Making home improvements is a great idea for increasing the value of your home and making your home a more pleasant place, but it can also be a disaster if done wrong. Having to fix your home improvements with further improvements can be avoided with a little thought and effort. Use the below tips to practice the right frame of mind to make sure all your home improvements are successful.

Put in an outdoor motion detector for your outside lighting. This way the lights will only be on when they are activated and not all day or all night unnecessarily. Most people don’t need their outside lights other than when they come home or leave after dark.

Adding accessories to your room can be a great way to make a space feel like your own. Infuse your own personality into your room by carefully choosing some accessories to your liking. Make sure not to go overboard with decorations because it can make a small room feel rather cramped.

For an energy efficient upgrade, replace your hot water heater with a tank-less model. The new tank-less heaters only heat the water as it is needed as opposed to keeping 50 gallons or more heated at all times. This change will help your utility bills and the environment.

When it comes to home improvement, it is important to know which types of improvements will add to the value of your home and which will not. This will be important when it does come time to sell your house. Such general maintenance such as sealing the driveway and replacing the roof will not add to the value, however, an additional bathroom or a patio may.

Buying new appliances can actually save you money in the long run. Now a days, companies have invested a lot of money in appliances that conserve energy. If you buy a new fridge that uses less electricity, during the life of the refrigerator, you will actually be saving money.

You should always wear safety glasses or goggles when cutting with a saw or other powered equipment. If you do not wear protective equipment for your eyes pieces of the material you are cutting or dust can become lodged in your eye or cause irritation. In severe cases permanent damage can be done to your eye.

The sharp edges of furniture can be a hazard for younger children. Pad the corners to prevent any injuries. You can get protectors for the corners of your furniture from a store or just use tape made of foam. As well, tape down any loose wiring, which could strangle your child.

If you have the space and it is allowed under city ordinances, consider adding an extension to your home. The extra space can be used as an office, den or family room. Consider putting a skylight in your addition. These add ons will increase the value of your home considerably.

The above smart tips will get you looking at home improvements like a professional, so your projects will all sail straight for success instead of taking a more expensive, roundabout way to getting where you ultimately want to be. With the right attitude and mental preparation, you can transform your home into a dream home.