If your go-to excuse for postponing all the do-it-yourself projects you've been meaning to tackle is "I'm never home," you might be changing your tune these days. Have some extra time on your hands and feel like putting it to good use? Then some minor renovating, rearranging or reorganizing could be just the ticket.

Thanks to COVID-19 – and the associated anxieties around grocery shopping and keeping occupied during long stretches at home – food gardens are suddenly fashionable.

Whether you have a window box, a small patio or a luxurious, pie-shaped lot, there is room to grow something on your property and now is the time to start.

For many Calgarians practicing social distancing and self-isolation for more than a month now, staying home is no slumber party. Those coexisting in smaller spaces with a romantic partner and/or roommate(s) might be struggling, as they strive to live, work and play peacefully – often in less than 1,000 square feet.

The COVID-19 pandemic has suddenly made working from home a reality for many Calgarians, with no end in sight.

When you buy a home, you're also buying the lot, so it's important to make sure you pick the right lot for your needs.

Springtime brings an energy like no other season. So, why not put that energy to good use with some easy maintenance tasks that will have your home ready for the laidback days of summer and beyond?

"A lot of this work is proactive rather than reactive and can save money in the long run," said Jeff Howells, professional home inspector with Nu Level Inspections.

Here are his top spring maintenance tasks for homeowners, inside and out:

A deposit is the first financial hurdle a homebuyer needs to clear when buying a pre-construction home.

That deposit is generally five per cent of a home's total value for a purchase of less than $500,000, but it can be as high as 20 per cent for a $1-million-plus home. Those funds are a pre-construction commitment to the builder to take that condo or single-family home off the market. That money also gets put toward your eventual down payment.

A custom home can tick every box on a prospective buyer's wish list. Without the right builder, however, both the experience of building the home and the finished product might come up short.

Before signing a contract with a builder, there are several important questions people in the market for a custom home should have answered.

When it comes to modern window treatments, the selection is so vast that choosing the right ones for your home can be a challenge.

Lynn Hickey, owner of Lynne's Window Treatments Inc., says people should first consider how they live in their home and use the various rooms.

Most homes are not designed to accommodate the needs of someone who uses a wheelchair. This creates challenges when it comes to entering, turning and even using the features within a room.

However, there are several additions or renovations that can reduce or eliminate the barriers people who use a wheelchair face within the home.