If you’ve been following my Cooking with Shelby blogs, you know that I’ve been trying to become a real-life grown-up. Recently, my husband and I have the opportunity to move into our first real house as a married couple. This new house is all open, which means there won’t be much hiding our clutter (read: junk) in a back room that no one ever goes into (Who does that?? Also: I do that.). It’s an older house, too, which means that it could use some modern improvements, like updated floors and appliances. Boring.

What isn’t boring, though, is the fact that I get to paint and decorate the house however I want to. We’ve been perusing home improvement stores and websites, and I wondered if the Aurora Public Library District would have anything I could use.

I was in luck! The library has plenty of volumes about home improvement and home decorating. Where should I start?

We have books on kitchen remodeling, bathroom makeovers, and exterior home repairs. We have books on DIY plumbing, wiring, and other home projects. We also have books on decorating your new space, or sprucing up your old space. We have information on painting, choosing and installing new floors, and, you know, books on how to keep your new house clean once it’s pieced together the way you want it.

Once you’re in your new home, maybe you’ll want to start a garden. I thought about it, but I’m worried I’ll kill the poor plants before they sprout. Luckily, we have plenty of beginning gardening books to get me started!

Sometimes I think about a project I would like to do after the library has closed. Luckily, the Indiana Digital Download Center also has a wide variety of home improvement , design, and decorating information that I can download right to my Kindle from home without ever leaving the house!

I’m so excited to get started renovating my new home! Hopefully you’re excited, too, to start your next big project!

Happy Reading!