With a new year just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to take stock of your life and create new goals with an emphasis on self-improvement. But who says your new year’s resolutions can’t include your home as well?

After all, your home can have a significant impact on your quality of life and well-being. Taking the time to invest in the improvement of your home can not only lead to a more comfortable and personalized living space, but it can also potentially increase your home’s value.

At Oberer Homes, we’re dedicated to helping you maximize the potential of your home. Below, we discuss a variety of home improvement resolutions and how you can achieve them for a better home in 2021.

Create a Cleaning Schedule

Cleaning is one of the easiest tasks to do in your home, and yet so many of us tend to procrastinate or avoid it. Developing and maintaining a regular cleaning schedule can help to ease that dreaded pressure and keep your house healthy and beautiful.

Be sure to keep up with daily cleanings, such as keeping the counters clean and putting dishes in the dishwasher every night; while aiming for more advanced cleaning, such as vacuuming and bathroom cleaning, on a weekly basis. For ultimate efficiency, divide up cleaning tasks amongst family members so you can have a spotless home in no time.

Declutter and Get Organized

Another easy and cheap way to enhance your home is to clear it of clutter and unnecessary items. Try going periodically room by room to collect anything that you don’t use, wear, or love. Then, either trash, sell, or donate each item. Ultimately, this will help you to only keep things that you truly need or cherish in your home.

If you still find yourself with too much clutter, you might want to consider creating extra space for storage. You could put up a high shelf between the walls of a narrow hallway, or tuck storage in out-of-way nooks like under stairs spaces and between wall studs. For smaller items, try shoe organizers to store things like keys, notepads, and writing utensils.

Develop a More Welcoming Space

Your home should be a warm and comfortable place for you and your family. Finding new ways to make it more personalized and pleasing to the eye can do wonders for its appeal.

You don’t have to go big with a major remodeling project; just start small with a bit of rearranging and a few updates for a new look. Adding a plant or two can liven up and freshen the feel of any room. Play up a new accent color with the addition of a bright pillow, throw, or rug. And for a complete change of pace, try rearranging furniture to bring new energy to a room.

Prioritize Safety

It’s nice to have a home that’s clean and beautiful, but it’s essential to ensure that your house is safe. Always stay alert and aware of potential fire, health, or security risks.

Check your house for radon, a colorless and odorless gas that can cause lung cancer. Be sure to invest in a radon testing kit, which you can find at your local hardware store, and learn about the signs and symptoms of radon poisoning. Carbon monoxide is another deadly gas that can be found in homes, so it’s important to make sure that every floor in your house has a carbon monoxide detector as well.

When it comes to dryer lint, always be sure to clean out the trap in your dryer after every use. While it may seem innocent, lint is highly combustible and can easily cause a fire in your home.

Improve Indoor Air Quality

You may not realize it, but indoor air quality is a key indicator of the quality of your living environment. After all, indoor air can be full of contaminants like dust, pollen, and mold spores, so it’s important to keep the air in your home as clean as possible.

Be sure to maintain your HVAC system and regularly change furnace filters for optimum air quality. Always ensure proper ventilation, especially in bathrooms, kitchens, and attics, to help remove cooking fumes, smoke, and excess humidity by venting air to the outside of your home.

Think Green

When you think of going green, your mind might immediately go to solar panels and hybrid cars, but really the easiest way you can make a difference is by reducing energy usage in your home. Not only is this good for the environment, but it’s also great for lowering your energy bills!

Start simple: turn off lights when leaving a room and turn off taps when you’re brushing your teeth. Invest in items like low-energy fluorescent light bulbs and low-flow showerheads. Try drying your clothes naturally and waiting for the dishwasher or washing machine to be full before running them.

Be mindful of larger electronics and their electrical use. Shut off the air conditioner when you leave the house and dial down the heater at night. Be sure to turn off power strips and consider setting your computer to revert to sleep mode when it’s not in use.

New Year, New Home

In 2021, it’s time for a clean slate and an improved home to meet your needs. By setting goals and resolutions like these, you can not only work toward a cleaner, safer, and more beautiful home, but also set yourself up for a higher quality of living.

For more homeowner tips and ideas throughout the year, check out our blog.