It’s the end of another year which means it’s time for everyone to start making pie-in-the-sky promises about everything they want to do in 2018. We always makes personal resolutions to lose weight, exercise more, or learn something new but weirdly enough, we never seem to do it for our homes.
In the spirit of trying something new (one of my resolutions), I came up with a list of four things to try in the New Year to create a happier home.
#1 Declutter!
It’s amazing how easily stuff accumulates in a home. I know I’m guilty of hanging on to things for too long because “it’s still useful” or “I’ll probably wear that again”. Well no more! Go room by room and start picking out stuff that you don’t use, wear, or love anymore and make a big pile to be donated. I suppose you could save it for a garage sale but that defeats the purpose of clearing things out.
You’d be surprised how much better this makes you and your house feel.
#2 Safety First
When was the last time you checked the battery in your smoke alarms? If you had to think about it, it was probably too long ago. At the start of every year, one of your home resolutions should be to run through a safety checklist. Some other items could include:
- Install carbon monoxide detectors
- Have a test done to check for radon gas
- Clean your dryer vent and ducts to clear out lint build-ups
I could go on but I’m sure you already have a few ideas of your own. A few small fixes and your home will be much safer.
#3 Lower Those Bills
You don’t need an electric car or a windmill in your backyard to go green. A few little changes around your house will cut your energy usage (and your utility bills!) down. Here are a few tips:
- Install LED light bulbs in your home. They don’t cost much more, they last for years, and they’ll make a big dent on your power bill.
- If you have a lot of electronics, turn them off or unplug them rather than leave them in sleep mode.
- Consider buying a drying rack for your clothes instead of using your dryer all the time. Dryers are one of the home appliances that uses the most power.
- Instead of turning your heat up, put on a sweater or move around more.
With all the extra money you’ll be saving, you can start next year’s Christmas shopping extra early!
#4 Prepare for Company
A common resolution is to spend more time with family and friends. To make that happen, why not make your home more inviting to guests? A fresh coat of paint and some colour in the form of a new rug or centerpiece on the table makes a world of difference. Or try rearranging your furniture so, instead of facing the TV, it faces each other. This really helps create a nice environment to converse with people in.
I’m sure you have your own ideas or traditions to polish up your home when the New Year rolls around. I’d certainly love to hear them. And if one of your resolutions was to buy a new house in Kelowna, please get in touch with me! One of mine was to help more people find their dream home so let’s make it happen.
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