New Year's Resolutions for Your Home

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Every new year , people make resolutions  with many vowing  to lose weight, save money or spend more time with family and friends. But what goals do you set for your home?
In the spirit of new beginnings, Here a few tips to help make your home a more beautiful, efficient, clean and green place in the coming year.

One of the best and least expensive ways to feel better about your home is to clear it of clutter.

Each year most of us acquire a mountain of stuff. Without some regular purging, cabinets and drawers get jam-packed and it becomes hard to find the things you use and enjoy the most.  This year resolve to go room-by-room periodically clearing anything that you don't use, wear or love and donate it to charity.
Experts recommend filling  your home with the things that raise your energy level and make you feel good, and get rid of the things that drain your energy or are broken.

Stash useful (but not beautiful) items such as DVDs, remotes and those kicked-off shoes in simple woven baskets. Group similar items together on sleek trays, says Stuart McCormick, a designer with Liz Levin Interiors in Washington D.C.

Clear your counters of everything you don't use on a daily basis. And get ready to breathe a little easier in your own home.

Your home may be beautiful, but is it safe? There are a few things that every homeowner should do to ensure that they're not living with a potential health hazard or fire risk.

First, check your house for radon. This colorless, odorless gas causes about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year from the radioactive particles it traps in your lungs as you breathe, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. One in every fifteen homes has elevated levels. And with test kits costing as little as $20 at your local hardware store, there's no reason not to get right on that.

While we're on the subject of deadly gas, make sure you install a carbon monoxide detector on every bedroom floor in addition to fire detectors. If a chimney flue or furnace vent gets blocked or leaks, carbon monoxide could back up in your house and kill you.

Make sure your house can breathe. Hickory Hills, Ill. home inspector Jack McGraw is always surprised at how many people's bathrooms and attics aren't vented to the outside.
And if you're considering a remodel — and your home was last built or remodeled before 1978 — consider testing for lead paint and asbestos flooring. It will have to be handled properly during removal, or particles can be released into the air for you to ingest.

Shrink your bills (and your carbon footprint in the process)
When people think of going green, they often think it takes solar panels or a hybrid car to make a difference.The best place to start is by cutting your energy usage in your home:

Remember your mom's advice and switch off the lights when you leave a room.Turn off your air conditioner when you leave the house and dial your heater down to 55 degrees at night.


Try drying some of your clothes on the line and wait for the dishwasher or washing machine to be full before you run them.

Turn off your power strips and/or set your home computer to revert to sleep mode when not in use.

Water your yard less. Put in drought-tolerant landscaping if necessary.

Give composting a try. Your garden will thank you.Work out a weekly system for keeping your house clean
Baking soda paired with warm water and bleach will knock out stubborn grout stains on tile floors and walls. If you need a heavy-duty cleaning, amp up the bleach but wear gloves to protect that manicure.

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Daily: Dishes go in the dishwasher every night - no excuses! Dirty clothes go in the hamper and jackets or clean clothes are hung in the closet. Bring everything back to its assigned place.

Weekly: Clean your entire house, using these tips:
 Keep all of your cleaners, as well as rubber gloves and spare cleaning cloths - in a portable carryall that moves with you from room to room.

Stash cleaning implements such as a toothbrush, scraper, sponge, a few cleaning cloths and plastic bags in a builder's apron that you wear when you clean. Hook your glass cleaner and all-purpose cleaning spray on the loops to keep your hands free as you work around the room clockwise, cleaning from high (cabinets) to low (floors.)

Focus on one type of cleaning at a time. It's faster,
- For optimum efficiency, enlist the help of your family. If you can, divide the jobs among at least three parties: One of you can do the dusting/vacuuming and changing beds, the other can do the bathroom cleanup, leaving only the kitchen and trash emptying for you to handle. The upside? You can get the whole house done in 45 minutes, Campbell says, leaving more time on the weekends for the park or the movies.

Get your place ready for entertaining
Each year most of us vow to spend more time with family and friends. To make you feel like inviting people in, why not give the areas you entertain in a little update?

You don't have to go broke here and invest in a new kitchen remodel. All it takes to get a fresh new look is a little bit of rearranging and a few updates.

A couple of dramatic presentations like a large flowering agapanthus or potted palm in a bright ceramic planter that complements your existing color scheme will do the trick.

Pulling out a new accent color from your existing decor can make the whole room seem fresh. Pick an underused color in the room and add more of it in the form of a new pillow or throw to update your look. Lastly, take some time to rearrange your furniture so it is oriented in conversation groups and not just facing the television.

source : Joycelyn Marigolod - African Home Building Magazine