New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home

This post is sponsored by Homie.

I don’t so much like the word “resolutions” and prefer the word “goals” but they seem to be used interchangeably so insert whichever word you would like. We often set goals for ourselves as people or families but do we think about setting goals for our house? The ideas below will bring you a higher value when you decide to sell your home or bring a better feel and improve your current living situation.

12 Projects in 12 Months

Make a list of upgrades or repairs, no matter how big or small, that your house needs and do 1 per month. Maybe it’s tighten all the doorknobs. Add an extra outlet. Put in a spotlight. Fix a sink that drains slowly. Paint the laundry room. What have you been putting off doing that is minor and maybe not a big inconvenience but would sure be nice to have fixed? Pick 12 projects and plan to do 1 per month. It was a 2 day project but Tony was able to add a second outlet + 2 USB ports to an existing outlet in our kitchen. This is something that has provided us a great convenience and he talks about it every time he plugs something in. It may not increase the home value much but it will be attractive to future homeowners. It’s something that brings us a lot of joy to have.

Saving Up

If you have major projects on the list, plan how you might save up to do it, figure out if there’s a good month to do the project in, who is licensed and insured to do the work or is it something you might be able to handle on your own? Some projects take more than a year to do perhaps, like a remodel, replacing major appliances or landscaping. This is something you could choose to work on for just a month or make it a dinner conversation throughout the year.

Plan for the Future

Now is a good time to walk around your house and think about what major home expenses might be coming up within the next one to five years. Perhaps it’s a roof replacement, new AC or water heater. It’s smart to have an emergency fund set aside for house expenses. If an appliance is getting towards the end of its life, it’ll be so nice not to take a hit to the bank accounts or go in to debt unexpectedly. 

Decluttering
This is always a hot topic - downsizing and living simpler. What can you do to ‘Marie Kondo’ your house? What kinds of things would be good to get gone so you can enjoy more space and less clutter while you live in your home? You’ll feel like your house is cleaner and you’ll feel more joy when closets aren’t filled to overflowing. It’ll be easier to stage your house when it’s time to move and you’ll have less to pack up when you find your future home. 

Home Insurance

If you haven’t looked at your home insurance lately, it doesn’t hurt to check around and see if you can save money in this area. It won’t improve your house value but it’ll save you money. Make sure you have the right coverage on your house and possessions. If you have a trampoline, pool, half pipe or any other high risk activity you might want to look in to getting umbrella insurance. According to Investopedia, “An umbrella insurance policy is extra liability insurance coverage that goes beyond the limits of the insured’s home, auto or watercraft insurance. It provides an additional layer of security to those who are at risk for being sued for damages to other people’s property or injuries caused to others in an accident.”

What do you find useful from these ideas that you'll apply to your home in 2020?