In the spirit of new beginnings, experts we have come up with some resolutions that will make your home a more beautiful, efficient, clean and green place in the coming year. Here are our five picks for the best home improvement resolutions for the new year and how to achieve them: 1: Streamline the stuff. One of the best and least expensive ways to feel better about your home is to clear it of clutter. Each year most of us acquire a mountain of stuff. Without some regular purging, cabinets and drawers get jam-packed and it becomes hard to find the things you use and enjoy the most. (All that clutter also makes your house look dated and dirty, designers say.) This year resolve to go room-by-room periodically clearing anything that you don't use, wear or love and donate it to charity. After that, think twice about what you bring in, says Antoinette Nue, an Atlanta consultant who specializes in helping people simplify and go green. "Fill your home with the things that raise your energy level and make you feel good, and get rid of the things that drain your energy or are broken," she says. Stash useful (but not beautiful) items such as DVDs, remotes and those kicked-off shoes in simple woven baskets. Group similar items together on sleek trays. Clear your counters of everything you don't use on a daily basis. And get ready to breathe a little easier in your own home. 2: Make it safe and sound. Your home may be beautiful, but is it safe? There are a few things that every homeowner should do to ensure that they're not living with a potential health hazard or fire risk. First, check your house for radon. This colorless, odorless gas causes about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year from the radioactive particles it traps in your lungs as you breathe, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. One in every fifteen homes has elevated levels. And with test kits costing as little as $20 at your local hardware store, there's no reason not to get right on that. While we're on the subject of deadly gas, make sure you install a carbon monoxide detector on every bedroom floor in addition to fire detectors. If a chimney flue or furnace vent gets blocked or leaks, carbon monoxide could back up in your house and kill you. Like a radon test, this is a small investment — $40 or more — for such an important safeguard. Watch out for dryer lint. We know you clean the little trap inside the door, but most people neglect to clean the vents and ducts behind the dryer. Lint may seem innocent, but it's highly combustible, according to the U.S. Fire Administration, accounting for more than 15,000 building fires a year. Make sure your house can breathe. Hickory Hills, Ill. home inspector Jack McGraw is always surprised at how many people's bathrooms and attics aren't vented to the outside (or the vents are covered over with shingles.) This makes you a prime candidate for mold. And if you're considering a remodel — and your home was last built or remodeled before 1978 — consider testing for lead paint and asbestos flooring. It will have to handled properly during removal, or particles can be released into the air for you to ingest. 3: Shrink your bills (and your carbon footprint in the process). When people think of going green, they often think it takes solar panels or a hybrid car to make a difference. Not so, says Bob Schildgen, who writes the "Hey Mr. Green" column for Sierra magazine. It just takes a little old-fashioned common sense. The best place to start is by cutting your energy usage in your home:
Daily: Dishes go in the dishwasher every night - no excuses! Dirty clothes go in the hamper and jackets or clean clothes are hung in the closet. Bring everything back to its assigned place. Weekly: Clean your entire house, using these tips:
You don't have go for broke here and invest in a new kitchen remodel. All it takes to get a fresh new look is a little bit of rearranging and a few updates. One easy update that makes your home seem more "finished" is the addition of plants, she says. "They bring in new energy and help clean the air," she says. "And it's a great way to decorate if you're on a budget." A couple of dramatic presentations like a large flowering agapanthus or potted palm in a bright ceramic planter that complements your existing color scheme will do the trick. Pulling out a new accent color from your existing decor can make the whole room seem fresh. Pick an underused color in the room and add more of it in the form of a new pillow or throw to update your look, McCormick advises. A colorful rug or runner can also help anchor your space. Lastly, take some time to rearrange your furniture so it is oriented in conversation groups and not just facing the television. That just might up for chances for real conversation and connection in the New Year. Want some help getting started? Contact Inside Job Professional Organizers. You will thank yourself all year long! Article Published on http://www.hgtv.com Written by By: Melinda Fulmer
1 Comment
2/14/2018 02:31:45 pm
How nice of you to give us advice on how to maintain our home this year! This simple yet economic way of arranging and fixing things totally suits our needs. I have a problem organizing the clutters in our house. I decided to fix and arrange everything so that our home will be a place of relaxation and entertainment. There are still so many tasks left undone but I am positive that I will be able to do it this time.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
SourceA carefully curated array of articles, stories and photographs selected to inspire a life free of disorder. Archives
March 2018
Categories
All
|