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It’s a rule of life: Money talks.

In the remodeling world, budget can be a four-letter word. But in order to have a successful experience, homeowners need to be honest about how much money they are comfortable spending.

Fortunately for you, we have a helpful article from The Washington Post that outlines several budget tips.

First, you need to decide on a goal. What do you want your home to look like? What area or areas of the home will you be working on? Do you want a spa-like master bathroom? Do you want to open up the kitchen?

Next, you need to figure out what you want everything to look like. Doing so will help pin down what kind of materials you will require. The materials you prefer will have different price points, so it’s helpful to pin those down and get a rough idea of their costs.

Doing these first two steps will lead you right into Step 3: Figuring out how to pay for everything.

Unless you are paying in cash, like the article notes, you will be borrowing the money from somewhere. Figure out whether that is a home-equity loan, a home equity line of credit, or a good old fashioned lending institution, the article says.

With those tasks completed, your attention must turn to the future: Is this a project in a forever home or are you probably going to sell at some point? If it is the former, feel free to splurge, the article says. If the latter, make sure you are getting the most return on your investment.

Now you are ready for your quotes. Contacting contractors will give you an idea of what your projects will cost. Going through quotes with a designer and contractor will help you figure out what you can save money on and where you should splurge. And don’t forget to budget a little extra (the article says 10 percent to 15 percent) for hidden expenses.

One thing you might not have thought to budget for in a remodel is something for your pet(s).

Yes, even our four-legged family members want to age in place. According to a post from Remodeling online, more homeowners are including dedicated dog showers in their remodel.

Have a great week!

December is here, which means it’s one major holiday down and one to go.

Chances are you will be entertaining company over the next few weeks. If so, it’s a good time to take inventory of how your living space responds to all the guests.

This article has several great tips on what to keep an eye on while you are entertaining and using your newfound information to guide your next remodeling project.

First up, take a look at how the people move around the place, the article suggests. Are things too cramped in one place or too vacant in another? Maybe guests keep bumping into each other in a certain area? The flow of your house is a great place to start when it comes to planning your next home remodel.

Next, take a look at your storage situation, the article says. Do you have enough storage for your kitchen items? What about your guests’ coats and purses? Now, with that storage in mind, is there a more efficient place it could be? The best storage situation is adequate and convenient. If your house is one or the other, a remodel can bridge the gap.

Finally, since you will be cooking your face off over the next month, take a good look at your kitchen. Can you move effortlessly between the refrigerator and stove? Do you risk an accident every time you forget to close the dishwasher? Make notes of things you’d like to improve, and take those notes to a designer. The solution is out there.

Speaking of entertaining, here’s a cool party trick for your next get together.

Memorize this list of most popular home renovations by state Google data that we came across on Architectural Digest. The study the article is based on was conducted by Empire Today, and their results are available here. Then, when you are chit-chatting with someone from the Southwest, tell them you know they’ve thought of renovating their living room. You will be the toast of the room. Maybe.

Have a great week!