New Year’s Resolutions for your home

The concept of New Year’s resolutions date back almost 4000 years to the ancient Babylonians, although for them the new year began in March based on the planting of the crops (thank you History Channel). These days, while some still take their new year’s resolution seriously, for many it has become a punchline or there is an assumption that it is a limited time deal. How many new memberships in gyms start in January, just to find the motivation falling off by February 1st? (I’m guilty of this one) Well…. here I am to help (not with your motivation to go to the gym, but with some achievable resolutions instead) Here is a list of New Year’s Resolutions you can make that will help your home, your family, your health & safety, and your life! Some are simple, some are more complex but still low investment for a great outcome!

Clean Your Closet

It is so easy to close the door and forget it, but every once in a while, every closet needs a good purge and clean. Put on your favorite music and take a few hours to empty EVERYTHING from your closet, vacuum, wipe down the shelves and walls, and reorganize a bit. Go through EVERY SINGLE THING in there. Some things you will realize you are glad to toss, others may be treasures you forgot you had that you are excited to find again. By the time you are done you will have a clean, organized space that makes you happy every time you open the door.

Check Your Smoke And Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Give each one you have a test run, check the back for expiration dates (if you have one that was made before they put expiration dates on them…. consider it expired) and be sure you have enough. You should have an alarm within 10 ft of each bedroom door, and one near your furnace.

Clean Out Your Pantry And Spices

True Confession: when I moved into my current house almost 7 years ago, while unpacking the kitchen, I found a bottle of some sort of specialty vinegar that was…past date. In fact, I realized it had moved with me cross country twice and been through a dozen apartments and homes <hangs head in shame> Obviously it was not a product I used and had just been hiding away in the back of a cabinet, and in truth many “expiration dates” are just related to potency of flavor not safety (hmmm an idea for a future blog post?) I DIGRESS….. take the time to empty out those cupboards, the refrigerator, the pantry, etc… check all your dates and get rid of the things you wouldn’t be comfortable using ( i mean, if your dried sage expired last week and you want to cook with it tonight, you are most likely safe to do so). Also consider those things you bought just for that one recipe and haven’t used since… if you don’t have a concrete plan to use it, get rid of it.

Give A Room A Facelift

You don’t always need a catastrophic change for a fresh perspective. Sometimes a fresh coat of paint, a new piece of artwork, or even just a rearrangement of furniture can breath new life into a room.

Change The Filters In Your Furnace And Vents

During the winter you are recirculating air constantly and seldom open a window to air out your rooms, be sure the air you are recirculating is as clean as it can be with new filters, it can also be great to clean out the vents with a long handled vacuum cleaner!

Try A New Recipe

So many of us fall into the pattern of cooking the things we know that we like, and that we can make simply. Challenge to yourself to try a new recipe once a week. Break out one of those cookbooks you were gifted and never opened, or go to any thrift store and find one that appeals to you… Why don’t I suggest going online? Finding a recipe online when you know what you are looking for can be fantastic, but there is something to be said about pushing your boundaries by opening a cookbook and finding something you never would have considered googling.

Get a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis)

If you own your home, consider getting a CMA. Your home is your biggest investment and taking care of that investment is important. A CMA helps you to understand the current value of your home and a good Realtor will also give you feedback on improvements you could consider that will help you to increase the value for the future.