2021 Resolutions for Homeowners

Posted on: 2020-12-15

young couple wearing jeans and denim shirts sitting holding hands.

Each year we tend to make New Year’s resolutions for ourselves, but how often do we make them for our home?

Maybe 2021 will be the year you turn your attention to your home and personal space to make positive and impactful changes.

Here are our best resolutions you should consider for your home in 2021:

1. Kick the Clutter

Ever look around your home and just feel surrounded by stuff?

Having a lot of things doesn’t make you a hoarder, but sometimes it becomes overwhelming when there’s too much stuff and not enough places to put it.

Start the year off right by going through what you own and deciding whether or not it needs to be kept. A good rule of thumb is to create 3 piles:

  1. Keep. These are things you want to keep and have a place and use for.
  2. Toss. Old, worn-out and broken items can be thrown in the garbage.
  3. Sell/Donate. Some items may have some life left in them but are just not used. These can be given away or sold online.

For items you’re unsure about, pack them away in a box for a couple of months. If you don’t miss it, get rid of it.

2. Consume Less Energy

Going green doesn’t necessarily mean you have to invest in solar panels and hybrid cars. Even simple changes in your home can reduce your carbon footprint – as well as your monthly bills!

Make a resolution to follow these easy changes to consume less energy in your home:

  • Turn off lights that are not being used.
  • Turn off your air conditioner when you leave the house in the summer.
  • In the winter, turn the heat down to about 55 degrees when you’re not home..
  • Use LED bulbs in your light fixtures.
  • Switch to a low-flow showerhead.
  • Line-dry your clothes or use drying racks around your home.
  • Reduce the time you spend in the shower.
  • Likewise, limit the number of baths you have per week.

You can also make more impactful changes in the world by walking when you can instead of driving as well as composting and recycling.

3. Safety First

A safe home is a happy home and there are certain things you can do to ensure your house is safe and healthy for your family.

First of all, make sure your home is equipped with working smoke detectors as well as carbon monoxide detectors. Sometimes as simple as a blocked chimney flue or furnace vent can cause carbon monoxide to back up into your home and the results can be deadly.

Ensure that you are switching out the batteries in these detectors at least twice a year.

Another safety hazard for your home occurs in your clothes dryer. Make sure you and your family are cleaning out the lint trap after every use.

Lastly, make sure your bathrooms and attics are properly vented to the outside. Not having proper ventilation in these areas can create issues with mold, which can lead to respiratory issues and sickness.

4. Follow a Cleaning Routine

Keeping your home clean is not always an easy endeavor – especially when you have a family and children to take care of (and who also contribute heavily to the mess).

Let this be the year that everyone gets on board with household chores.

If you have children, you can create chore charts to determine rewards and keep them on track. Otherwise, a simple chore schedule written on a calendar is a great visual reminder of what needs to be done.

The more you stay on top of housework, the easier it is to get done. When you start to let things go, not only does your house become messy but it’s difficult to find the motivation to clean it up.

If you’re not sure how to tackle a cleaning routine, here are some tips:

  • Store your cleaners and clothes in something portable (such as a bucket) that you can bring with you from room to room.
  • Focus on cleaning tasks instead of rooms. For instance, sweep all of the floors or wipe all of the counters.
  • Have baskets or boxes for each family member. This way, you can tidy up quickly by placing everyone’s stuff in their assigned basket before moving onto cleaning tasks.
  • Make everyone responsible. The more hands you have helping, the quicker the job will get done. Plus, the more everyone else in your household takes responsibility for their own messes and belongings, the less cleaning that will have to be done overall.
  • Make sure to stay on top of those difficult and hard to reach places. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it doesn’t need to be cleaned!

Overall, the best piece of advice is to simply do your best to stay on top of the household cleaning before it snowballs out of control.

5. Create a Cozy Space

Your home should be a safe and comfortable place where you can relax and feel cozy and secure.

Apart from decluttering and cleaning, you should focus on creating this cozy space. You can do this by adding pillows, blankets, soft lighting and plants.

Considering spicing up a boring room by painting an accent wall or adding interesting decorative pieces to your space. Even a colorful rug or runner can make a huge difference.

You can also rearrange your furniture to create a better sense of flow.

Another upswing of making your home comfortable and cozy is that you will be more likely to invite others over to enjoy your space.

Our professionals at Parabola Developments are ready and willing to renovate your home into the perfect cozy haven. Contact us today for more information!