You can maximize your closet storage space by installing a closet organizational system.  The best systems take into account the size of your closet and the type of things you will be storing.  The coat closet organizer pictured here is from the Martha Stewart Living website.  It uses the space beneath hanging coats for shelving that keeps shoes neatly sorted.  Individual bins hold scarves and hats for each family member and a bucket is used for umbrellas.  Even the closet door plays a part with hooks for purses and tote bags.

Martha Stewart has a variety of online tools to help you design your perfect closet storage system.  Design your dream closet organizational system at MarthaStewartClosets.com.

Each year, HomeGain.com conducts a Home Sale Maximizer survey.  The 2011 survey questioned 600 real estate agents to determine which home improvement projects deliver the biggest resale bang for the buck.  Here are the top 5 home improvements that realtors recommend for homeowners who are planning on putting their homes on the market.

Decluttering and cleaning tops the list and was recommended by 99% of survey participants.  With an average cost of about $300, this improvement has a return value of $2,000.  That’s a 586% return on investment (ROI).

Read more details about this survey on HomeGain.com.

When a young person makes the transition from teenager to adulthood, it’s great if their bedroom can transition along with them.  This is especially important for college students who stay at home and don’t live on campus.  An updated décor will help them create a new adult identity.  During the remodel process, years of childhood and adolescent clutter can be cleared out and a dedicated space for studying can be created.

Many young people like the clean lines and simplicity of IKEA furniture.  You can browse through the IKEA catalog online, then visit the IKEA website for interactive tools that will help you become your own interior designer.

For some great ideas on how IKEA furniture and accessories can be used to remodel a young man’s room, see this YouTube video.

You can make big changes in a small kitchen without tearing down any walls. Inexpensive modification like redoing cabinet doors and adding colorful touches like a tile backsplash will add character and create eye-catching focal points. In the photo above, the wall behind the range has been lined with small decorative tiles that are available in easy-to-install mesh sheets. Frosted doors on the cabinets contribute to a modern, streamlined look.

See more ideas for enhancing a small kitchen on the Better Homes and Gardens website.

Since 2006, more than 6.5 million American families have faced home foreclosure and hundreds of thousands more are currently on the brink. According to Equifax, the global financial information company, there are signs that the era of foreclosure is coming to an end:

• There has been a steady decline in delinquent mortgages over 90 days (down 18% from a year ago).
• New foreclosures are down 29% from a year ago.
• June was the ninth straight month with decreased foreclosure activity on a year-over-year basis.

These are hopeful signs that the foreclosure era is drawing to a close. However, any new economic disaster that returns the U.S. to double-digit unemployment could drive up the foreclosure rate again.

Read more about the signs that the foreclosure era is ending on the Equifax Real Estate blog.

Fashion designers have been channeling the 1970s this season, and now home décor designer Jonathan Adler is bringing a 70s retro touch to the living room. His handcrafted Bargello needlepoint pillows feature psychedelic designs in rainbow hues as well as earth tones. Each pillow features a feather/down insert, hidden zipper and soft velvet backing. They range in price from $120 to $175. A bit pricey for a pillows, but they’ll be the focal point of any room.

See more pillow designs on the Jonathan Adler website.

The simple wooden dog house used to be a staple of the suburban home.  As houses have grown, so have dog houses.  Now there are dog houses that resemble architectural landmarks or are designed with almost any type of architectural style from Mexican hacienda to Colonial  mansion.

La Petite Maison is one of the top custom dog house companies.  The dog house shown in the picture above was designed by La Petite Maison to match the owner’s home.  Their unique dog houses including heat, air conditioning, wallpaper, crown moldling, windows, doors and landscaping.

See some amazing designer dog houses and examples of barkitecture in this YouTube video from the CBS Sunday Morning show.

If you’re feeling cramped in your home but don’t want to make the commitment of adding square footage, you might want to consider the untapped potential in your garage.

Like any remodel, a garage conversion must meet local codes and will probably require a building permit.  Also, you should consult an architect or qualified contractor before making any structural changes.

You can visit the Sunset Magazine website to see how a husband and wife designer and landscape architect team turned their detached two-car garage into a combined office and studio.

Ethan Allen, one of the largest U.S. furniture manufacturers, recently introduced five new furniture lifestyle collections – Elegance, Modern, Romance, Explorer and Vintage. 

If you’re not sure what your signature style is, visit the Ethan Allen website and take the “What’s your signature” quiz.  After viewing a series of images and clicking on those that grab you first, your signature style will be identified (it correctly identified my style as Vintage).  Then you can take a virtual tour of rooms designed with your style in mind.

Find out more about your signature style on the Ethan Allen website or visit one of the 300 Ethan Allen stores located across the U.S.

During the warm summer months, it’s hard to maintain healthy container plants without constant watering.  Keep your yard full of color in the dog days of summer by filling your containers with plants that can thrive in the heat of the sun.  Here are a few or our favorite heat-loving container plants:

Lantana – Attract butterflies with this colorful plant that features variegated flowers in shades of yellow, orange, red, pink and white.

Mandevilla – This fast-growing flowering vine is known for large trumpet-shaped blossoms in shades of red, white and pink. 

Pentas – This hardy plant will produces clusters of starry pink, white and red flowers all summer long.

Read more about sun-loving container plants at the Better Homes and Gardens website.