The holiday season is coming to an end, as is 2016. Time to think about home resolutions for 2017! If you’ve resolved to get more organized in the past, these home resolutions are a great way to get started. Unlike personal new year’s resolutions, these are ideas you can stick to all year long. Not only will you save time and money, but your home will be a more eco friendly and relaxing place.
Home Resolutions for 2017
Programmable Thermostat – Products like Nest paired with a virtual assistant like Google Assistant or Amazon Echo are a great way to enter the home automation market. Most programmable thermostats are difficult to install and even more challenging to program. With a virtual assistant all you need is your voice or the app on your phone. Using a programmable thermostat is a great energy saver and that saves you money.
Seal it up – Putting a tight seal on your windows, doors and duct work will cut your energy costs by as much as $200 a year. If you’re living in newly built home you don’t have to worry about this, but if you live in an older home with older windows, doors and duct work, you’ll need to tighten things up a bit. A little bit of insulation goes a long way to saving you energy.
Budget for Home Improvements and Emergencies – Appliances break down. In fact most appliances don’t last as long as they used to because of sophisticated computers they come with. That means fixing things yourself isn’t as easy as it was before, you’ll probably need a repair specialist for any breakdowns. It’s going to happen at some point so budget for a broken washing machine or HVAC system. You’ll be thankful you did.
De-Clutter – Getting rid of the clutter in the house can free up a lot of mental space in the people living in the house. Clutter is overwhelming and it is distracting. Get rid of it. If you aren’t sure where to begin the de cluttering process then pick up a copy of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
Safety First – Make sure you home is safe and sound. If you didn’t change the batteries to your smoke detectors in October, now is the time do it. While you’re at it check for radon too (February is Radon Detection Month so you’ll have a head start). Clean out the lint from all the nooks and crannies in the dryer including the ductwork leaving the house. If your home was built before 1978, check for lead paint.
From all of us at Ironwood Custom Builders, we hope you have a Happy New Year!