All homeowners know that owning your own home can be expensive, but takes a lot of work as well! Homeowners can reasonably expect to spend up to three percent of the home’s value on annual home improvements. There are many ways to reduce costs and make your home more valuable thanks to home improvement: go over these tips before you start planning your next home improvement project.

If you are not able to get a designer, you can do it yourself. Look everywhere you can for ideas, from books and magazines to blogs and websites. A single idea from a picture in a home magazine can inspire the look you want for your home. Resources such as these can also help you save money on cheaper projects.

Cover electrical outlets with aluminum foil prior to painting your walls. Using aluminum foil is much easier and will protect your outlet covers …