Caulking gaps between drywall is a necessary step in home improvement. Even if you complete a beautiful paint job, if you don't first completely caulk the gaps between the panels of drywall the room will look unfinished. Unfinished gaps will even show up when you wall paper a room. Caulking is a must, anytime you drywall. If you have watercolor paintings hanging in your home, try to place them where they do not receive direct sunlight. The sun, or any bright light, will cause the colors to fade over time. Your treasured paintings may lose their vibrancy--and value. Keeping them out of the sunlight will help preserve their colors. If you are trying to sell your home and improve it's resale value, then the best thing you can do is get some paint. Putting a fresh coat of paint on the exterior and the interior of your home will add something extra to its value. Put a ring on your power tool plugs! To keep small children from plugging these potentially dangerous tools into a power outlet, just slip a key ring through the holes on the tips of the plug prongs. For bigger plugs you can even use s small padlock to safeguard the tools against potentially hazardous use. Be flexible. Remember, just because you want something done in 2 months, it may take longer than this. You should also be flexible with your budget and the resources you have. You should always factor in the extra time it may take to complete and any extra money that may be involved. To make your carpet feel new again, rent a carpet cleaner. Carpet cleaners are able to deep clean your carpeting in a way that an ordinary vacuum can't. You may be shocked when you see how much dirt it pulls up. Carpet cleaners can be rented for a very low cost. Many cost less than $25 for a day's use. To add visual distinction and aesthetic interest to brickwork installed in your home improvement projects, make use of more exotic bonds. "Bond" is the technical term for the pattern that bricks are laid in. With a little research, you will find there are many options available besides the traditional stretcher bond. Many bonds add beautiful decoration to brickwork with little additional cost. When moving into a home you should get an alarm system installed. There are people who may have been in your home when it belonged to the previous owner and who know how to easily get in and out of your home. An alarm system will protect your home from intruders. Before starting any home improvement job you should make sure you have all of the necessary tools available. A missing tool can hold up a project. The effect of such delays can range from minor annoyance all the way up to serious expenses. Many home improvement projects (pouring concrete, for example) can be ruined if you lack the right tools at a critical point. If you have a wooden deck that is 15 years old or older, it is time to start rebuilding. An old deck is going to be subject to more advanced wear and tear and is going to diminish the overall look of your home's exterior. When it reaches 15 years old, it just isn't as sturdy as it used to be and should be redone. Cleaning up always needs to be on your mind while making home improvements. Having garbage in the way is going to slow you down tremendously. Always have a trashcan or dumpster set up so that you can remove the debris as you're working. This will make your efforts go much smoother,as well as being, clean and efficient. Keep your home and family safe by properly installing a smoke detector in your home. Smoke detectors detect unsafe and hazardous smoke before you do. Stay on the safe side and purchase a new smoke detector. Make sure to check the batteries every month to ensure that it is working correctly when tragedy strikes. Don't throw out your bedroom doors just because they're dirty. Remove your door from the frame and sand it down until the bare wood is exposed. Then buy some oil based paint of your choice and paint your door with a paint roller. For a brand new feel, opt to change your doorknobs to a fancier design. Now that you have a basic understanding of home improvement, in general and the types of projects you should be looking into, you can see how it has the potential to benefit the quality of your home, as well as, your bottom line.