While some people are looking for the perfect home with everything they need, others prefer one they can fix themselves. Our real estate agents can help you find the fixer-upper home of your dreams and even recommend improvements to suit your needs. The only issue is finding time to do them. Especially when you work full-time, it's easy to start projects that then sit unfinished for months. The solution is to start small and work your way up. Here are a few DIY projects that will greatly improve your home but can be completed in a weekend.

• Cabinets. If you have wood cabinets, try removing and sanding or staining the doors. A lighter stain gives them a cheery, modern feel, while a darker one can make them feel more elegant or rustic. You can also paint them to give the room a pop of color. And try swapping out the knobs and hinges with ones more in line with your aesthetic.
  
  
• Window Box. Build a wooden box the width of your kitchen window. Fill it with soil from the gardening store and add a variety of colorful flowers that thrive in sunlight. Mount the box beneath your window, and you'll be able to see and tend them from the kitchen. You can also use the box as an herb garden, allowing you to pick fresh basil, thyme, rosemary, or other herbs as needed for whatever you're cooking.
  
  
• Storage Space. After packing up all your stuff to move into one of the many beautiful Akron homes for sale, you've realized something: You have a lot of stuff. Rather than let it pile up, like in your old home, it might be prudent to create spaces where things can be stored conveniently but are easy to access. Add a shelf that wraps around the kitchen wall to put herbs, spices, and other common ingredients. Underneath that, put hooks for pots and pans. Add a shelf in the bathroom, too, to put extra toilet paper and spare towels. Or consider adding a set of drawers under the bed, where you can store seasonal linens, pillows, etc., when they're not in use.
  
  
• Window Upgrades. When looking at North Canton homes for sale, one of the most important questions to ask is, "How much will this house cost to heat and cool?" Fortunately, there are upgrades you can make to lower those costs. One of the simplest is installing energy-efficient windows. By replacing your single-paned windows with double-paned ones, you add insulation that filters the heat out in the summer. Some even have argon between the panes to insulate even more. You can also get windows treated with a special coating that blocks out harmful UV rays. By installing Energy Star-rated windows, you can reduce your energy bills by up to 25%.
  
  
• Paint and Wallpaper. Painting your entire house will take more than a weekend. However, if you do one room at a time over the course of three or four weekends, suddenly the project becomes doable. Go in prepared. Choose the color you like and ensure it goes well with your decor. For wallpaper, get the self-adhesive kind that's easy to apply and easy to remove. With a little planning and a little dedication, you can have the whole house looking like new over the course of a month or two.

Whether you want to customize your home to meet your needs or you prefer something that's ready to go, we can help you find what you're looking for. Contact us to start looking for a home you'll love.