Part 2: Get the Most From Your Insurance While Still Keeping Your Home Protected   1. Consider Your Deductible If your policy includes a low deductible, consider raising it — a higher deductible will almost always mean a reduction in your monthly premiums. While many insurance companies recommend a $500 deductible, raising your deductible to $1,000

Part 1: Be Prepared Not Surprised When Disaster (or Damage) Strikes 1. Review Your Policy Every Year Life changes and market changes can impact your home insurance policy — everything from having a baby to declining property values may mean the insurance policy you have in place should be adjusted. Kiplinger’s 10 Reasons Your Insurance May

How To Improve The Smell and Quality of The Air In Your Home  Indoor plants offer more than just visual appeal — they can make your home more fragrant, improve air quality and reduce indoor air pollution. Plants make your home smell nice There are a variety of low-maintenance indoor plants that will bring the scents

Well, the weather outside seems to be cooling down, and animals are preparing for colder winter months. You can help them with these great homemade bird and squirrel feeders. Hang a few of them in your trees and around your yard, and you’ll be sure to have entertainment all winter as you watch your new

How Shape, Texture and Color Can Make A Difference  1. It’s not your granddaddy’s hardwood The Jamie Beckwith Collection of innovative wood flooring plays with pattern, texture and color in wood flooring to create interesting and gorgeous floors. 2. Put a cork in it Especially well-suited to rooms that see a lot of activity, cork

Most home DIY-ers know that if you want to turn your ivory walls red, you’d be best served priming the walls first. Paint primer has other uses in your home, too — things you should consider the next time you get an itch to change up the colors in your home. 1. Mildew It’s true.

1. What’s in your house? Knowing what you have in your house can be invaluable when disaster strikes — with modern technology, it’s easy to do. Both MyHome Scr.app.book, a smartphone app available for iPhone and Android, and WYO Home Inventory, a free program (Windows) help you inventory the contents of your home. 2. How’s your

1. Take the Kiplinger quiz Kiplinger surveyed industry experts, trade associations and retailers to find out just how long you should expect home appliances to last — take their quiz and see how well you do when judging the lifespan of the things in your home. Check out their slideshow “Save $50 A Day: Utilities +

Tips & Tricks to Save Space and Make Small Spaces Look Bigger 1. Light it up Dark rooms feel small. Add lights at different heights — on tables, the floor, the walls — to brighten your room and make it seem larger. Photo from Ijoos 2. Add shelves Look over your doorways and windows, is there

“Sweetie Vines” from WallsNeedLove.com Color is one of the easiest and most noticeable ways you can change the look of your home. Paint just one wall in your formerly all-cream bedroom a deep sea blue or the bottom half of your soothing sage green dining room a rich chocolate brown and all of a sudden