Can’t wait to go on vacation but can’t stop worrying about your unoccupied house while you’re gone?

This is a common anxiety producer for homeowners. It’s hard to relax and enjoy your vacation if you are busy worrying about a potential water main break or vandals or even a heavy rainfall or hailstorm.

It’s important to plan accordingly when you leave on vacation. There are simple steps to protecting your home while you’re gone. Most of the scheduling items are common sense, DIY actions; others may involve finding a person to help while you’re gone.

It's time to usher in summer and warmer days ahead. Even if the temperatures don't reflect it, summer does officially begin June 21st.

Hopefully, we will start to see hot afternoons which signal it's time to get the yearly maintenance done on your mower and other lawn equipment, and break out the gardening tools and plan some outdoor projects.

But before you start grabbing your work gloves, spend some time thinking about the areas of your house that were neglected over the winter and spring, and making the necessary fixes. Listed below are some of the best summer home maintenance tips.

-- Written by Andrew Rombach, a content associate from LendEDU – a consumer education resource and personal finance authority.

There are many advantages to embarking on a home improvement project. Making well-thought out upgrades will raise the resale value of your home and will help turn it into a worthwhile investment. Plus, home improvement projects are fun and will make your home a more enjoyable place to live.

The downside of these benefits is that home improvement projects don’t come cheap. Most homeowners have to figure out a way to pay for them, and it takes a lot of time and planning to see them through to completion.

If you can’t pay for the project on your own, there are many financing solutions to help you out. This article explains three financing alternatives as well as some of the benefits and drawbacks of each.

Need help with your spring cleaning? This time of year usually brings out the "nesting" instinct in all of us. It's a great time to declutter, clean and get ready for warmer temperatures.

Good news: I just finished painting my master bathroom.

Bad news: I forgot to check the best paint colors of 2019.

Good news: The green I selected is pretty close to PPG’s “Night Watch” which made the list of “best of.”

Whew.

Are you in need of energy efficient HVAC tips that will help you save money and the environment in the process? January is a great time of the year to evaluate the energy costs of your home and make the necessary adjustments to keep your home comfortable and operating in the most cost efficient way.

You don’t have to be an interior design expert to add some flair to your home. Whether the furniture or walls are looking a bit tired or you’re still using fluorescent light bulbs, there are numerous easy fixes to bring your residence up to snuff.

If your house is still stuck in the 20th century, make 2019 the year that it reflects some of the recent trends. It doesn’t have to be costly to add some signature pieces to accent your home. Explore new colors for your walls, replace furniture that is worn or lacking appeal or buy that piece of art you’ve been eyeing for awhile.

Read our interior design tips to help you keep your home up-to-date and looking fabulous.

Just because you live in an older home doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a “smart” home. With the advent of wireless technology and voice recognition, you don’t have to pine for a “new” home anymore. Virtually all the latest technology is wireless so you don’t have to rip out drywall and add wires. With the touch of a button, a tap on your smartphone or the sound of your voice, you can instantly transform your home into a high tech haven.

Designing for a small space can be equally, if not more, difficult than planning a big space. Here are some great pieces when too much square footage is not your problem. 

Photo courtesy of Fusion Light and Design

When it comes to updating or renovating your home, one of the most overlooked and misunderstood functions is the lighting. Homeowners are often lulled into acceptance with the existing recessed canned lighting, a few lamps and a few night lights.