We need a bigger home as well, and because of that, I had been putting off some of the little things we could do to make our current home more enjoyable while we are in it.

We've started doing more of those things and it really makes our current home more enjoyable, even in it's smaller size.

I say do the things that are a good bang for your buck in terms of enjoyment. Pcmom1 has a great list of suggestions up there. Totally agree!

PCmom1 is spot on - look at those lower cost things you can do and prioritize which you think would have the biggest impact on your ability to enjoy your current home. Good luck!

I would prioritize what needs to be done with your current home but add value when it's time to sell. Kitchens and bathrooms usually give you the most return on investment and are the rooms that make or break the deal for most people.

If you have large mirrors in the bathrooms. Go to mirror mates. They have wood frames custom to adhere to your mirror. We did it and love the transformation.

If you plan to move in 5 years or less, do not remodel your current house but spend time & money on all the cosmetic things that will make it look great in the meantime. However, if you love your location & believe an addition can add the space you need, now is a pretty good time to do one. You should be able to get fair estimates from several contractors (at least 3) to understand what it will cost.

Also, factor in the cost to sell your home (5% realtor commission, 1.5% for closing costs on new house, 1 - 3% for moving expenses, etc). We went through a similar exercise about 6 months ago and although it made more financial sense to move, we weren't able to find any houses we liked enough to move from our current (awesome) location.

It's a tough call - good luck!

From a builders perspective, I always advise my clients to add footage equity when remodeling. Adding footage to a home solves two problems at once. It gives you another couple of years of comfort and justifies the remodel cost down the road.

I'm in the same predicament so I've opted for a little updating by replacing old applicances along with paint and new curtains. I wanted to replace my kitchen but opted to increase my storage with shelving and a buffet. I'm doing little things to make life a little more pleasant. Meanwhile I'm saving the money for my future home.

If you're talking about redecorating instead of an actual remodel, go slowly and choose pieces you love and are reasonably sure you would want in any space you move to. Re-arranging a room can feel like you've changed things dramatically. Adding pillows, throws, table cloths, and new accessories is an easy way to feel like you're moving forward.

Yes to above! Plus, all those things will benefit you when house does go up for sale. And, you can enjoy now, then take with you!

I am struggling with moving or renovating too. With reno's you never get your money back out, but it will improve the chance of a quick sell. I am leaning more to a complete reno, as we can have our home paid off in 5more years, reno the whole house with cash, and be with ZERO debt by the time I am 47 (I am 36 now) as the only debt we have is our home. I would love a bigger home, but then that means 20 more years of payments or retire and do what I want by 47. What do you think, if you were in my shoes, I'd love to hear?

The hardest part of a renovation is to keep your heart in check, your mind open to new ideas, and your pocket book half closed.

Check with a trusted realtor to see what makes sense on the resale end. Try to include low cost equity gains while fixing the worst problems. Empty rooms are the least costly to add and will offset the thrill of a new kitchen. When you change or add a wet area (Kitchen or bath) take your time in selecting your options. With todays labor down 30%, your choices will add up to over half the budget. This is where you need to use some wisdom, your choices could make or break the bank. When a decision is made, quit shopping. It will always cost you more in the end.

To Kimberly Verndun_Kerr. First ask yourself if you want to stay in your location. If yes, then I'd go for a complete renovation. You're young enough to enjoy it for decades. I would check with a Real Estate Agent to determine if the renovations would be too much for your neighborhood. I'm planning on moving East to be with family in 2 years so a renovation does not make sense in my case.

Ask yourself why you want a bigger house, then look at your current home to see if there's a way to accommodate your wish list. I would bring in an interior decorator or a professional organizer for ideas.

Regarding a larger house and the mortgage that goes with it: Would you rather have the cash flow for other things? Travel, early retirement, philanthropy, change of career, anything? What are your priorities for how you want to live? A larger home might be what helps you achieve your priorities or it might hinder them.

To Kimberly (though also probably applicable to robyn):
Some questions to ask yourself in addition to the ones already suggested:
Will renovations to your current house over-improve it for the neighborhood and local real estate market?
Do you love the bone structure of your house and feel the renovations will enhance both its value and your enjoyment of it?
Is your job stable enough that you are likely to be able to stay in your current locale for enough years to make the renovations worthwhile?
Do you have the patience and temperament to live through the disruption of major renovations?
If the answer to the first question is "no" and the rest of the questions is "yes", then I think you should go ahead and renovate rather than moving to a larger house. I love the idea of doing the slower renovations and getting it all paid off, rather than taking on a new, large mortgage. This is the decision we made, and we've never regretted it.

I agree feeny. We'd be 41 and house inside and out totally renovated and ZERO mortgage. I could retire(I'm a full time nurse manager right now) by 47 and do some other things in life I love, hobbies, travel etc..... My job and my husbands is very stable and we have a great income. I am leaning more towards the reno's, staying put incase of ill health or anything along that nature and retire early and enjoy life. Instead of being married to my home and working till were 65 paying it off. Thanks for all the great comments!

Kimberly, so glad you agree with Feeny. You want to own your house. You don't want your house to own you! And, even before adding any square footage, all of us should go thru all of our stuff and get rid of non necessary and non meaningful things!