New Year’s Resolutions for the Home

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By Linda Kralik, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, Drysdale Properties, Resident since 1984

Christmas is a distant memory. New Year’s celebrations are over. The cold reality of winter is here. What to do now? Time to address the coming of 2019 with some New Year Resolutions. No, not the ones that we dust off every January like going to the gym daily; going on a diet; more family time; holding to the household budget, etc.; those discarded resolutions that do not even make it to the month of February. We are talking about serious resolutions for the home. So, take a look at these household resolutions for a brighter New Year.

1. Exercise: No excuses — that clutter has got to go! Start by creating more storage space. As you are putting away those cherished Christmas decorations, take a long look at those you did not put out. Maybe it is time to re-organize the garage and look at what you did use over the past years and what is just taking up residence when more storage is needed!! This is a serious exercise in both physical (up and down the ladder and lifting boxes, etc.) as well as mental (deciding what stays and what needs to be donated or tossed.)

2.Dieting for the Home: Notorious for gluttony is your energy usage around the house. Look for ways to conserve energy. A good place to start is your HVAC duct work. Duct work for your heating and air conditioning systems can leak your heating and cooling air through holes and loose connections. Servicing of your heating and cooling systems will make your home more comfortable, and a more-efficient system helps extend the life of your furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump. Installing LED lights and have outdoor lights on timers will also reduce your energy usage.

3. Family Time: Quality Family time is like a vacation, yet you are still at home. It takes planning and scheduling, just like a vacation — but it’s worth the effort. Find a project that the whole family will enjoy and make it special. Maybe plant a special tree, like a memorial tree. Dedicate it to someone or something special that everyone agrees. Fire up the SUV and shop for a tree that’ll become a new member of your family. Have your kids name it and help care for it. Buy a simple plaque to install at the base.

4. Budget: Large companies set aside money “in reserve” to deal with yearly replacements of old equipment. Household budgets should do the same. Creating a yearly budget for home improvement and maintenance will help prevent overspending, and encourages you to put aside money for major replacements — such as new roofing or a kitchen appliance — that come up every few years.

5. Volunteer: Our world today seems to be a little more turbulent. There are more headline stories of heinous crimes against humanity, with little compassion. Maybe this would be a good time to keep a resolution to help make this world a better place. Altruism is not dead, it just needs a jumpstart, and you are the one to make it happen. You can start by looking into volunteer programs in your neighborhood. Maybe promoting safety like a Neighborhood Watch. Or become a Meals on Wheels volunteer. There are many to choose from, and make it a family plan so everyone is involved.

I sincerely wish all of you the Happiest of New Year’s. May 2019 be filled with Joy and Love. LK

Linda Kralik Broker Associate and Luxury Specialist

www.TheBlackhawkTeam.com