You know the phrase: new year, new you. The start of a new year represents a perfect time to create some goals designed to improve your life in some way, whether it’s to work out regularly, eat more vegetables, or spend more time with family and friends. However, while you’re making this year’s resolutions, don’t forget about one more important aspect of your life – your home.

5 New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home – and How to Keep Them

Home is where the heart is, and you and your family deserve a comfortable, clean and healthy space to live your lives. That’s why one of the top New Year’s resolutions is to get the home organized and tidy. Additionally, we recommend making sure your household is running as smoothly and as efficiently as possible.

Here are 5 achievable goals you can set for your home this year:

1. Get rid of the clutter. Did you know that clutter can actually add to the stress in your life? It’s true! Clutter can overwhelm and overstimulate your mind, as your brain has to work extra hard to process everything it’s seeing. It’s time to downsize some of your belongings. Start with items you know you don’t use or need regularly. Then stick to the rule where for every new thing you bring into your home, you must purge one item.
2. Conduct an energy audit. When your home isn’t energy efficient, you’re simply paying too much on your monthly energy bill. Start by swapping out old incandescent light bulbs for LEDs or CFLs. Secondly, check your windows and doors for drafts and make sure to seal them up using caulk and weatherstripping. Just a few small steps can result in a major monthly savings. For bigger savings, it could be time to upgrade your HVAC system or your appliances this year.
3. Organize your storage spaces. Make it a goal to go through one storage space every month, whether it’s the junk drawer in the kitchen, the coat closet, or the basement shelves. Get rid of broken items, donate extra items or things you no longer use, and arrange the spaces in a way that makes sense. For instance, combining all hats, scarves and gloves into a plastic container, getting dividers for drawers so items are easier to find, and so on.
4. Make cleaning a family affair. Now that you’re regularly purging clutter and getting better organized, create a calendar of cleaning tasks the entire family can take part in. Even the little ones can help sort laundry and put away toys and clothing. Older kids can help clean the bathrooms, load the dishwasher, or dust and vacuum. The cleaner your home stays, the less chance there is for bacteria and germs to grow and cause illness throughout the year.
5. Create a safe haven. Your home may be clean and tidy with these New Year’s resolutions, but it’s also important to ensure it’s safe, too. Make sure all your smoke detectors have fresh batteries and are in good working order. The same goes for your carbon monoxide detector. Additionally, check your dryer vent regularly for lint buildup to prevent a fire.

Is upgrading to a new HVAC system one of your New Year’s resolutions?  The team at Efficient Heating and Cooling is ready to help! If you’re in the greater Cleveland area, contact our team today! Or, give us a call at 216-663-6462.