Some home security systems are complex and should be installed by a professional. However, there are many good home security systems sold in kit forms that can be installed by any do-it-yourselfer. Most simple systems use a bell, loud buzzer, or other sound source to note intrusion.

According to our grandmothers’ wisdom (and verified on thenewhomemaker.com), Monday is Wash Day. After Sunday’s day of rest, homemakers traditionally took on one of the week’s most difficult tasks: the laundry. Whether you’re disciplined enough to schedule your laundry days or you just do a load or two when you’ve run out of socks and underwear, the following recipe for simple washing powder will make the task more fun. This laundry detergent is simple to make, saves you money and smells heavenly.

The weather forecast predicted a comfortably warm day, so you decide to wake up early and enjoy as much of the weekend as possible. With a yawn and a stretch, you rise up around seven and begin your daily activities. After you take a refreshing shower, brush your teeth and complete your morning exercises, a pot of coffee and a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon are just enough to invigorate you. Stepping outside into the fresh air, you exit your home onto the starboard side, walk forward and admire from the bow the rising sun — you are, of course, emerging from your very own houseboat.

View the annual report on the relationship between remodeling costs and resale value. You can compare national and regional averages for 33 popular remodeling projects and you can also download a PDF with project data for any one of 80 U.S. cities.

Waste materials at construction sites typically fill several large dumpsters that are eventually emptied into landfills. We put a 1,500-square-foot addition on our home that involved the removal of the old garage roof and a treated-wood patio deck. During all phases of this deconstruction and construction project, I made a concerted effort to recycle nearly all of the construction waste.

In the end, the accumulated waste amounted to one half-filled dumpster. This was far less than the three dumpster loads our contractor expected. In fact, at the completion of this construction project, our contractor said our recycling efforts resulted in significant savings and deducted $1,000 from our final project invoice. This was a nice way to be compensated for our laborious recycling efforts. Here is how we utilized the various waste materials:

One of the best ways to embellish a fireplace in your home is by installing an oak fireplace mantel. The mantle also offers a place where you can place ornaments and treasured family photos as well as plants or anything else. A fireplace is often the central feature of any living room or dining room and having a good frame and mantle around it is essential lest it look stark and unwelcoming. If you are building a new fireplace or replacing an existing mantle, this article will give you some steps on how to do the job yourself without having to pay for a tradesman. With a basic set of carpentry skills and a trip down to your local hardware store, you should be able to do this yourself without much of a problem.

If you own a home, you know that you need to figure home insurance rates into your monthly budget. A friend of mine, who had been renting, decided her bills would not change that much when she bought a home. She figured that she could easily afford a $900 mortgage and tax bill instead of an $850 rental bill. However, she failed to take a $150 homeowners insurance premium into account, and her budget was strained.

Over time, it’s not unusual for residential sidewalks to develop a few cracks or crumbles. To keep this damage from spreading too quickly, and to prevent potentially unsafe conditions, you’ll want to repair these problems before they get too big. This project guide offers steps and instructions on how you can repair those small cracks and crumbles yourself using just a few common masonry tools and a little bit of time.

You’ll be inspired to create the cabin of your dreams with the exciting collection of 62 cabin floor plans in “Compact Cabins.” These creative cabin designs feature innovative storage, mix-and-match modular elements, and off-the-grid energy options — all in less than 1,000 square feet.

Though cabins may have a small footprint, with good design, they can offer a comfortable living space. The challenge is to create that feeling of space in a small cabin. I find that, in particular, high ceilings and strategically placed windows make even very small cabins feel comfortable.