It’s that time of year again! The start of a New Year is a time when many people reflect on the prior year and make resolutions to do better at something for the upcoming year. The replacement window experts at Renewal by Andersen of New Jersey share the following tips to make your New Year resolutions stick.
Guide to a Successful Resolution
In order to give yourself the best opportunity to have a successful resolution, choose something that is attainable while being measurable. The goal must be difficult, but no so difficult that you will never actually do it. For some things, it is best to start small and take “baby steps” toward achieving your ultimate goal. For example, if your goal is to eventually work out for 45 minutes each day, it is somewhat unrealistic to expect to go from nothing to a life-changing schedule.
Next, make sure your goals are well determined and measurable. Something too vague is going to fail because there is no way to determine if you’ve actually accomplished it. For example, resolving that you’re going to work out more, is very vague. What is “more”? A minute a day? Choose goals that are specific and easy to check, like “I’m going to spend at least 20 minutes working out three days a week”.
Resolve to Better Your Home this Year
Many people choose to better their physical health or appearance. Our tips this year are all things that will better your home and keep it safe.
1. Update Your Cleaning Schedule
Many working professionals (or anyone these days) do not feel like they have time to keep their home as clean and tidy as they would like to. When you’re expecting company, do you feel like you’re making a mad dash to get things straightened out and looking good for company? Whether you have stacks of mail and projects, dirty laundry or just don’t have the time for fine cleaning, a great resolution is to examine how your home and your life could be improved with a new cleaning schedule this year!
A clean home will provide you will more peace-of-mind, so consider how you can improve your habits. Add one job a day to your routine right when you get home. Start your task before sitting down to take a break; once you start to unwind from your day it will be very hard to get anything else done and your task will get put off further.
2. Get Your Appliances and Fireplace Checked
Have your dryer traps checked for blockages soon. Dryer lint has a way of accumulating in the ductwork and this can become a fire hazard. Also, if the ducts are blocked, the moisture you’re trying to expel from your home is backing up back into your home, making it more humid than it should be. If you have a natural gas dryer and your vents are blocked, you could be filling your home with the exhaust gasses from the combustion of natural gas to heat your clothes.
Also have your fireplace examined and cleaned. A buildup of creosote in your chimney could be a fire or safety hazard for your hand your family. Chimney fires are the cause of many home fires every year.
If you haven’t done either of these things in a while, make your resolution to get these two major home risks checked out. These are high fire hazards in your home and they should be looked after regularly and often.
3. Check Your Fire Alarms and Smoke Detectors
If you don’t have working fires and smoke alarms and detectors in your house, then your resolution should be easy: get them installed. Every home should be equipped with safety equipment, so make this a priority this year. If you have battery-operated fire and smoke alarms, when was the last time you changed the batteries? Alarm batteries should be checked twice a year. Some people recommend changing your batteries when you change the clocks for Daylight Savings Time, but any two times a year is good. Whenever you do it, mark it on the calendar and then make another date to check them in six months. Also, check the expiration on your fire extinguishers or get some and put them in your kitchen and bedrooms.
4. De-Clutter One Space at a Time
Choose one junk drawer, closet or desk to de-clutter each month. This should be an easy one — who doesn’t have those drawers, surfaces or rooms that are filled with something they haven’t looked at for a while? By choosing one spot a month, you will clear out the places in your home that keep you from resting easy.
Don’t be wasteful and throw out good things in your haste to clean up; donate usable items to a charity. Even if you think your clothes or household items are very used, a charity will organize and use whatever they can — let them throw out what they can’t resell or give to someone in need.
5. Consider a Home Efficiency Upgrade
Making your house more efficient is another way to better your home. Replacing old, drafty or otherwise inefficient windows for new ones is one of the best ways to make your home more efficient long-term.
New windows will provide more energy efficient seals and insulation, as well as look great on your home. Old windows can leak air, seep water and allow mold to grow in the sill area, which is unhealthy for your family and can encourage rot and insect damage. Old windows also often stick to the frames, are hard to open and often become worn looking. Eliminate the drafts in your home by exchanging old leaky windows with new tightly sealed ones. By replacing your windows you will both upgrade the appearance of your home and lower the cost of your utilities.
For more tips on bettering your home and improving your life one step at a time, contact Renewal by Andersen of New Jersey at (866) 609-5033 or fill out the short form on this page and we’ll get right back to you.
