With the New Year, you’ve probably made personal resolutions to better yourself. This year, try adding some home improvement goals to upgrade your living spaces. Here are a few projects to consider completing this year.
Improvement Goals: Make Your Home Safer
Make a plan to boost security around your home. If you haven’t changed the door locks since you purchased the property, it’s well past time. Install new locks on all exterior doors. Check to make sure the windows and sliding doors latch securely.
Another way to make your home safer is by taking the time to check your smoke detectors every month. Press the test button to make sure the alarm sounds. Set a reminder in your phone to change the batteries twice every year.
Boost Energy Efficiency
Making your home more energy-efficient means you’ll consume less power and save money on your energy bill. Seal gaps and cracks around doors and windows to help keep temperature-controlled air inside. When replacing light bulbs, install LEDs instead of incandescent bulbs. These produce less heat and use less energy.
Another way to lower your power bill is to use a “smart” thermostat. You can set the thermostat to use less energy while you’re away from home and modify the schedule at night when your family is sleeping. This type of thermostat can be controlled by a smartphone, so you can adjust the temperature of your home remotely.
Declutter Your Home
A cluttered home is frustrating and distracting. Cluttered spaces are more difficult to clean and can cause stress and anxiety. Make it a goal to declutter your home this year. It’s not necessary to tackle the entire house in a single day. In fact, it’s best to approach decluttering as an ongoing project.
Set aside blocks of time and focus on smaller areas of the home. Remove everything from the space, clean the area thoroughly, and sort your belongings into things to keep, stuff to donate, and items that belong elsewhere in the house. Collect anything you don’t want or need in cardboard boxes and donate these items next time you run errands.
Test for Radon
High levels of radon gas can cause health problems for your family. If you haven’t tested your home for radon, schedule a test this year. A professional will accurately assess the levels of this gas in your living spaces and he or she can help you decide what steps to take if your home has elevated levels of radon.
Home Improvement Goals for Outdoor Living Spaces
Upgrading your outdoor living spaces is a rewarding project that will benefit your entire family. Make improvements to your deck or patio. Add comfortable furniture, an umbrella to provide shade, an outdoor rug, and comfortable furniture with throw pillows to make the space more cozy and welcoming. An inviting space encourages family members to spend more time outdoors in the fresh air and away from screens and devices.
Outlook Home Inspections offers inspection services to customers in Charlotte and the surrounding area. Contact us to request an appointment.