It is recommended that each year we should plan to do something to maintain and/or improve the value of the home in which we live.  The best time for these projects is early fall.  It’s a time when the weather allows for good ventilation (if your project is indoors), and it aids in the preparation of our homes for the holiday festivities.  As our lifestyle changes, so does the configuration of our home.

Once relegated to basements and garages, washers and dryers have been given new respect and a new place within our homes – the laundry room.  Adding a dedicated laundry room not only enhances the convenience for you and your family, it also increases the value of the home as prospective buyers see it as more livable.

With the increasing popularity of telecommuting, entrepreneurial endeavors and work-at-home opportunities, home offices are in great demand.  Organization and efficiency are enhanced by the presence of such an addition.  Whether you convert a small den, modify a seldom used bedroom or carve out a unique space in a low-traffic area of the home, creating an in-home office adds value and expediency.

Home designs are trending toward larger kitchens, and the best kitchen remodels are those containing open spaces.  Some of the more popular ideas focus on expanding the kitchen by incorporating a rarely used formal dining room.  Designers are successfully adding distinctive features to kitchen spaces such as recycling centers, walk-in pantries, greater counter work space and electronics’ charging stations.  By compartmentalizing and setting aside dedicated space for specific ongoing functions that tend to take place in and around the kitchen, designers add functionality, ease of use and a heightened sense of communal living.

Though we may try in many ways to avoid the label, there is still a little “pack-rat” or “hoarder” in all of us.  Whether it’s sports equipment, tools, seasonal decorations, luggage, clothing, toys, you-name-it, there’s always a need for efficient storage solutions.  Built-in, shallow shelved storage cabinets are especially popular as they take up minimal space and allow for easy viewing and finding what it is you’re looking for.  Whether you install these in the garage or in the home, you’ll be glad you did.

These are just a few ideas to help you get started.  Maintaining and increasing the value of your home is an ongoing and wise investment which produces immediate rewards.  If you plan on entertaining guests over the holiday season, your newly reorganized spaces will leave you feeling more at ease, and your guests admiring your new updates!