New year’s resolutions for homeowners…

It is that time of year again. Every January we tend to make several personal resolutions. Drink less, eat healthily, lose weight are some of the more standard mantras.  However, as a homeowner have you ever thought that your house would benefit from a few new year resolutions too?  Here are a few we think would make a difference to your home and improve your quality of life as well.

Minimalist style

Once the Christmas decorations are packed away in the loft why don’t you continue liberating your home of all that unnecessary clutter?  Clean out those cupboards, organise that garage and minimise your life. In decluttering you’ll find your home not only cleaner and brighter, but you may also be able to make a few pounds on eBay to pay off that Christmas credit card bill.

Make a cleaning plan

Now we would all love to be the kind of person who keeps their house to show home standard day in and day out, but with modern life that is just not realistic, especially if you have kids and a dog. Once the decluttering is complete sit yourself down with a cuppa and plan out how who will keep on top of those chores for the year ahead. Think about your schedule and lifestyle and make sure it is something you can stick too. Are you the Saturday morning saint or the one room a day tidier? 

Learn to clean those pesky hard-to-clean objects

You probably rarely clean your extractor fans, air conditioner filters, light fittings and that because few people really know how to.  Walk through your house and make a list of those things that you generally turn a blind eye to cause you don’t really know how to clean them without it turning into a laborious and thankless task. Google it and then you will never have to put up with the grime on those blinds again because you’ll know how to get rid of it quickly and easily.

Ban shoes from your house

Many people think that no shoe households are for over zealous fusspots, but in truth, shoes scratch up hardwood floors, get carpets and rugs dirty. They also bring into your home many a substance that you don’t want your family to come into contact with such as bacteria and pesticides.

Go energy efficient

If you haven’t already contact your energy supplier and get a smart meter fitted to your home.  You can then use it to look at home you can become more energy efficient and help the planet whilst saving £££s too. Some easy wins in the meantime are switching your incandescent lights bulbs to LEDs, swapping out single pane glass windows for insulated ones and refreshing your loft insulation. 

Get minor repairs fixed

We are all guilty of it we get used to small nuisances around our home to the point where we no longer really see them.  Sometimes however these small nuisances end up resulting in expensive repairs if they go unchecked.  Check your boiler before winter starts, make sure your plumbing is not slowly leaking, look for evidence of termite or pest infestations, check for mould and for cracks in the foundations.  These little things could cost you a lot of money later down the line if they are left unrepaired.

Make a long-term repair budget

How old is your roof? What about your boiler? When will it give up the ghost? Sit down and make a list of everything that will undoubtedly eventually need to be repaired or replaced and figure out how much you need to budget for it. Even if your roof should last another 10 years setting aside a small budget now will help keep those big job costs down and prevent some very nasty surprises.

Safety First

Everyone probably knows that they are supposed to regularly clean and check their smoke alarm, but you should also schedule in other safety checks too. In addition to the smoke alarm, you should install a carbon monoxide detector on every floor with a gas appliance or a working fireplace. 

The great outdoors

Whether you are planning to sell you home anytime soon or not putting some work into the kerb appeal of your home is always a good idea.  Replace old fences before that “hurricane” blows them down, tidy up your weed-filled lawns before your Dad pops by and points it out and jet wash that path to your front door.  Chuck in a few pots and a hanging basket and not only will your home’s value increase you will also love coming home even more than before.

Pay for your home faster

Who wouldn’t want to be mortgage free? Most homeowners think of their mortgage as a monthly payment, but you can always pay more frequently if you want.  By putting a little extra aside when you have the money and squeezing in a few extra payments every year it will result in you being mortgage free sooner than anticipated.

New year, new you, new home

As with personal New Year’s resolutions, life can sometimes get in the way from ill health to redundancy or maybe even a new addition to the family.  Making these resolutions for your home will help you focus your attention back on to what matters.