New Year, New Home: How to Make Small Changes, and Plan for Big Ones

During the dark, cold winter months, I enjoy creating little changes in my home that make me feel more comfortable and relaxed. While sometimes I need to plan and budget for the changes, often these little changes don’t cost me a thing, and make a big impact. If you’re like so many people who dread the dark winter months, trust me here! Some thoughtful improvements can help ease the winter blues and keep your home in tip-top shape. ​

1. Make a list of Things that Need to Be Replaced or Taken Care of Around Home

I start every January making a list of things that need to be done inside my home. These are small jobs I keep listed in my mind that I tell myself I will do, but never do. Once I create my list, I go about organizing them by urgency and complexity/cost. The categories that work for me are: 

1. Easy to do - These are easy improvements that you can do yourself but never truly find the time to do. Make a list and aim to do a few every day until it is done. Once you get started, you’ll find yourself highly motivated to keep going.

​2. Small, cheap jobs for hire - It’s easy to ignore an outlet that doesn’t work, a loose hinge, or a leaky faucet. However, the more you do this, the more broken down your house will become. Take time to make a list of small home improvement projects that you will need to hire someone to come do and then call someone and get it taken care of! These little improvements make a huge difference. 
3. Expensive improvements for hire - You may find that a few of the improvements around your home are going to cost big. Instead of ignoring the projects, ask for estimates. If you’re on a tight budget, take the time to save up for the improvements. Most of the workers I know are up to their knees in work. They won’t mind stopping in to give you an estimate and come back when you’re in a better place financially and when they have time. 

Tip: Calculate how long it will take you to save up money for the job and then hire your worker in advance so that you don’t have to wait extra long to get the job done. 

2. Organize ​

Let’s be honest, once a space is organized, we love it! I understand that not everyone is a fan of taking the time to organize. But the simple act of going through your belongings, getting rid of what you don’t need, and better utilizing the space in your home will help you save time and make you feel better. Consider where you can donate your gently used items. If you have family members who do not enjoy the process of organizing and getting rid of their belongings, help them by giving them guidelines. Ex: ask your child to choose three toys they no longer play with that they can donate to other kids. ​

3. Deep Clean ​

Take the time to go through your home with a super critical eye. The familiarity of our homes can sometimes cause us to not see the dirt marks on the walls, switches, baseboards or on handrails. By taking extra time to clean what we have, we can give our space a fresh new look. 
You may find it helpful to create a list of rooms in your home. Within each room, list what cleaning actions you’d like to do. 
The simple act of deep cleaning your home will give it a fresh look (and smell) and help you to feel at ease. 
If you share your house with family, find a way to make this a winter challenge. Pick one room, have everyone in the family help according to their strengths and get it done. Make it extra fun by playing fun music, offering stickers to young children that they can trade in for fun items, and/or have a fun family movie night.

4. Refresh

Sometimes the need to redecorate a space in our homes hits us with a strong sense of purpose. Before you go out and buy something new, I suggest you take time to redecorate with what you already own in your house. By simply moving beloved items around your home, you will find that you are now better able to appreciate an item that you no longer saw in its previous location. A big plus? It was friendly on your budget. 

If you decide you’d like to make a new purchase - go for it!

5. Work with Your Home Frustrations ​

What’s one thing about your house you hate? We all have something that we’d like to be different. Identify what that one thing is, and then see if you can’t find a way to work with your home frustrations. 
Do you not have space at your front door for an entry table? Maybe you add a deep shelf to the wall to hold your keys. 
Do your kids keep all their toys scattered all over the living room? Add a basket to the living room that children are allowed to store their toys in when they’re done playing for the day. When it gets full, ask them to return their toys to their rooms and start over with an empty basket. 
Too often, we accept the things in our home that aren’t working for us, without really thinking through all the solutions. Take time to think it through and figure out how to better utilize your space. If the familiarity of your home makes it hard for you to rethink how things work, talk with family and friends for their ideas. Most people I know love the opportunity to help troubleshoot areas in a home. If you’re still unsure - give me a call! 

Making large improvements to our homes can be exciting and help us live our life much more smoothly, however, by taking care of what you currently have, you will better be able to appreciate what you already own. ​