New Year’s Resolutions For Your Home

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]New Year’s resolutions are infamous for never being fulfilled. With a typical half-life of mere days, I’m sure many of us have never stayed true to a resolution for more than a few weeks – I know I haven’t. There’s always next year, right?

Well, not this year. Let’s make a pact to stay true to our resolutions – particularly ones related to our homes. With a new year for growth and improvement, let’s explore some home resolutions that will cater to and catalyze this growth.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”4818″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]

Cleanse

It’s amazing how invigorating a thorough, complete, and deep cleanse of your home can be. As a figurative rebirth, take a day to clean each and every inch of your home.

Tip? Take it one room at a time. Tackle the busiest rooms first, followed by a cooldown of the lowest maintenance rooms. This allows you stay focused and view each room as its own individual project.

But one thorough cleaning only lasts so long. Before you know it, each space fall victim to the same old dirt, dust, clutter, and grime. A daily and weekly cleaning schedule is the only way to stay true on your resolution of cleanliness.

Daily:

• Dishes – put dishes in the dishwasher every night and hand clean the big stuff
  • Tip – clean dishes while you are cooking
• Laundry – dirty laundry goes in the hamper and coats go in the closet
• Floors – check all non-carpeted areas
• Clutter – put everything back in its home
• Countertops

Weekly:

• Bathrooms – Tuesdays
• Bedrooms – Wednesdays
• Living Areas – Thursdays
• Kitchen – Friday
• Additional Areas – Saturday

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”4812″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]

Avoid The Hoard

“I’ll use it again at some point”. No you won’t.

Cleaning is essential, but purging unnecessary and unused clutter is where you start making some real change. It may seem daunting, but, believe me when I say, you won’t regret it. Working towards an environment of simplicity and minimalism can truly be life changing.

Follow the same tip we gave when it came to cleaning – go room by room. Don’t move on to the next until the current one is complete and be relentless. The sooner you get it over with, the sooner you can feel the weight lifted from your shoulder.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”4809″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]

Donate, Donate, Donate

Just because you no longer have use for the plethora of items you purged yourself of doesn’t mean someone else won’t have use for them.  Some of these items will go a long way for someone in need.

Begin by separating all items into a trash pile and a donation pile. Old clothes, worn blankets, unused furniture, old kitchen utensils, and more are guaranteed to find a new life in a new home.

We recommend doing an home audit every 3 months and donating the next group of items entering your donation pile. This is our favorite home new year’s resolution. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”4811″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]

Keep It Fresh

Often an afterthought, plants are proven to make us happier, recharge our energy, and make us more productive. They also add pleasing aesthetic and freshness to the rooms in which they reside. While your taste for types of plants may differ than ours, the benefits remain the same:

Improved Air Quality. By absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing it back into the environment as oxygen, plants act as natural air filters. They also absorb toxins and harmful chemicals. This freshness and improved air quality can improve every aspect of your well-being.

General Well-Being. In addition to improved air quality, plants have been proven to reduce stress and revitalize. Moreover, caring for your plants helps to improve emotional health.

Quiet Atmosphere. If you are one who enjoys a calm and quiet vibe, plants absorb and filter noise. Surround yourself with a calm, tranquil environment.

As your strive to grow this year (no pun intended), plants are nature’s stress reliever and energy injector. A true aesthetic with purpose.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”4815″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]

Shrink Those Bills

Adorning your home with plants isn’t the only way to go green. And we don’t mean you have to invest in a Prius or solar panels. The smallest acts can go a long way when it comes to lowering your bills.

Winter

• Seal windows and used exterior doors with plastic wrap kit.
• Keep thermostats at consistent temperature. Don’t be that guy/gal who constantly adjusts the temperature
• Use ceiling fans. Yes, you heard us right. It’s simple, warm air rises and ceiling fans redistribute that warm air.
  • IMPORTANT – make sure to switch the direction of your fan to clockwise (this direction pulls cold air up and redistributes warm air)

Summer

• Turn air conditioner off when not home.
• Keep thermostat at 55 degress.
• Water your yard less – watering is the most important aspect of a healthy lawn, but many people overwater.

General

• Install LED bulbs.
• TURN OFF LIGHTS WHEN LEAVING A ROOM.
• Don’t run bathroom fans for long periods.
• Take shorter showers.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column][vc_column_text]As the new year presents its challenges, it is our hope that this guide will infuse some additional structure into your daily life and allow 2018 to be your year.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][/vc_column]