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This is my favorite time of year!  December is a busy month full of time spent with family and friends.  People go out of their way to spread a little extra holiday cheer.  And homes are decorated beautifully.  There are so many beautiful trees and lights.

And while some people are sad to see Christmas end, I'm always excited about the thought of the new year.  2012 is just around the corner.  It's a time for fresh beginnings and new starts!  It's a time to turn your dreams into realities.

This week, my husband and I will sit down and create our budget for 2012.  We'll assess 2011, figure out what worked, what didn't work, and what we can do better.  One of the items that is now a must in our budget is our home decor/home improvement budget.

This is one of the areas that people often overlook in their budget, especially when they have limited funds.  Amazingly enough, it's one of those areas where a little money can go a long way.  By setting aside a little money each month, you can transform your home into a place you love to be.

Here are some great ways to make your home look a little fresher without spending a ton of money.

You know how great inventions seem so simple once someone has invented it? Here is a perfect example:  Most modern homes, or renovated older ones, end up with recessed can lighting all over the place. It's cheap, it does the job and it's inoffensive. But it also has no style and looks like you cheaped out on the decor, or couldn't make a decision. On top of that, while it's inexpensive to install,  taking them out has always required an electrician, a plaster guy, and then repainting.

Until now.

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Professional contractors and DIYers agree that Home Depot is the place to shop for all your home improvement project supplies. With great prices and selections, Home Depot is the largest retail home improvement store in the world. When planning your next shopping trip to Home Depot, you might want to consider these tips.

So, a few weeks ago I spent an entire three-day weekend in the crawl space under my house. This week is the last of the posts concerning things I did while under there. I promise. But like I said in that first post: the crawlspace is so horrible, if you have to go in best to do as many things as possible--like surgery.

It has always bothered me that it took about a minute to get good hot water out of my kitchen sink. Upgrading to a water conserving aerator last year just made things worse, now it was over a minute (because less water was flowing). My second bathroom and new washing machine were even further from the hot water heater, so they have to wait even longer for the hot water--but I'll just use the kitchen sink for this experiment.