If you’re like most people, your New Year’s resolutions focus on self-improvement goals like exercising, getting organized, eating better, or reducing personal debt. Things you’ve been putting off for a long time are usually at the top of your list.
In 2019, why not can add a few home improvement goals to your list? Completing even a small project can make a striking difference in the looks or efficiency of your home for years to come.
For example, this year you can resolve to:
Lay the groundwork
Is it becoming a little too apparent where people frequently walk through your house? If the floors in your high-traffic areas are showing signs of wear, maybe it’s time to refinish your wood floors or replace the carpet. A refreshed expanse underfoot brightens the whole room.
Throw on some color
Are your neutrals beginning to bore you? Jewel tones are trending right now, so wake up a guest bathroom or create an accent wall in the kitchen with a new paint color or add some pizzazz with bold wallpaper in the dining room or along a stairway.
Lighten up
Lower your utility bill and help the planet by replacing your fluorescent bulbs with LEDs throughout the house. Bring your countertops out of the dark with stick-on LED strips underneath the upper cabinets. Replace that chandelier over your dining table with an updated sphere fixture and add pendant lighting over the kitchen island.
Cut the clutter
Purging the house of unnecessary clutter can be daunting. Start small by clearing out the mail, receipts and papers that collect on that “catch all” table right inside the door. Empty the “you name it” drawer in the kitchen.
Go through a linen closet and donate unused towels and sheets to the homeless shelter. Contact the nearest animal shelter to inquire if items that are too frayed or worn can be donated for bedding.
Choose just three items from the basement, attic or garage to recycle, throw out or donate to Goodwill.
Look ahead
In five years, how will your home be used differently? Will your kids be teens? Start making small steps to set up a basement area where they can hang out with friends. Are you retiring?
Begin making your home more manageable and age-friendly by replacing round doorknobs with levered handles or installing better task lighting throughout the house.
Whether you’re planning a quick DIY project or a full-room renovation with the help of a building professional, a completed home improvement project can be a New Year’s resolution you can enjoy for years to come.
Visit the Home Builders Association of Greater Chattanooga at www.HBAGC.net to find a qualified professional that can help you tackle all those resolutions on your home improvement list.