Warm up with indoor home improvements

FARGO - It's the middle of January, and you're looking at a list of New Year's resolutions, many of which fall under "home improvements."

This cold weather will pass, and when it does, you'll want to enjoy the outdoors-even if it means working on home projects outside.

So on these cold days, why not tackle some home improvement projects you can do from the cozy comfort of the great indoors?

Here are a handful of weekend projects that will improve the value of your home.

Flick the switch

Some of these improvements can be as easy as screwing in a lightbulb. That's no joke. New energy-efficient lightbulbs can be more than 500 percent more efficient and last more than 20 years, according to www.goodhousekeeping.com .

Not all of the new bulbs work or cost the same. Some, like Philips Energy Saver Mini Twister 13 W, took about two minutes to fully warm up, but at about $8 for a four-pack were among the most inexpensive and should last 10 years.

Empty your closet

Organizing your closet may sound easier than it proves to be, but making extra space and having things more accessible will make you feel like you accomplished something big.

Bring everything out of your closet and divide it into three piles-sell, donate, trash. If you're dealing with clothes and haven't worn the item in a year, get rid of it. If it has sentimental value and reminds you of a person, time or place, think if it's the best item that serves that purpose. If it isn't, ditch it.

The website www.housebeautiful.com suggests deciding where your donations will go to make you feel better about parting with items.

If you're storing more than clothes in the closets, don't stop to read or look through pictures, just put these things in a separate pile. After the closet is cleaned out, neatly put back the things you know you'll keep. Throw everything going to the trash and as soon as you can, bring items you're giving away to their next home. Now go through the paper and pictures you set aside, sort, organize and file them appropriately.

Check for drafts

Sure, you should've done this before it got cold outside, but now that the frigid air is trying to get in, you can tell what areas need fixing.

If air is getting through a gap between the bottom of the door and the floor, install a door sweep and use long pieces of weather stripping to seal gaps between the door and sides.

The website www.thisoldhouse.com suggests keeping the locks engaged on double-hung windows to make sure they stay closed tight and attach a long, single piece of adhesive-backed foam to the top edge of the upper sash to stop air leaks. If you won't be opening a window until spring, seal it with temporary caulking.

Don't forget to check outlets. If they are drafty, use socket sealers between the plate and the outlet to stop drafts.

Turn it up

You can give even an old home a bit of a technological upgrade by installing a smart thermostat that can be used from your smartphone. According to Consumer Reports, programmable thermostats could save a household about $180 a year.

However, the magazine's testing of various products showed that some were too complicated to operate efficiently, leading the EPA to pull Energy Star designation from the product in 2009. Do some research to find the one that's easy to use and install for your heating and cooling system.

Brush it up

If the winter blahs got you down, consider a new coat of paint to brighten up your home.

Painting a whole room may require opening some windows to get fresh air in, and the temperatures today and tomorrow may make that unlikely. Instead, consider a smaller space, like one accent wall, a door or cabinet doors to bring some color into your life.

Back it up

For the really motivated homeowner, consider a slightly bigger project, like adding a backsplash in your kitchen. Tiling a wall may seem intimidating, but a backsplash is smaller, making it a good starter space, and mesh-backed sheets of tile make the install easier. It's a relatively quick way to add color and texture to your kitchen.

1/5: Painting a door can brighten up your indoor spaces during winter months. Special to The Forum

2/5: Socket sealers help cut down drafts coming in through electrical outlets. Special to The Forum

3/5: Adding a backsplash in your kitchen or bathroom is a way to add color and texture to the space. Special to The Forum

4/5: Energy efficent lightbulbs can cut down on your energy bill and last up to about 20 years. Special to The Forum

5/5: Cleaning your closets can seem daunting but will reward you with improved space and better accessibility. Special to The Forum