Once your house is safe, then you can move on to the fun stuff.

If you don't want to spend a bundle, fresh paint is one of the least expensive ways to make a dramatic impact in a room - whether it's a warm red dining room, a vibrant orange kitchen, a subdued blue powder room, or a luscious purple bedroom. If you don't like it or grow tired of it, you can always paint again.

And if you plan on selling in the near future, painting will give you the biggest bang for your buck. If you're painting the exterior of your house, you'll vastly improve your curb appeal. And if you're giving your interior some fresh paint, you'll brighten your rooms and give them a clean, inviting look.

Another way to change the look and feel of your home is to add strategically placed lighting. Lighting can even make a small space feel larger.

Sara Susanka, a Minnesota architect best known for her books, The Not So Big House (Taunton Press, 1998), Creating the Not So Big House (Taunton Press, 2000), and Not So Big Solutions for Your Home (Taunton Press, 2002), says a mix of lighting in different intensities adds interest and depth to a small space. For example, she suggests combining uplighting in a corner, a pool of light from a table lamp and accent lighting on an interesting feature.

"It's the contrast that makes it (the space) feel bigger," Susanka says.

And today's decorative lamps and fixtures do more than illuminate. You can choose from decorative sconces, chandeliers, and table and floor lamps in a variety of shapes, styles and finishes that take a room from drab to dramatic with the flick of a switch.

Another way to add value to your home is by landscaping. The right landscape can increase the value of your home by 15 percent, allowing you to recoup 100 to 200 percent of your investment, according to the Association of Landscape Contractors of America.

That's not all. The U.S. Department of Energy says landscaping is the best long-term investment for reducing heating and cooling costs. And according to the American Public Power Association, landscaping can reduce air conditioning costs by up to 50 percent.

Or maybe it's time for new appliances. Products with the Energy Star label deliver the same or better performance as comparable models while using less energy and saving money. If all consumers, businesses, and organizations in the U.S. use Energy Star products over the next ten years, the national annual energy bill would be reduced by about $200 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

If it feels like you have too many choices, make a list, detailing the projects you'd like to tackle. Then determine which projects and purchases have priority and which will be put on hold. Remember, your home is always a work in progress - don't try to do too much at once.