Somehow the word sale always gets me. I can't help but look to see if there might be something that I – or you – might want. And when I found this article called Home Renovations on Sale about the decreasing price points for some important home renovation projects from CNNMoney.com (a service of CNN, Fortune and Money,) I just had to let you know. If you were on the fence, maybe now is the time to get off it and get some work done. It'll add equity to your home and did I mention there is a distinct price reduction from 2005 home renovation projects? I think I did! There's plenty of information on the page including the 5 top remodel projects that just got cheaper. It makes me want to start singing: money, money, money!

Are you ready for the upcoming 4^th of July festivities? I know I cannot wait. Bring on the cookout! Bring on the suntan lotion! And bring on the cold, frosty ones! Whatever your definition of cold, frosty one might be (I am Coca-Cola-kind-of-gal, truth be told) these great buckets from Kmart are perfect for filling with ice to make whatever you choose cold and frosty. The Essential Home Americana Party Buckets come in patriotic blue and red, are made of plastic and measure 18-1/2"L x 13"W x 9"H. The best part – are you ready? – is they are on sale for $6.49 each!

One of the things that I like most about blogging for Bright and Spacious is the opportunity to learn new things. And the possibilities are truly endless. Not only can I learn all about real estate, real estate finance, design, home improvement and the myriad ways to stretch your real-estate dollar, but I also get to discover innovative ways to help you do the same. When I first launched this blog I serendipitously found Darren and Jill Bloch and their company, Construction Coaches. Like the name says, their company provides coaching on your construction projects. If you've ever wanted to tackle a remodel or renovation job yourself, but just don't feel right about taking the plunge alone (or if you'd like to learn the skill-set to do-it-yourself) then maybe getting a construction coach is just what you need. It will definitely save you time and money, give you confidence in getting the job done right and teach you how to do-it-yourself. I know I love watching all those home improvement shows, but would really love someone to answer my questions as I go along. Construction Coaches provide just that sort of DIY help – and might be the right solution for you.

I asked Darren Bloch if he could tell us if construction coaching would be a good option for you. Here is what Darren said:

Could you use some DIY help and is DIY-help for you?

A souring economy and an explosion in DIY programming have gotten more people then ever trying to work through home repair and renovation projects on their own. This is a great trend as there are numerous projects homeowners can take on – realizing the saving and satisfaction at the core of DIY work. Unfortunately, the increased exposure has given some people a false sense of confidence (leading them to get in over their heads), and left others skeptical and even cynical about being able to get through larger projects that they know look almost too easy on television. Like most things, the reality of the situation is somewhere in the middle, but there are also new services looking to give DIY homeowners that extra boost of help and support to get started or get through their DIY projects. Below are a few tips to see if you could use some DIY help and if DIY help is for you.

With the weekend right around corner I know I should be thinking about rest and relaxation, but what I've been thinking about is my home "office." Ok, it is just the desk in my bedroom, but I really need more dedicated space and a true home office. What does that mean? Probably, it means getting organized and re-allocating my space. I wasn't sure what to do and that's when I came upon this home office makeover on Lifehacker. Maybe, it is just a tad too masculine and tech-y for my tastes, even though there is a major improvement from the before pic. When I found this post on Ramblings of A Renovating Couple, I knew I had found plenty of inspiration. So now I can get to work at home.

I am a big believer in asking the experts for their opinions. The key word here is opinion, although experts have a detailed knowledge base, they probably cannot answer your every question. Or maybe, you haven't even asked the right questions. And sometimes, something happens right out of left field. So here is what I recommend. Start with this week's real estate book club, What Your Contractor Can't Tell You: The Essential Guide to Building and Renovating, by Amy Johnston. It will help you avoid the pitfalls of creating a money pit – AND it will give you tons of resources so you can be well prepared for whatever home-building or renovating problem gets thrown at you. And that's a fact!

When I was apartment-hunting with friends last weekend I was struck by how much I loved the furniture. Since every place we visited was a new construction, the apartments had clearly been staged. If only I could move into a place and have it furnished (and furnished well) in the blink of an eye. By this time you know that means I started searching online for a good staging and rental furniture resource. And success! afr Furniture Rentals is just the place! They have different services including home staging (as well as furnishing your office!) But I knew they were a winner when I saw the end result of Allison Janney's New York City apartment (which was featured on LXTV – Open House NYC.)

In my almost never-ending quest to make my life easier (and please, if you have any suggestions, just send them right along!) I began doing a little research about dishwashers. Who has time for all that cleaning up after spending all that time prepping and cooking? Not this blogger, my friends. Unfortunately, my apartment kitchen is way too small for a conventional model, but then serendipitously, I found this portable counter-top model on Amazon.com.

All I can say is: who knew? EdgeStar's counter-top dishwasher is only 19.3 x 22.3 x 18.5 inches and weighs 39 pounds. You can hook it up on your counter-top or under most cabinets. It holds up to 4 place settings and it costs just $229.00 plus shipping and handling (approximately $40 for shipment out to Brooklyn, New York.) It's sleek, it's small and so very, very modern – and presto, my life just got easier.

