Maintaining and improving your home enhances both your living style and your long-term investment. The money you spend on fixing up your property today will pay for itself in profits when you decide to sell. Painting your home indoors, and outdoors, is the fastest and easiest way to create the look you want, without spending a bundle.

The following tips will help you to get the job done faster, and smarter:

Shake Things Up

The first step to a great finish is to fully stir the paint before you begin. Even though paints are professionally mixed when you buy them, the colors can separate during storage and transportation. If you fail to completely stir the paint you can end up with an uneven finish. Using a stir stick can be tiresome, and your portable or electric drill offers a great alternative.

Cut a plastic clothes hanger into a long "J" shape and insert it into the end of your drill. This handy tool provides a time-saving and energy-conserving means of mixing the paint to perfection.

Avoid Drips

When painting with a brush, most people try to get rid of excess paint by scraping it against the rim of the can. Paint is wasted as it drips down the side of the can. Instead, try tapping or slapping the brush. More paint will remain at the end of the brush where it's needed, and the excess will fall back into the can. You'll be able to cover more area between dips, which is particularly important if you're making trips up and down the ladder.

Code Red or Code Blue?

Before you invest the time and expense painting the exterior of your home, make sure that you're aware of any building codes or restrictions in your area. Don't go to all the trouble of painting your stucco home a nice bright color if your neighborhood holds restrictions allowing only neutral tones. The height, size and color of fences and other outdoor appointments may also be held under code. Always check before painting, or all of your hard work may be in vain.

Get the Lead Out

In the United States alone, hundreds of thousands of children have been poisoned by the lead found in residential paints. Lead poisoning has been linked to health conditions including learning difficulties. One major cause is the old, peeling lead-based paints found in many homes. It's important that you strip and replace any deteriorating paint in your home.

Prime Yourself

Making sure that you're properly prepared for a painting job can help you to save money in the long run. A good primer coat will result in less time and paint needed for the finishing coat or coats.

There are other ways to save money by performing primary tasks yourself. For example, try beveling your fence posts to create a new look, rather than purchasing a whole new fence. With a radial saw and some basic geometry knowledge, you can cut perfect angles for your new picket fence.

Painting your home really is an easy way to create more equity, and greater profit when you're ready to sell. Follow these steps and you'll get maximum payoff for minimum investment.