Summer is usually a time when people come and go, leave their doors and windows open more and also let the warmer weather lull them into a more casual attitude toward safety.

Home burglars seem to know this – and act accordingly, breaking into more homes and yards during July and August than any other month of the year, safety experts say.

Every day in the United States, a home burglary takes place about every 15 seconds and most often between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Protect your home and family this summer – and avoid becoming a statistic – by making the following moves to secure your home:

Laundry -- no matter how hard you try to avoid it, it keeps coming back, time and time again. While this task may be endlessly daunting, part of your despair might actually be coming from your space itself. 

If you're like many homeowners, you've focused your design efforts on the rest of the house, leaving the laundry room as an after-thought that's probably deserving of some much-needed TLC. With some well-planned organizational tools -- and a few perfect splashes of paint -- you might be surprised at how much dread this household duty can eliminate from your day-to-day life.

Ready to hate laundry less? Here are a few tips to help you as you remodel your laundry room:

Living in Nevada, there are few things more desirable than having a pool in your own backyard. A private pool is a beautiful home improvement offering real value during the long hot, summer days in Las Vegas. Whether your aim is having a place in which you can up your fitness routine with afternoon lap sessions or somewhere to entertain your children and their friends, pools simply rule. 

There is however one caveat, pool ownership requires a good maintenance routine. Something as simple as a blocked filter can lead to frustrating and sometimes expensive repairs when not fixed in time. Plus, no one wants to swim in green water full of miscellaneous debris. Keep your pool looking great longer with these key pool maintenance tips:

The best interior designers know: when you want to add stylish touches to your living room, it's not how much money you spend; it's how you spend it.

Most important? Remain true to what you love and the colors that energize you. You'll be more inclined to take chances, make unusual groupings and create a living room that carries your signature touch. And that's what real style is all about.

When you want to splurge but have to save, consider these seven ideas:

The next time someone asks you if you're “in the zone,” you may ask which zone they're referring to. If you're standing in the kitchen, the answer should be self-evident – at least if you're as organized as kitchen designers say you could be.

They recommend grouping your kitchen activities around three critical zones: the refrigerator, sink and range-oven. Since key functions take place in each of these zones, certain tools and accessories should be stored close-by to enhance efficiency.

While everyone can benefit from this “kitchen rethink” exercise, it may be particularly useful for people who hurriedly unpacked their kitchen when they first moved in. (And that's probably a lot of people.) Considering most Americans spend more than an hour a day in the kitchen, the “three-zone” notion should hold considerable appeal, no matter how much storage space a kitchen features.

A rug can help unify the décor and furniture in any room of your home. Whether you’re looking for a bright focal point or would like a more neutral-colored rug that puts emphasis on your furniture, a rug is a versatile way to enhance your home.

While choosing the texture, color, and pattern of your rug is important, so is its size. One too large or too small for the space will look out of place and discordant with the rest of the room.

The following tips will help you select the proper size rug for your home:

It's one of the most buoyant moments any nester can experience: walking into someone's kitchen with neutral expectations and feeling as if you were struck by a thunderbolt of inspiration.

It's not as though you're looking (and staring) at something you haven't seen before. It's just seeing this feature in a kitchen, with this particular presentation, has captured your imagination in such a gripping way you cannot wait to rush home to replicate the idea in your kitchen.

Run with these four ideas – and add your signature touch to make them distinctly your own:

It's a fact of residential life: most kitchens are located in the rear of a home. And the rear of a home features many walls that block light.

Walls contain windows, so the challenge is set right there: How do you optimize light in a kitchen, no matter what its size? Five ideas are worth considering – and all of them can be enhanced with the right interior shades:

1. Under-cabinet lighting

Which can counteract light-blocking cabinets from reaching the countertops, where you need light most. Optimize rope or puck lights by installing them close to the front edge of cabinets so they illuminate the countertop, not the wall. Install a thin, 1- to 2-inch valance along the lower edge of the cabinet to keep the bulbs from shining directly into your eyes.

Even the most skilled DIY-er can't do it all, and there is something to be said about learning from your mistakes. While some mistakes can be easily rectified, others can wind up costing you more than you bargained for—especially when it involves caring for, repairing, or maintaining your home. Avoid some of the most common home mistakes by doing a little more research before you begin your project, or eliminate them altogether by hiring a professional for jobs beyond your skill set. 

7 Home Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make

Whether you’re upgrading your home to sell or for your own enjoyment, home renovations can help improve the value of your home. With a well-planned renovation project, you can expect to recoup about 75 cents of every dollar you spend on the upgrade. Not sure which renovation will give you the most bang for your buck? Here are a few of the best home improvement projects along with interior shades to increase your home’s value.

Kitchen Remodel

A modern, updated kitchen is at the top of almost every home buyer’s wish list. Even a small investment in this room can have a tremendous impact on your home’s value. A fresh coat of paint, new countertops, new appliances, and new flooring can breathe new life into this space. Stainless steel appliances and quartz countertops are currently the most sought after features. These updates can increase your home’s selling price anywhere from 3 to 7 percent.

Interior Shades

Your spring maintenance checklist should include five essential outdoor projects. Left unattended, they can end up costing you dearly in more serious repairs that could require remediation by professional contractors.

This scenario should add urgency to any list, but there can be light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. After you're finished inspecting your windows, reward your efforts with new exterior solar shades from America's leading shade manufacturer – and save this list for easy reference next year.

Exterior projects can culminate in new exterior solar shades

If you're straining to see the exact color of your ready-to-roll summer outfits, your windows may be trying to “tell” you something: It's time to maximize the natural light in your home, just in time for summer, when the longer days will mean more hours of daylight.

Five ideas will help brighten the rooms in your home, no matter what their exposure to the sun:

1. Begin with a clean slate

Yes, your windows probably look clean from a distance (as most things do). If your home is like many others, it might be a toss-up between which side of the window is dirtier: the inside or outside. It's been nearly four years since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that levels of indoor pollutants are often two to five times higher than those of outdoor pollutants. You can count on a vinegar-water mix to cut through the grime on both sides of your windows, leaving a sparkling, streak-free shine.

Is the hot water in your home burning through your wallet? Fortunately, switching to greener, eco-friendly habits is easy and efficient. For example, adjusting the temperature setting on your hot water heater a few degrees cooler can go a long way in reducing your electricity usage. Which is great for the environment and your bank account.

Remember, saving money with an eco-friendly house is mostly about making small lifestyle and home material changes. Continue reading to learn more about the simple ways you can have a big impact on reducing your home's carbon footprint:

5 Ways to Save Money with Eco-Friendly House Habits & Improvements

1. Look for the Energy Star label. When the time comes to replace your household appliances, be sure to choose a new product with an Energy Star label. This label is a type of certification given to products that use significantly

Home offices have become integral to the modern home, with more people running home businesses and working from home on a regular basis. With so many activities occurring in this space, home office design continues to evolve. Some trends are functional, others cosmetic.

Here are some features trending in 2017 for home office design.