New Year, New Home

It’s a new year, a fresh start.  It’s a time of resolutions and goal setting and we are all about working to be better. So how about making a resolution to improve your home? Now we don’t mean expensive renovations and upgrades, but implementing a few small changes could bring big results in functionality and the costs associated with home ownership. We’ve put together a few of our best tips and tricks for you to put to good use in 2019.

Clean & Declutter Room by Room

The best approach for tackling the organization of your home is to pick one room to work on at a time, this allows you to really dig in without getting overwhelmed. Gather each item in the space and determine whether it’s an item you need to keep, clutter to be donated or junk destined for the trash or recycling. Once everything you’ve chosen to keep has a place, do a full deep cleaning.  This is a lot of work but so worth it to start the year with an organized and functional living space. If you get in the habit of going through each room every year this task gets easier and easier.

Use What You Have Before Buying More

This is one of the easiest ways to keep your home streamlined and clutter free. Use the last bit of everything you buy. Think finishing that bottle of shampoo, using the entire jar of BBQ seasoning, and mailing every last envelope you keep in your home office before purchasing more. This is a simple way to save space and money.

Budget for Home Improvements

Creating a yearly budget for home maintenance eliminates an immense amount of stress related to home ownership. New roofing, appliances and hot water tanks can come up every few years, creating unforeseen financial strain. A good rule of thumb is to budget 1%-3% of your home’s initial price to upkeep and improvements every year. If there’s extra savings at the end of the year you can use the remainder to pay for those new kitchen counter tops you’ve been dreaming of without it seeming like an added expense.

Implement Safety Precautions

How long has it been since you tested that Co2 detector? Now is a great time to test and, if needed, install all smoke detectors, Co2 detectors and fire extinguishers within the home. Protect your home from damage and keep your family safe in the case of an emergency.