Home improvement projects don’t have to be complicated to deliver a huge return on investment. Even better, the opposite is often true: a simple project means very few costs. Here, we’ve rounded up some of the best tips and secrets for a quick and easy DIY home improvement and renovation.

1. Avoid a Mess Of Renovation

Of course, a little mess is fine, but you will save a lot of your time if you don’t create a lot of mess of it in the first place. Dust gets into the lungs, causing scar tissue to form and your lungs can slowly lose their elasticity. Debris is a health hazard as well by producing security risks. Use Zipper Hatch Doors, Quick Support Poles to build dust barriers and Zipper Hatches for a hassle-free renovation. Made of quality resistant poly, all products can withstand wind, sun, salt and rain. Their size is perfect for dust and debris containment during renovation work.

2. Create a List of All DIYs

Take an honest look at your home and list everything that needs to be repaired or renovated. Then, mark the projects that you’ve yet to complete and add the materials and their prices. This way, you will stay on the right track and won’t forget anything.

3. Safety Is Your Top Priority

When you have a huge renovation project, debris is always a part of it and it can be a fall hazard. Use Floor Protection Boards, Surface Liners, and Carpet and Floor protection to keep your floor clean. They will create a safe passage to make sure you don’t scratch your floor or slip on debris. Don’t forget to protect the stairs as they collect lots of debris and dirt.

4. Get Lots of Buckets and Containers

You’ll have lots of equipment and tools to store and containers are your best friend. You will need them to store water, paint, and other mixtures. When you’re done with your projects, you can use them to throw out the dirt and debris.

5. Don’t Throw Out Old Garbage Cans

Garbage cans reduce the mess created by your tools. Just place a can under your saw or large drill to catch all the dust and your floor will stay clean. If you have lots of free space, get larger cans to store debris. Always have garbage bags and throw them away when they are full.

6. DIY A Simple Tool Stand

So, you have lots of tools and you’re excited to use them but have you thought about the storage? Before you start your DIY home improvement and renovation project, make sure you have a tool stand for your drills, chargers, saws, and fasteners. If you have your tools stored in different places, you will spend time searching for them so always keep them in one place.

Now, you have all your tools on a tool stand, but they should still be kept organized. You will use some tools more often than others, so prepare tool-kits to suit certain projects. You can add labels, such as plumbing, electrical, etc.

7. Never Work In the Dark

When you work on a new room, lighting is one of the last things you think of. Thus, you work in the dark, which is a huge mistake. You’re working slower and compromise your safety as well. In order to avoid this, always have a cord and a light-holder with you. Or you can just install the lights before working on other tasks.

8. Purchase Extra Fasteners In Advance

Fasteners are a vital part of every renovation project. Whether you need two pieces of material together, keep the door shut tight, make a strong bond or fasten something, you will need fasteners. You should have a separate container for your fasteners. You can’t get enough of them and you will save lots of time if you know where you store them.

9. Get a Compressor

A compressor is a vital piece of equipment of any DIY project. A compressor saves lots of times because it has the power of hammering, nailing, sanding and spraying in a fraction of the time required by other tools.

Compressors come in different sizes that depend on the project you’re doing. As a rule of thumb, a smaller size is better for the DIY home improvement and renovation as you can use it at the exact spot where you need it.

10. Arrange Your Lumber

Convenience aside, the big problem with lumber is that you can’t store it under your workbench, basement or garage floor. The concrete floor can do damage to wood – soaking moisture out of it during winter and sending it into it during summer. Make sure to prepare a platform on the floor and when you unload your lumber from the truck, separate it according to size so that you can easily get the right one when you need it.

11. Take Care Of The Nails

Don’t use your fingers to hold a nail in place, as you can hit your fingers and bend the nail. Get pliers to have full control over nails. Don’t leave the nails sticking out of the old lumber as it’s dangerous for everyone in your house. When you’re done with woodwork, pluck the nails out or bend them over.

12. Plan on Delays

Despite a careful plan, detailed schedule and having all materials on site, you can bet on a remodeling project running longer than you expected. And if you plan on doing a lot of the project yourself, expect a learning curve. “Whatever time you think it will take, double that,” says Cameron Snyder, president, Roomscapes Luxury Design Center, Boston, Mass., and past-president of the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). “Timing is critical in a bathroom project because you can’t do A until B is done, and so on.”

