The new year is the best time to reset your household. This could mean reorganizing a drawer or two, developing a new filing system or just tidying up. Not only will our space feel better after a reset, but we tend to be more productive and less stressed when we take the time to get things in order.
A week after the new year, we are usually back to into our old habits; time gets away from us. Resetting a few things in your home at the beginning of the year will ensure that when we fall back into our old routine we are a step ahead of the curve.
Create A Maintenance Calendar
The first of the month is the ideal time to begin thinking about the items in your home that have to be maintained on a monthly or seasonal basis. Create a calendar that you place in your home or set reminders of monthly tasks that you need to do for your home. Your maintenance calendar would include items like:
Cleaning the furnace filter
Testing the smoke detectors
Inspecting indoor and outdoor air vents for blockage
And cleaning out the garbage disposal
Update Your I.C.E
Spend some time this month looking at your in case of emergency contacts. Is there someone who you need to remove from your list? Is there someone that needs to be added? Make sure the phone numbers of each of your emergency contacts is working and up to date. Your emergency contact list should not just be comprised of just your next of kin, close family or friends you should also include the numbers of other potential emergency services you made need like:
Pest Control
The Doctor or Veterinarian
Poison Control
Non-emergency police number
This should be a list that is saved in your phone, but also printed and posted somewhere in your home especially if you have younger children.
Reorganize the Pantry
Use the first of the month to throw out and reorganize your kitchen pantry. Think about the items you use the most in your pantry, keep them in the same area for easy access. Find a way to reorganize the pantry in a way the makes the most sense for your life right now. Do you do a lot of baking? Keep dry ingredients like flour and sugar in airtight containers in the same area.
The beginning of the year could also be a great time to introduce new snacks into the pantry. If you have a goal to be more healthy in the new year, find a few low-calorie or healthy snacks to keep on hand.
Clean Out Your Refrigerator
Just the like the pantry, the first of the month is great time to clear out and reorganize the fridge. This is your sign to throw out those Christmas leftovers and let the Eggnog go. Check the drawers for expired food items and ensure the produce in your refrigerator is still fresh. If you can access your refrigerator coils they may need vacuuming. Vacuuming the coils at least twice a year will keep them clean and the refrigerator motor running more efficiently.
Finally, ensure that your refrigerator door is closing all the way. This can be examined by sticking a dollar bill in the door. If you can easily pull out the bill, the door may not be sealed properly.
Wipe Down Everything
Even before we were in a global pandemic, wiping everything down was extremely important at the beginning of the year. Hosting at your home or
even traveling and coming back to your space can introduce new germs into your home unintentionally. Not only should you wipe down counters, but other high-touch areas like doorknobs, remote controls, computer keyboards and cabinets.
The best way to make your life easier is to be more prepared. Getting some key things organized at the top of the year ensures you're a more likely to be stress free throughout the year. Homeowner's Handbook tips are shared monthly to help homeowners across the nation get more out of the place they call home.
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