Did you realize that the average home consumes over 50 percent more energy than a car? If you’re like most homeowners, finding a way to make your residence both eco-friendly and appealing is a top priority. Adding things like smart thermostats, solar panels and recycling bins can help you reduce your home’s carbon footprint substantially.

Once you have these environmentally friendly additions in place, you may start to get the itch to remodel certain parts of your residence, and the key to success with home improvement projects is planning them in detail. Finding a way to think three steps ahead can help you avoid getting stuck on a job due to poor planning. Before you start a project, sitting down and making a list of the materials that are needed is important.