As the new year sneaks up, it’s the time when so many people feel compelled to make good choices for the future. Eat healthier. Lose weight. Get more exercise. And somewhere around the end of January, those heartfelt promises fade away. For 2020, make New Year’s resolutions you can keep. Riverside Homebuilders has tips for improving your living space, because that’s where you will most enjoy the success.

Tackle the area you’ve been avoiding.

There’s that one space that bugs you more than any other. It could be the cluttered mudroom, disorganized family room, or maybe the dreaded closets or kitchen cabinets. Do you have a room that just feels wrong? Close your eyes and ask yourself what one place needs your attention more than any other. That’s your starting point.

Write down what makes you frustrated with this area. From here, create a list of tasks and, most importantly, add a timeline. If you don’t have a schedule, it’s too easy to let the project end up with your other resolutions: undone!

Post your action plan where it can remind your regularly to stay on track. Plan on rewarding yourself for every deadline you meet—like trying a new restaurant or spending one afternoon or evening doing something fun that you’ve been putting off.

Trim your energy bills.

Winter is a great time to make better choices about energy use in your home. One of your New Year’s resolutions could be to conserve electricity, heating fuel, and water. 

Start with an energy audit by a professional who thoroughly examines your home, from the foundation to the rooftop. From air leaks and blocked vents to poor insulation and inefficient appliances, you might be surprised at the number of areas where you could do better with energy conservation. Even switching to LED light bulbs can make a difference. Turning down the temperature slightly on your water heater and thermostat pay back with energy savings all year long. 

Did you know that many appliances and electronic devices consume power just by being plugged in? Your toaster, coffee machine, printer, gaming systems, and power strips are just a few examples of things that should be unplugged when not in use.

Get rid of the clutter.

We all have those spaces that seem to collect miscellaneous stuff. Countertops, closets, the attic and garage are all prone to becoming “the drop zone”—that place where you leave things that you don’t want to deal with.

Well…it’s time to deal with them.

Make it easy on yourself by planning a monthly purge. Mark your calendar with a target for every month. Start with the toughest one because at the beginning of the year, you have the strongest resolve. 

As a de-cluttering warm-up exercise, pump yourself up with a ruthless desire to lighten your load. It’s not a time to get sentimental over each memento you come across. That’s not only a time-waster but will likely cause you to keep more than you should. Be brutally honest with yourself about the value of an item in your life. Would someone else get more use or appreciation for it? When you know your things could benefit someone else, it’s easier to let go. Consider places that welcome your donations of gently used treasures. Animal shelters appreciate pillows, blankets, and sheets. Senior centers welcome books, games, puzzles, and crafts. Churches and shelters can make good use of toys and clothing.

Resolve to fit your home to your life, not the other way around.

While you’re making all this effort to find comfort in your home, you might start thinking about whether or not this is the right fit for your lifestyle. You may have outgrown your current home or just want something that’s more updated. Are you looking at significant repairs in the near future, like a new roof, air conditioning system, water heater, or furnace? 

Take a look at all the features in our new homes. Imagine having a kitchen that’s all brand new—from the appliances to the countertops and cabinets. And what about having the latest in energy efficient construction as well as smart home automation? Your new home is covered by a warranty, making home maintenance one less worry. 

2020 could be the year you do something truly wonderful for yourself and buy a new home.Talk to Rachel. She knows all about our new homes for sale in communities around the DFW metro—north, south, east, and west. Choose a move-in ready home or, if you prefer, start from the ground up. Select the right community, homesite, and floor plan and we’ll build exactly what you want and need. Have a Happy New Year, and we hope Riverside Homebuilders can be part of it.