A house is one of the single largest and most important assets you can own, not only because of its cost, but also because it gives you and your family shelter and also a place for your family to create memories. If you are lucky, your house won’t need much maintenance, and looks as spectacular today as it did when you bought it. However, it is more likely that there are some areas of your house that could use improvement. Here are a few small changes you can make in your home that can make a big difference:

1. Paint the Walls a New Color

This is one of the least expensive home improvement projects you can take on that can truly make a huge difference in the look of your home. The wall color of a room sets the mood for the room, and a fresh coat of paint on the walls gives a room a feeling of newness even if it is a very old house. You can go bold by picking a strong color like a green or a deep red, or a safe bet is to choose a color that is a couple of shades either lighter or darker than the original wall color for a big difference with not much work at all.

2. Add a Large Area Rug

In terms of home improvement, adding a large area rug to a living area requires the least heavy-lifting of all types of home improvements since there are pretty much no structural changes involved, and no tools and equipment to worry about. However, the visual impact of adding a great large area rug to a living room or dining room area packs a huge punch style-wise, because it gives the room warmth and elegance (depending on the color and style you choose). Just remember to keep the style in line with the overall room colors and design, and remember to keep it clean for the best impact.

3. Changing the Light Fixtures

Changing the light fixtures in any number of rooms in your house is yet another low-cost, low-stress home improvement projects that you can do that can make a big difference to the overall look of your home. Whether it is changing out overhead light fixtures in the living room and kitchen, the table lamps in the bedroom, or the chandelier in the dining room, updating light fixtures is something anyone can do with not much more than a small step ladder and a screwdriver. If you are a complete newbie to changing light fixtures, no need to worry; a quick search online, or a visit to your local home improvement store will be of great help.

4. De-clutter and Rearrange the Floor plan

This is one of the most overlooked home design tactics that many homeowners do not ever think about because it sounds so simple, but honestly, getting rid of all the extra knickknacks and junk that has cluttered up various areas of your home makes an unbelievable difference and it costs nothing. To take it even a step further, after de-cluttering, take another look at the furniture layout in any of your rooms and see if there could be a new way to position all of the pieces to create a better flow. By simply cleaning up and rearranging the floor plan of perhaps your living room or bedroom, you can make a big difference on the look of your home without spending a dime.

5. Add a New Flowerbed For Curb Appeal

Many homeowners make the unfortunate mistake of neglecting the exterior of their home, letting the landscaping go unkempt and pretty much giving a bad first impression about the home to outsiders. A great way to make a big difference on both the look and the value of a home and also preventing this bad first impression is to improve the curb appeal, and you can either hire someone to do this or do it yourself. You have the option to make it a dramatic yard makeover (takes more time and effort), but for a simpler but still effective change, just mow your lawn and plant a few colorful flowerbeds around main the entryway of your house to make a big impact.

Disasters never come giving a prior notice. In fact, they usually hit you when you least expect them. Therefore, if you want to get the most out of your home insurance claim, you must be well prepared for the same much in advance. Act now to secure your future. One of the most important things that you have to do is to inventory your home thoroughly. When a home is damaged or destroyed, you are under huge mental stress and it becomes very difficult for you to tell your insurance company what items where stored in your home. Though the big items, such as refrigerator, washers, furniture, and other such things are easy to remember, but you may not be able to prepare a list of smaller items. Moreover, if you do not have proper receipts and bills of the items that you claim were in your home, the insurance company will do their best not to pay you for the same. So, make sure that you follow this strategy and prepare yourself beforehand.

Make A List Of All The Items Stored In Your Home
While you are filing a home insurance claim, you will need to provide the insurer a list of all the items that were stored in your home. So, start making that list now and keep updating the same whenever you buy or sell something. Do not keep this list in your home because you may lose this list along with other stuffs when your home is damaged or destroyed. Keep it in a safe place, such a bank locker.

Digitalize Your Inventory
Recording videos and taking photographs of the various items can also be a nice idea to make your home insurance claim strong. It will give the insurance company a good idea that where the different stuffs were kept in your home. Make sure that you include everything, such as home improvements like adding cabinets, fireplaces, and closets. Get photos and record videos both from inside and outside of your home. For example, it will add muscles to your claim if the photos of sheds, landscaping, deck, and accessories like charcoal grills or gas are also included in your inventory.

Write Down Everything On Paper
It may be a nice idea to note down everything in a computer file, but make sure that you also have a hard copy of the same. So, print it on paper. Include all the information associated with the items, such as purchase dates, prices, and receipts. If you do not include all the information, the insurer is very much likely to add all the items at a much-depreciated value.

On the other hand, if you have the receipt indicating the actual cost of the stuff and its purchase date, you will be able to cash in more as part of your home insurance claim.