Home Improvement Ideas For the New Year
Are you overwhelmed by all the home improvement ideas and projects that are being offered for the new year? Well, we’ve made it easier by narrowing down the list to the most important home projects. Here are the much-needed home improvement ideas for the new year.
Assess and Create a Plan
The first step is to make a list of all the home improvement projects and maintenance that was done last year. Be sure to write down how much was spent for all the updates as well. Now that an assessment has been done on the house, come up with home improvement ideas to implement this new year.
Find out what needs to be done and what wish list items need to be added to the list. For example, a broken air conditioner or leaky pipes should be fixed as soon as possible while upgrading kitchen tiles is part of the wish list. A fun way to keep track of all the improvements is to take a photo of the room before and after to see the transformation! After determining what projects to work on, start creating a yearly budget. Creating a financial budget specifically for home projects will help prevent overspending. It will also keep the household accountable on how much money is being spent for maintenance and projects.
Home Safety Checklist
The start of the new year is also a good time to make sure that the house is safe and secure. For home security, install door and window alarms or even an automated home security system. Through these various security systems, the family is protected while away or sleeping.
Another area to check throughout the house is the possibility of contaminants. Although the air looks clean in the house there could be chemicals or impurities like radon, carbon monoxide, mold spores, pollen, dust, and viruses. Be sure to update the fire detector and any other detectors to maintain a safe environment free of harmful chemicals. Also, don’t forget to check the heating, ventilation, and air conditions (HVAC) system and make sure to change the filters regularly.
Go Green
Another great home improvement idea is to go green! By going green you’ll have a more energy efficient house and also save money on your bills. Here are some easy ways to cut energy usage throughout the home:
- Turn off the lights and power strips when leaving a room
- Install LED or fluorescent light bulbs
- Replace toilet and showerheads with low-flow models
- When brushing teeth or washing your face turn the water off
- Turn off the air conditioner or heater whenever leaving the house
- Learn how to properly recycle plastics, paper, bottles, and more
- Be sure the dishwasher or washing machine is full before running them
Declutter Your Home
Decluttering and organizing a house is a great home improvement project to start for the new year. There are essentially two parts to decluttering and maintaining an organized space. The first part is to periodically clean out anything not being used or worn. Resell or donate those items to people who will get better use and wear out of them. Secondly, think twice about the items that you bring into your house. Learn how to differentiate what you need and what you want so that you can make well-thought out purchases rather than impulse ones. This will help save money and space! Also, find good storage solutions. If you create good locations for your things it will make it that much easier to keep them organized.
In order to keep the house clean try creating a system. On a day-to-day basis put things back where they belong. For example, dirty dishes should go into the dishwasher and dirty clothes go into the laundry room. On a weekly basis clean the entire house. Instead of cleaning room to room try doing one type of cleaning at a time like sweeping the floors first then, wiping countertops. This will get things done a lot faster. Don’t forget to ask for help from family or roommates. The more people there are the faster cleaning gets done.
Have a great time working on these home improvement ideas and projects for the new year! If you’re interested or looking to buy a house this year give us a call at (888)298-4828 or email us at [email protected].
