While most people’s new year’s resolutions have to do with things like losing weight or personal growth, if you’re a homeowner, there should be some home-related resolutions on your list as well.
As perhaps the most important investment you’ll make in your life, your home needs some love, attention, and care to ensure that investment is a good one – both in the short-term and the long-term.
If you’re not sure where you need to start with your homeowner’s resolutions, any one of the following is a great place to begin.
Start a Home Maintenance Budget
Having a budget for home maintenance is an important step to take as a homeowner.
Things can and will go wrong in your home, so you need to have some savings set aside to address issues like needing a new roof, a new refrigerator, or repairs to a cracked driveway.
The average a homeowner spends each year on maintenance and home improvement is about $3,000.00, so strive to set aside that amount this year. Not only will that help protect you against having to put repairs on a credit card, but you can also earn a little interest on that money if you put it in a high-yield savings account.
Quick Tip: Indoor air quality in your home is one of the top environmental hazards, especially in winter when your home is closed up. To reduce harmful effects of things like dust, pollen, and viruses, get in a routine of cleaning frequently. Also think about investing in an air purifier to clean the air in the rooms you spend the most time in.
Make 2019 the Year You Get Organized
Clutter is not only unsightly but it can also cause you undue stress (both from looking at it and when trying to find something you need amongst the mess).
Decluttering your home is an absolutely free activity, but one that can have a huge impact on how your home looks and feels.
Start the decluttering process small – try tackling the junk drawer in your kitchen – and then work up from there.
Though there’s really no right or wrong way to declutter, consider working on the most important spaces first, like your bedroom closet or the linen closet, that way you can tackle the big jobs up front while you still have the energy and the wherewithal to keep going.
Besides, decluttering will help you down the road if you decide to sell your home. A decluttered home not only looks better but it also gives the impression that there’s plenty of storage too! Think of decluttering as the first step towards staging your home to sell.
Quick Tip: Get educated about your finances in 2019. The more you know about your credit, how to use credit effectively, and how to maintain good credit, the more likely you are to get lower interest rates on future loans and the more likely you are to have lower insurance premiums as well.
Maintenance-Free is Where It’s At
Photo by Robert Wiedemann on Unsplash
A great way to jumpstart your home maintenance resolutions is to commit yourself to making upgrades around your home that utilize maintenance-free materials.
Not only do these materials last a long time, but without the need for you to do much (if any) maintenance, you have less to worry about as well.
This could involve something as simple as replacing all the light bulbs in your home with LED bulbs that last for decades on end. If you need new siding, try opting for fiber-cement siding that has a life of about 50 years. If a new bathroom floor is in order, give ceramic tile a try – it’s durable, stain resistant, and resists moisture as well.
The point here is that though some of these materials might cost you more upfront, when viewed as a long-term investment, they make a ton of sense and will actually save you time and money over the long haul.
Quick Tip: Cut your home’s energy use by sealing windows and doors in the winter, installing ceiling fans to circulate warm or cool air, and getting in the habit of turning off lights when you leave the room. Even these minor activities can have a significant impact on reducing your home’s energy consumption!