Home Improvement Goals for the New Year

The New Year is nearly here. Get started on the right foot by making a resolution to improve your home. When you make updates and tackle household maintenance projects, you’re helping to maintain – and in some cases boost – your home’s value. Keep your home comfortable, safe, and in great condition by setting home improvement goals for the New Year.

Declutter Your Home

Deciding to finally declutter your home is an admirable goal for the new year. A home that is disorganized is distracting, frustrating, and difficult to clean. Set aside time on the weekends to declutter one space at a time.

Get rid of items you no longer need or use. If you haven’t used it in a year, you probably aren’t going to and it’s just taking up space in your home. Donate items to a charity or local thrift store that helps others in your community. A clutter-free home is more relaxing and easier to clean. You’ll be less stressed and appreciate your new living spaces.

Home Improvement Goals: Boost Security

No matter where you live, a home break-in can happen. Make a goal to boost home security this year. This might be installing a fully monitored smart-home security system. If you don’t have the budget for an entire security system, make smaller improvements like installing new locks on entryway doors and adding motion-detecting lights that illuminate the yard around the house.

Learn a New Home Improvement Skill

As a homeowner, it’s important to learn how to do simple tasks around the house. If you previously rented, your landlord was responsible for electrical and plumbing repairs and a landscaping company cared for the grounds. When you own a home, these tasks become your responsibility.

In the upcoming year, spend time learning a new skill that will help you become a better homeowner. Some community colleges offer courses in basic carpentry and plumbing. You might find online tutorials teaching you how to paint a room or install new lighting fixtures. The local hardware store may offer DIY clinics to help you improve your skills.

Take Steps to Improve Energy-Efficiency

Another great goal for your home in the new year is boosting energy efficiency. Take steps to reduce your carbon footprint and save money on utility bills. When you replace a burned-out light bulb, use a compact fluorescent light (CFL) or an LED bulb to reduce energy consumption. If your home has old, single-pane windows, start budgeting to replace them. Modern windows, while costly to install, will save you a great deal of money on your energy bills over time.

Goals for Home Improvement Include Keeping Your Gutters Clean

The guttering is an often-overlooked yet very important system of a home. Rainwater is funneled off of the roof, through the guttering channels, and away from the home. Over time the gutters will become clogged with pine needles, leaves, animal nests, and other debris. When the water overflows it can seep under your roofing materials and leak into your home. Water may overflow onto the ground and affect your landscaping or leak into the basement. Several times a year, use a ladder to access the gutters and remove the debris.

Exceptional Engineering Home Inspections provides inspection services to customers in Maricopa County, Arizona. Contact us to schedule an appointment.