Keep Your Home Safe Without Compromising Style

(Family Features) Home accidents cause nearly 13 million injuries a year. Some simple updates to your home can help you avoid these accidents, as well as give your rooms a facelift.

“People often think that home improvement projects mean a complete overhaul of a room,” said Matt Muenster, a licensed contractor, designer and HGTV and DIY Network TV host, “but there are dozens of smaller updates that people can DIY that can have a big impact on the room. It’s the subtle details that make a difference in how you use and enjoy the space.”

To get your home makeover underway, try these tips from Muenster, who has teamed up with 3M, to keep your home both safe and stylish:

• The Less Clutter, the Better: Sometimes the bulky knife block can be an eyesore or take up too much space on small countertops. If you are looking for new and interesting ways to store sharp knives, try installing magnet strips on the backsplash in the kitchen. This will not only keep your counter clutter free, but give your kitchen some flair.

• So Fresh and So Clean: Enjoy fresh, filtered water at home without having a bulky filter attached to the faucet or the hassle of constantly refilling a pitcher. The new 3M Maximum Under Sink Water Filtration System stays out of sight while allowing high water flow from your existing faucet. The system, which is available at Lowe’s stores or Lowes.com, is easy to install using just a screwdriver, wrench and drill, and the quick-change filter lasts up to six months. Best of all, it reduces contaminants that may be in your water, including 99.3 percent of lead, as well as microbial cysts, chlorine taste and odor, sand, sediment, rust and soil. Learn more at 3M.com.

• Step It Up: Have kids at home? Put a stepstool that slides into the toe kick beneath the sink so that your kids are able to roll it out like a drawer and step up to wash their hands. This is also great for parents who have young chefs in the house who like to help out in the kitchen.

• A Soft Landing: If you find yourself having “butterfingers” more often than not, try putting down flooring that is made from a soft material like cork in the working areas of the kitchen. This way, you can help prevent breakage next time something slips through your fingers.

• Get a Grip: If you are planning a bathroom remodel or simply want to make a change, choose tile with textured surfaces. This will make them less slippery under wet, bare feet. Smaller tile with more grout also helps prevent slippery surfaces.

• Let There Be Light: Whether it’s a trip to the kitchen for a midnight snack or to the bathroom in the middle of the night, toe kick LED lighting that is connected to a motion sensor can be a great nightlight that doesn’t always have to be left on.

A kitchen or bathroom remodel can be big or small, but with some planning and the right tools, the projects can be accomplished using your own hands. By tackling these projects yourself, not only will you have the assurance that your home is safer without sacrificing style, but your new space will also feel extra special.

Sponsored by 3M