
Early this year we lay some resolutions to be greener at home, but now is time to give the resolutions a bigger scope and think about everything that you can do make your life better. Small resolutions won't give you that much work and can dramatically improve your life because life lies in the small details! Here are the last 5 resolutions we encourage you to make and keep during 2016. Take a look!
Share home improvements with your family to spend more time together
Planting a tree or flowers or taking care of the garden is a great family project. Even the small kids enjoy playing outside and is an excellent way to educate them about nature. Make plans to go pick the plants to a local market or greenhouse and ask the children to check the weather for an appropriate day to plant. This can evolve to a family routine to bond.
With older children, small paint jobs or repairs can be also good options.
Calculate and create a home repair/upgrading budget
Plan in advance and don't let emergencies rip you off in the most inconvenient times. Every year some home appliance die or heating system start to act out in the middle of winter or plumbing burst on a weekend when you are washing a pile of dishes after a party. You should expect to spend at least 1% of your home's value per year on maintenance and repair, and to plan for more if your home is older or has been poorly maintained, not mentioning planned remodels.
Make a schedule of savings to reach that amount as soon as possible and keep it untouched for emergencies. Then, foresee all the delicate situations you have in the house and spend some in preventive repairs that are usually less expensive than waiting till is broken.
Don’t feel uncomfortable in your rented home
There are lots of things you can do to a rented house to make it a home. You are not going to tear down a wall or invest in a deck, but you surely can change light fixtures, wall paint, curtains and decoration. Even hang frames without damaging the walls using velcro strips! You can also make an arrangement with the owner for major upgrades like carpeting, flooring or upgrade appliances and share the cost.
If you are the owner of a house for rent, ask the leaseholder if he/she is willing to share costs and plan upgrades to make both happier and keep the property updated.
Clean the air
During winter you keep your windows shut to keep the house warm and in the summer because of the air conditioning, so indoor air is full of potential contaminants, such as dust, mold spores, pollen and viruses. The EPA states that pollutants can accumulate to levels that can pose health and comfort problems, so improved air quality should be on your top priorities.
Photo credit: rrei320 via VisualHunt.com / CC BY
There are some measures you can take, like keep your home and car smoke-free, prevent mold by controlling moisture, install carbon monoxide CO alarms and maintain your ventilation system up-to-date to avoid health issues. If you have an old climatizing system, could be a smart move to make a upgrade to a more efficient and clean option. Finally, place some indoor plants around the house - they add a nice green touch and can fight air pollutants with efficiency.
Start a savings account to reward yourself
We are always out of money to buy a fancy bathroom soap and bubbles or an expensive piece of art. How about you start a savings account for those treats? Be realistic but hopeful and make a list of the things you dream of and calculate the budget for them. Toiletries and luxury towels for the bathroom; expensive tableware for entertaining; custom made rugs and curtains; art or furniture can come in the category of “attainable luxuries” that only need some planning and saving. Remember that the small details are those which make a home personal and your own, so don’t underestimate them.
We hope that this 5 home resolutions give you the will to start and follow some good habits that can make your home more comfortable this year and keep them in the years to come. Is there some of your to add to this list? Are you going to adopt some of these suggestions? Love to read it in the comments!
Posted January 21, 2016
by Gabriel Posternak.