Ok, this week's fantasy is running off to Italy and restoring a beautiful old stone house. Since I have about as much hands-on renovating skills as Silvio Berlusconi, I am sticking with this week's Real Estate Book Club book. Under the Tuscan Sun is Frances Mayes' memoir about buying, renovating, and living in an abandoned villa in Tuscany. So yes, let someone else do the renovating, let me enjoy scenes of rolling hills, tables filled with delicious foods and something called the sun (if you are living in the northeast, you know what I mean.) And if you are not feeling the book, check out the movie.

Every day I think about the topics and information that might be the most useful to all of you. With the advent of summer right around the corner, my thoughts turned to air conditioning. As an apartment dweller (of an over 100-year-old building) I have used an air conditioner in my bedroom window. My sister, on the other hand, has central air at home (ah, Heaven!) I know that adding central air to a home increases value, but it can also be a costly proposition. So I began my search and came across the House In Progress blog. I was immediately captured by their tagline: We call it home IMPROVEMENT because it can't get any worse. (I know you know what they mean, you home improvers out there.) They do a really nice job of explaining their cooling options, plus give a wonderful equation explaining why they put their time and resources into home cooling (Chicago+August=Yuck!) Again, we can all relate.

Do you have a home improvement story, suggestion or tip? Share it with us!

I can imagine so many things... the perfect Death-by-Chocolate dessert, my ideal vacation (somewhere along the Mediterranean,) the outcome of the final season of Lost, but give me an open space and I draw a big, old blank. I'm not sure if it has to do with too many choices, my poor spatial relationships or an utter lack of what-goes-well where. Thank goodness I have thousands of resources right at my fingertips. And since the weather is all glorious of late, I am turning my thoughts to outdoor rooms. I just visit My Home Ideas, clicked on Outdoor Rooms and let the great ideas scroll. (You can begin there, but you can find ideas for every room of your home as well as solutions to get the job done.)

In the past week, I've heard of two friends who will be adding to their families with a new addition. Yes, there will soon be the pitter patter of little feet, but before that, there will be the splish, splash of paint, the tap, tap, tap of new flooring and also the under-the-breath mumblings of the person designated to put all that baby furniture together. And if you happen to find yourself with an addition on the way, but also fresh out of ideas, let me tell you where to begin. If you're a traditional parent-to-be, then How Stuff Works has tons of great ideas for Decorating a Nursery. If you're more modern, then check out the Born Modern Baby blog and see how much style a mural can add (among other great ideas!)

My endless battle with clutter is still raging on. Even though it looks like clutter may be winning the battle, I know I am winning the war. I haven't reached my goal of getting rid 33% of my stuff, but I firmly believe that 25% has made its way out of my door. Why am I doing this? I am here to tell you that New York City apartments are small, small, small. My bedroom has a dual purpose (bedroom and office) and the other room in my house is a combination living room, dining room and kitchen. (I think of my hallway as the library and there is also a low dresser for linens.) I also have two small closets (filled to the rafters) and I confess to also having a small storage area in my basement. Clearly, not a wildly spacious existence, but since I started writing this blog, I've realized that small may be the way to go. And if you are going small then you need to de-clutter and get creative with storage space. Each piece you own must be multi-fuctional. So I ask you, what is the most creative storage piece or tip that you have to share? (I will be sharing mine in the comments.)

When it comes to design and decorating, I need all the help I can get. I am just not one of those "envisioners" who can see the potential – and/or the "quick fix" that will turn a room from so-so to spectacular. I wish I did have that talent, but truth be told, I know I can fake it. How? Well, by visiting Design*Sponge on a daily basis. From adding a touch of beauty to a room (check out Weeders Digest) to must-be-seen-to-be-believed lighting choices to the I-just-can't-get-enough of those before & afters, Design*Sponge has got all that and much, much more. So now even the design challenged (yes, that would be me) can envision (aka copy those ideas) and live in style.

I am sure you've heard that kitchens and bathrooms sell homes. But renovating a kitchen or bathroom can also break the bank. Have no fear. I am here to tell you that doing a little can go a long way. And I have a very budget-friendly suggestion. Updating your bathroom look can begin and end with a new vanity. So I gave myself a mission and went to Just Vanities. Find a great vanity for under $500. This is what I found.

This is an 18-inch vessel vanity in espresso with a black granite top. It sells for $253.23. It doesn't come with the sink, but if you want the one in the picture, just add an additional $151.11. That brings the total for vanity and sink to just under $500. Ok, tell me, how did I do?

What could be better than sitting out on a deck sipping some ice tea? I know that's where I'd like to be right now. Decks remind me of summer vacations and gathering with family and all those lovely things you can do close to home, but all the while still enjoying the great outdoors. We're almost in prime deck sitting season. If you don't have a deck, maybe you should consider one. Decks are a great way of adding living space to your home. It's also much cheaper than building a home addition. Where to begin? Let me lead you to the Deck Designer at Lowe's. It takes just a few minutes to register and then load the Deck Designer, but it is well worth it. Now, about that ice tea?