Top 5 Home Improvement New Year’s Resolutions

Here are my top 10 home improvement resolutions for 2019:

First of all, I have to pick ten whole projects? Can they be small, because I’m thinking about last year, when we had to replace a pipe in the kitchen, and ended up replacing the faucet, the sink, the countertops, and the floor. That’s what our home improvement projects usually turn into.

1. Find a way to make our home more energy efficient. For you that could mean replacing windows, adding new insulation, replacing screen doors, etc. You can either get a free or low-cost energy audit from your local utility company or private service for advice. If you are like me and can’t afford costly changes (replacement windows are expensive), you can still get the energy audit and get some tips for cheap methods of insulating. I still have to put a towel under the front door… even starting before the holidays I am working harder than ever to keep lights turned out in the house, especially Christmas lights, when we are not using them.

2. Fix one small thing that bothers you. Is there a drawer that sticks every single morning when you are trying to get your makeup out of the cabinet? A leaky faucet that keeps you up at night? We often put off small repairs, but every little bit of irritation in the day adds up. I’m not much of a do-it-yourself-er when it comes to repairs, but you can always hire a handyman, or trust in a relative and cross your fingers.

3. Clear out junk drawers one day at a time. Make it a resolution that you will only do one a day, or the task can seem overwhelming. Be honest and a little hard on yourself when it comes to throwing things away. Sure that bottle is really pretty, the one that contained that nice hand cream you were given on your birthday in 2005…but now the bottle is taking up space, and if you are completely real with yourself, you can let it go. Making more room in drawers gives you a good feeling like you have more space and organization in your life.

4. While you are having a good clean out, fix a time to have a yard sale during the warm months. Use this money to finance a home improvement project. The more money you take in, the bigger the project can be. You may find yourself being able to update a small bathroom with a new counterop, mirror, and lights, thus modernizing the whole room. Plus, if you have extended your clean out to closets, the garage, and even the attic (if you dare tackle it), you will have much better organization in your home.

5. Paint the Porch. You might not need it, but this is a project I have been putting off for two summers. The paint we inherited is an ugly industrial blue, and it’s peeling. The nightmare comes in when you see it’s a large two-story porch, and I have a fear of ladders. But it’s a resolution, and shall be done.

Maybe.