Tip: Take better photos of your home

On Friday, I suggested that you snap a few shots of your home to help better evaluate your decor. So, it seemed only fitting that today we looked at how to make those photos better - a lesson that I'm working on myself.

Lighting is, of course, the biggie. So, open the blinds and capitalize on daylight. If possible, try to position yourself so that the primary light source is behind you.  And remember that using your flash can make the shot look blown out, or give you bright streaks bouncing back off glass or mirrors, so experiment a bit to make sure you get at least one usable shot.

Turn on the lights and light any candles. Layering lights adds visual interest and can create a bit of drama in your shot.

Don't forget to survey the scene as a whole. Tidy up cords (or try to get them out of frame), clean up the space (there's nothing pretty about a fingerprint smudged faucet or frame), and avoid angles that obstruct or cut off items in your lens. A whole chair often looks better than a third of it in the shot.

And don't forget to make it look a little lived in. All those great shots in magazines include carefully positioned signs of life - small details that tell you a little about the inhabitants and provide evidence that people do in fact live there. For example, a set dinner table looks a lot better, and a lot more realistic, if the glasses aren't empty. A slightly askew pile of books is more interesting than a fully cleared surface.

Take lots of pictures, too. While a shot may look cluttered on your camera, a closer crop or a little photo editing magic on the computer may turn it into exactly what you need.

For more tips, check out Apartment Therapy's post on this subject.

Read more tips from "Make life easier" March (and please share your own tips in the comments, too!)

- Speed wallpaper removal

- Remove stickers and price tags

- Keep your bathroom mirror from fogging up

- Cut down on painting cleanup

- Banish tea (or coffee) stained mugs

- Quiet that dripping faucet

- Make sure your furniture fits before you buy

- Don't let your paint can drip on the floor

- Why every tool box should include nail polish

- Check those smoke alarms

- Whip that closet into shape

- Remove red wine stains

- Silence squeaks

- Bust clutter

- Remove gum from your fabrics

- Organize your cables

- Re-deploy your accessories

- A (slightly) less painful way to dust your blinds

- How to critique your decor