You’ve probably heard that you can boost the value of your home by renovating or updating around the house. But which do-it-yourself projects will give you the most bang for your buck this spring? According to experts, some of the best fixes are the simplest ones:

With spring on our doorstep, it’s a great time to get out your paintbrushes and toolboxes to not only renew the look of your home, but increase its value too.

Your condo is a mishmash of whatever you’ve found through the years. It has no definable style. Want a home with style? There’s no need to go to school to learn the basics of interior design. Start with the fundamentals. Start with colour.

For consistency, the colour of your walls should be complimented by the furnishings and decorative items in your home.

Fabrics used in a room should be consistent. Choose one type of fabric to appear in several places of the room. This is known as the “anchor fabric”. For example, the same fabric can be used for the curtains, the sofa, and a chair. This anchor fabric should ideally have three or more colours. That way, it’ll be easier to match other furnishings and decorations in the room without being too limited. The colour of the walls should be the main background colour of the anchor fabric.

The experts even provide a helpful mathematical equation to the perfect colour consistency in a room based on the anchor fabric:

60% of the room in the background colour + 30% in the mid-tone colour + 10% in the brightest colours.

The brightest, accent colours are generally reserved for decorative items and trimmings.

Sinks. Typically made of stainless steel, they usually aren’t the focal point of kitchens. But a new trend may change that.

Designers and manufacturers have begun to replace the traditional metal sink with stone - particularly granite. Granite is a type of igneous rock (solidified molten magma) that has long been favoured by developers and contractors as an ideal material for surfaces that are exposed to the elements or are frequently used and abused. Countertops, floors, facades of buildings, and outdoor decorative items such as statues are typically made of granite. And now it’s the kitchen sink.

Granite is perfect for the sink. It is not only admired for its durability, being virtually scratch-resistant and able to withstand high temperatures, but it is also quite visually appealing. And since it’s a natural material, it is considered more “environmentally-sound” than the manmade alternatives.

We all know condos are great - they’re convenient, affordable, and easy to maintain. But sometimes, living in a condo can prevent you from getting the peace and quiet you deserve in a home. Loud music, arguments, babies crying, and stomping in the unit above can all make you lose precious sleep. A pillow over your head doesn’t work, so do something else more effective. Soundproof your home!

A simple way to protect your home from noise pollution is to seal all of the doors and windows to the outside world with caulking or foam sealant. Weather stripping under the front door can also help deaden noise traveling from the hallway.

Hardwood and marble flooring may be nice to look at, but it doesn’t do a thing for soundproofing. If the noise is unbearable, try installing thick carpet, and request good padding underneath. Linoleum or vinyl tiles can also help absorb sound.

Hang shades or curtains on the windows that have been specially designed for absorbing sound. These can be found at any store that carries a good selection of home decor products.

Some types of furniture can also help, like plush sofas.

There are companies that specialize in soundproofing condos. They can install an insulating layer over existing walls or ceilings.

Unless you’re in the penthouse, space is probably at a premium in your condo or loft. Though the locker in the basement is great, over time, it tends to get as jammed as your closets.

With the upcoming change of season, here are some tips for organizing your winter gear and getting on top of all that clutter you’ve been collecting during the snowy months.

If worst comes to worst, you can always prevail upon your family and friends in their spacious suburban homes. Put that extra space they’re always telling you about to good use by storing your winter gear!

Looking for a good reason to spruce up your condo this winter? How about improving your mental health? This is the time of year when up to 20 per cent of people experience the winter blues or SAD – seasonal affective disorder. Surprisingly, it is most commonly onset in urban dwellers and people who are in their early 20s.

SAD is characterized by regularly occurring episodes of depression during fall and winter, including increased desire for sleep, a bigger appetite, weight gain and irritability. It’s unclear what exactly causes it, but studies indicate that the disorder is connected with light exposure.

Brighten your mood this winter by filling your condo with light. Here are some ideas to make sure you’re getting maximum exposure:

Whatever your solution to bring more light into your life, it fortunately doesn’t have to be long-term. SAD typically disappears with the advent of milder weather and sunnier days.

We all know life’s hard, so why not make it a little easier in this technologically advanced age with a few nifty gadgets around your home?

Without having to do major changes to your condo or loft, thereby potentially violating any legal agreements/contracts, you can have some simple wiring done to install these cool functions.

Some of us spend a lot of time in the bathroom. Don’t miss your favourite shows just because nature calls. Install a tv strategically positioned in front of the toilet for your viewing pleasure!

You’re busy. Too busy to clean the floor, right? Before it gets too filthy beneath your feet, get a robotic floor washer/vacuum to clean hardwood flooring, linoleum and tile.

Can’t hear when someone’s calling you from the kitchen for dinner? Get an intercom or paging system installed.

And who wants to pull and yank those blinds when you can just push a button instead? Automated blinds are here to save the day!

Before you install anything, though, just make sure that it’s okay with the building.