX and applying good buying techniques, this can prevent you from great losses and an improper purchase that could cost too much money.

Making home improvements doesn’t have to mean completing complex tasks. It also doesn’t have to mean spending big bucks. There are many projects that you can complete with just a little guidance. In this article we will provide tips on some simple and cost effective improvements that you could do this weekend.

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.

When removing cabinets as part of a kitchen remodel, make sure you don’t just unscrew and yank them off the wall. You will more than likely end up taking some or all of the drywall off with you. Take time and care to remove each and every screw, and use a utility knife around the edges to break the caulking that was most likely used to seal between the cabinet and the wall.

When it comes to home improvement, be sure to have fun with it. This is important because it should be a rewarding experience for you. You will never fully enjoy your home improvement project if it was a burden and brings back bad memories. Consider hiring help if it is expected that you will run into issues completing the project on your own.

If your home is filled with old-style brown wooden doors, do not try to brighten them up with paint. The effort involved will not be worth it. It could take three or four coats of paint to cover the brown wood. You’re better off simply buying a new white door instead.

Using light colors such as a pale blue, light lavender or soft greens to create an airy feeling of tranquility. Use cottons and linens instead of dark brocades and heavy patterns. Complete the atmosphere with potpourri and a scented candle in a prominent place in the room.

Securely screw your bookcases and other tall furniture to your walls! Not only is this step an important safety precaution in fortifying your home for a potential earthquake, doing so might actually prevent a child or elderly person from knocking these tall items over on themselves and sustaining serious injuries.

If every closet, cabinet, and drawer in your home is filled to capacity, consider building a garden storage shed on your property. These structures add considerable worth to the resale value of a home and are ideal for storing garden implements, tools, extra lawn furniture, and other belongings that can be safely stored outside.

Before starting off on any home improvement project involving painting, make sure you have the essential tools at hand. Painter’s tape will prevent damage to doorways and windowsills, and a drop cloth will protect both your shoes and the floor. The right-sized brush will ease painting, and a roller and extension handle are vital for painting ceilings.

If you are buying tools and equipment for a home improvement project, don’t cheap out on the essentials. For example, a cheaply-built miter saw check sliding compound miter saw reviews or a ladder will often fall apart while being used and low-quality paintbrushes may shed bristles into the paint, leaving ugly marks on the walls. Aim for middle-grade equipment if you are on a budget, otherwise, you may be in for some nasty accidents.

Before starting any demolition job in your house, take steps to minimize the mess. Lay down plastic and contain the area you will be working in. Keep your tools confined to the work area as well. Demolition is a messy job and having to clean a mess throughout the entire house can take hours of extra time.

For a unique look in the kitchen, plus extra counter space, consider converting an old dresser into an island. The drawers make excellent storage for utensils and tools, and the top can be covered with granite, marble, butcher block or laminate, to match or coordinate with your existing counter tops. Add casters to the legs for a mobile work space that can tuck against a wall if needed.

To properly stain your deck yourself, be sure that you use the proper tools to do so starting with the brushes you use to apply the stain. If you choose a oil based stain, a natural bristle brush is the way to go. When using a stain that is water based use a brush with nylon bristles.

So there you have it, several simple and inexpensive tasks that will improve the value and quality of your home. Tackle one or two at a time, make them a weekend project, and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Follow the tips we have provided and you’ll be on your way to improving your home like the pros.