That said, allow leeway, because with the level of complexity involved in an all-out home renovation, you must count on “surprises” along the way. So don’t plan to entertain overnight guests the weekend after your bathroom project is slated for completion. Have that birthday party at a restaurant so you don’t have to deal with two messes in your house.

Have Fun With It!

Embrace the process and take plenty of before and work-in-progress photos. Keep your eyes on the prize—that dream kitchen, the updates you’ve been wanting for years, the features that will clinch a higher home sale price. Remember during all this dust and through all of the delays why you are doing this.

Local hardware stores are more than just places where you buy tools and supplies; they are owned by a local entrepreneur who had an idea, an interest and wanted to turn it into a business and help the local community. Unlike big box stores, local stores literally allow you to keep your money where your heart is. How? Let’s find out.

Local Employment

When you buy something at the local hardware store, you support a business that provides local people with jobs. Moreover, if you see a town where all of the youngsters have left to seek employment somewhere else, you see the consequences of not shopping locally.

Sense Of Community

We all need a feeling of belonging, and when you know your local shopkeeper, you increase the connection with your community. In addition, this has long-term benefits, too: a strong sense of community is really important for people’s well-being.

Save Time And Energy

When you don’t have a local hardware store, you have to travel further to get everything you need which is inconvenient and costly. Not to mention the fact that you can always pop to your local shop to get a last minute item; you’re ahead, everything is done within minutes.

Better Deals

Understandably, you may feel like you could get better deals by buying at the big box stores. But is it a false economy? If you drive extra to get something you need to add petrol, time, and wear and tear on your car to the actual cost of the item. And when you shop online, can you return the item for free if you didn’t like it? Most often, you have to pay for shipping.

Competitive Pricing

The prices at the big box stores are the same ones you will find throughout the country. However, local hardware stores set prices based on a local situation. They are more concerned about offering a good price to beat the local competitor rather than generating more profit. Thus, you are more likely to get a great deal at your local hardware store.

High-Quality Products

Big box stores are more concerned about making money than about customer satisfaction. They can place low-quality products next to good products and you never know which one you’re going to get. And they often get away with it because customers won’t bother to return an item.

However, you will have peace of mind knowing that your local hardware store offers only the highest quality products. Besides, local hardware stores sell products made in the USA, which means you are also supporting businesses based in America with your purchases. A good example of a local brand that produces quality products made in America is Zip-Up Products. The company is passionate about supporting local distributors and retailers. They work with local suppliers to produce professional grade containment and protection products.

Shopping locally is about making conscious decisions and understanding long-term and short-term consequences. So next time you’re heading to a hardware store, look around you at your community and imagine that all local businesses have disappeared. And bear this in mind the next time you decide to shop in a big box store.

Learn how to paint like a pro!

Professional Painting Tips From The Experts at Zip-Up Products will make your next paint job a success. Learn how to paint like a pro!

Painting the walls of your home is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to personalize your home and add a touch of life to every corner. However, going into this project blindly can result in messy mistakes and frustrating results. It is for this reason that some people choose to turn to professional painters. However, if you’re looking to save some money and hone your handyman skills, here are a few professional tips for a flawless paint job.

1. Wait for dry weather.

Humidity means drips and slow drying, so avoid painting on a rainy day. If you must paint when it’s humid, take your time — and take advantage of slow-drying paint to correct your errors before moving on to the next coat. But don’t overwork, or it will show when you’re finished.

2. Patch up, clean and prime your walls before beginning.

Whether you realize it or not, over time your walls become marred with nicks, scuffs and craters Any cracked, flaking, or peeling areas need to be lightly sanded or scraped (and then thoroughly rinsed) before applying new primer and paint, because the weight of the new coat will pull the old paint loose. Greasy spots may also need a bit of washing with soap, followed by a rinse with clean water. Otherwise, give the walls a quick wipe-down with a damp cloth so that paint will have a clean, dust-free surface to stick to.

