As you plan a project, safety should be your first consideration. Follow these safety rules to avoid injuring yourself or damaging your home. Adhere to all instructions and tutorials for your power tools at the start of your renovation.

When outsourcing your home improvement project to a contractor, the reputation of the contractor is more valuable than the discounts offered. Any contractor who vastly underbids a job and has a bad reputation is not the best choice. It is likely that your inexpensive contractor will finish the work and then you will shortly need to repair or renovate the same area. A project that isn't done right can cost you money, but it can also cause a dangerous environment. Select your contractor wisely.

Use padding around the edges of sharp furniture to keep it a kid-friendly zone and prevent any possible accidents. You can get protectors for the corners of your furniture from a store or just use tape made of foam. You should also secure any lose wiring that could be hazardous to your child.

If you have some wallpaper, you can make a nice looking bookcase. Make sure you pick a wallpaper that is visually striking as well as different. Line the back of the bookcase with wallpaper for an added design flare when you place your books. The wallpaper will make your bookcase look better and stand out.

Unsightly air conditioning units may not be attractive, but in other regions it could be a necessity. A trellis, screen, or fence can conceal your air conditioners and make your landscaping look better. You could also plant something in front of it, but make sure to leave one foot between the plant and the unit.

It's of the utmost importance to never rely on simply eyeballing a measurement, angle, or surface to be level when you're doing woodworking. You should always use your tape measure, your speed square, and your level.

Using motion sensors on outdoor lighting is a good way to save money on energy. You can still use this type of light manually, and the sensitivity of the sensor can be changed on most motion sensors.

Most lampshades are actually quite boring. You could easily create an original lamp sage with some acrylic paint and some stencils. This will give your rooms some personality, taking away from the reality of how boring an ordinary lamp shade can be.

Consider swapping out the current light bulbs that you have in your home with ones that use less wattage. This may end up costing you less money in the long run when it comes to your electric bill. With all of these benefits, it only makes sense to replace your old power-hungry light bulbs with new energy-efficient models.

Another great energy-efficient home improvement project is replacing your old windows. Energy-efficient window replacements will pay for themselves by conserving energy and increasing the value of your home.

Once a homeowner has a lot of successful improvement jobs finished, the benefits and boosted confidence can create more ambitious work. This is a great thing. A homeowner with motivation and skills can accomplish anything while saving money.