The new year is a time for change. This annual milestone is typically accompanied by new goals, plans and objectives. Unfortunately, most people don’t keep their new year’s resolutions, often because the goals are so inconvenient that they become unsustainable. And if you’re busy (or lazy), it’s twice as hard to remain steadfast. However, we’ve compiled a list of relatively easy ways that you can make small changes in your home this year. Here are 10 new year’s resolutions you can keep.
Grow a Green Thumb
Plants add beauty and health benefits. Image: M + Architecture Studio
If you don’t have a green thumb, commit to buying at least one plant this year. And if you don’t kill it, you may discover that you actually like tending to plants. Besides adding beauty to your home, studies show that fresh flowers can lower anxiety and depression, and some of the best and easy-to-care-for indoor plants include Golden Pothos and Chrysanthemums. After you become more comfortable indoor plants, you may decide to start growing perennials, shrubs, and other plants in your yard.
Reduce Your Fire Risk
Clean behind your appliances at least quarterly. Image: Cynthia Hayes Interior Design
Appliance provide convenience, but they can also start fires. Commit to cleaning under and behind your appliances (refrigerator, washer, dryer, etc.) on a quarterly basis, and clean your dryer vents after each use. Not only will these actions help you avoid a fire, but they can also make your appliances operate more efficiently.
Make at Least One Small Decorating Change
A new shower curtain can transform your bathroom. Image: Shelly Chung Design
If you haven’t changed your curtains or drapes in 10 years, you’re well overdue for a change. And simply swapping your shower curtain can make your bathroom look new, plus it might motivate you to make additional changes throughout your home as you work on your new year’s resolutions.
Organize and Label
A place for everything and everything in its place. Image: Neat Method San Diego
These pretty glass containers can be purchased at almost any big box store, and the labels help you keep everything neatly organized. “The new year is the perfect time to set resolutions and get a fresh start on organizing your life and space,” explains Jacquie Hunter at P-touch, which makes the P-touch CUBE Label Maker. “Convenient features like pre-designed templates and auto-cut save you time, and the Bluetooth connectivity allows you to easily create customized labels directly from your phone to label kitchen ingredients, out-of-season clothing, holiday decorations and endless other items.”
Perform Painless Updates
Easily update your hardware. Image: Globus Builder
With a simple screwdriver, you can change out the towel rack and toilet paper holder in your bathroom and the cabinet knobs and pulls in your bathroom and kitchen. With so many finishes to choose from, ranging from nickel and stainless steel to bronze and copper tones, this is another inexpensive way to update your home.
Save Electricity Without Thinking About It
Set it and forget it. Image: Deako Smart Lighting
If you hate having to get up off of the sofa to turn off the light or you keep forgetting to turn off the lights when you leave the house, consider a product like Deako Smart Lighting, which has schedules and timers so you can control your lights from anywhere. There’s also a neat feature that allows you to turn off all of your lights with a single touch. It’s a great way to save money on your electricity bill and, if you’ve added “saving” to your list of new year’s resolutions, it can make keeping your resolution a snap.
Avoid Clutter
Keep your countertops clean. Image: Michael Abraham Architecture
If you hate having to clean clutter, here’s a thought: don’t let clutter accumulate in the first place. “Consider cleaning as you go,” recommends professional organizer Barbara Reich of Resourceful Consultants. “Get in the habit of picking things up and putting them away as you’re walking around the house and working in various rooms.” She also recommends putting items where you’ll actually use them. “You’ll have a better chance of putting items away if they’re stored where you take them out,” Reich explains.
Wash Wisely
Work smarter, not harder. Image: Art of Kitchens
“Stop putting dirty dishes and cups in the sink, and then putting them in the dishwasher later,” Reich advises. “Do a quick rinse and load the dishwasher in the moment,” she says. Reich also recommends filling the dishwasher properly, which means putting like items together. “If you do, emptying the dishwasher will take a literal three minutes,” she says. Using the dishwasher also saves more water than hand-washing dishes in the sink, another way to minimize utility bills and help you with your new year’s resolution to save money.
Pamper Yourself
Indulge in everyday luxuries. Image: Luin Living
One of your new year’s resolutions should be to take better care of yourself. You need to relax and refresh. “But it’s not necessary to go to a spa or luxury hotel to experience this type of indulgent feeling,” says Marie Alfano, Director of Operations at Luin Living USA. “You can create a spa or sanctuary environment every day in your own home with the right tools.” Luin Living makes towels, bathrobes, house shoes, candles, rugs, bed linens and an assortment of other comfortable yet stylish items to help you pamper yourself. Creating a relaxing environment can help dissolve those feelings of stress and anxiety and allow you to focus on what’s most important in 2019.
Embrace Minimalism
Minimalist design. Image: Marcye Philbrook
Minimalist design is uncluttered. However, minimalism is more than just a design style. “Embrace minimalism by having fewer possessions in your life,” says Reich. “Fewer items to take care of translates to more time to do what you enjoy.”
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