3. Buy High Quality Brushes and Roller Covers.

If you’re splurging on great paint, you definitely don’t want to pinch pennies on the application. Good brushes and roller covers give excellent coverage so that you don’t waste time and paint on re-application, and high-end painter’s tape is the real deal when it comes to sealing out drips and blurs.

4. Be sure to purchase plenty of painter’s masking tape.

By placing this tape over the molding and along the edges, you can easily avoid messy lines – but you need to make sure you buy the real deal. Zip-Up brand Painter’s Blue Masking Tapes are high quality, durable and seals tight for a razor-sharp line and easy to remove when job done. However, you won’t save any time or money by using masking or scotch tape as the variations may pull the paint off the wall and leave unsightly spots.

5. Mix all cans of paint to ensure consistency.

Unfortunately, the color of your paint can vary slightly between cans – even if they look identical. Often, it’s hard to notice this slight difference until you’ve begun painting. To avoid this, pour the paint from each can into a large plastic tub or bucket and mix with a paint stirrer. The resulting color will be flawless and professional.

The next day,simply remove the gear from cold storage 30 minutes prior to painting, and it’ll be supple and ready for use. Properly wrapped paintbrushes and roller sleeves can be stored this manner for several days if you’re tackling a really ambitious job.

6. Paint the trim first, then the ceiling and walls.

Pros usually follow a certain order when painting a room. They paint the trim first, then the ceiling, then the walls. That’s because it’s easier (and faster) to tape off the trim than to tape off the walls. And you certainly don’t want to tape them both off! When painting the trim, you don’t have to be neat. Just concentrate on getting a smooth finish on the wood. Don’t worry if the trim paint gets onto the walls. You’ll cover it later when painting the walls. Once the trim is completely painted and dry (at least 24 hours), tape it off (using an “easy release” painter’s tape), then paint the ceiling, then the walls.

7. Sand trim between coats for an ultra-smooth finish.

One coat of paint usually won’t hide the underlying color and sheen on trim. And if you don’t sand the surface smooth between coats, the finish may have a grainy texture. For a smooth finish, sand the trim before applying each coat of paint. Sand the trim with a fine-grit sanding sponge. Sponges get into crevices where sandpaper can’t go and let you apply even pressure. Then apply the first coat of paint, let it dry at least 24 hours, lightly sand it again for a completely smooth surface, and apply the second coat. After each sanding, vacuum the trim, then wipe it down with a tack cloth to remove the dust.

8. Roll paint along the edges for consistent texture.

Corners and areas next to trim that are painted only with a brush have a notice- ably different texture than the surrounding paint. To ensure the finished texture will be consistent in these areas, brush on the paint, then immediately roll it out before the paint dries. Use a 3-in. roller with a nap that’s the same thickness as the roller used for the rest of the wall. Roll as close as you can without bumping the opposite wall or slopping paint onto the trim. Finish brushing on the paint and rolling it out in one area before moving on to the next section.

9. Feather out paint where you can’t keep a wet edge.

You can’t cover large areas like ceilings, extra-tall walls or stairwells in single, continuous strokes, so the best way to minimize lap marks on these areas is to feather out the paint along the edges that you can’t keep wet. The thinner, feathered coat of paint will avoid the buildup that causes the lap mark. To paint a large section without leaving lap marks, roll the nearly dry roller in different directions along the dry edge, feathering out the paint as you go. After completing the entire length of the wall or ceiling, move to the next section and paint over the feathered edges. For the second coat, apply the paint in the opposite direction. This crisscrossing paint application sharply reduces (if not eliminates) lap marks.

10. Storing overnight.

When you’re done painting for the day but still have more to do tomorrow, you don’t have to go through the laborious process of cleaning your paintbrushes and paint-roller sleeves. Instead, simply brush or roll off the excess paint, then tightly wrap them in plastic food wrap. If necessary, double up the plastic to seal out any air, then place the wrapped brushes and roller sleeves in the refrigerator to keep them fresh. This might sound crazy, but it works—it’ll keep the paint from drying overnight and rendering your equipment unusable.

The next day,

simply remove the gear from cold storage 30 minutes prior to painting, and it’ll be supple and ready for use. Properly wrapped paintbrushes and roller sleeves can be stored this manner for several days if you’re tackling a really ambitious job.