Whether you’re a new Red Bluff homeowner or you’ve been in your house for years, why not resolve to make this year the year you whip your house into top shape?

1. Declutter Your House

 

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. (All that clutter also makes your house look dated and dirty. To make this less overwhelming, pick one day per month and select a single room to focus on.  By the time 2016 hits, your entire home is clutter free!

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?

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, McCormick advises. A colorful rug or runner can also help anchor your space. Lastly, take some time to rearrange your furniture so it is oriented in conversation groups and not just facing the television. That just might up for chances for real conversation and connection in the New Year.

3.Work Out a Weekly System for Keeping Your House Clean

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.) Lastly if possible divide the work for optimum efficiency. Lastly if you get desperate check out some iOS & Android Apps to help keep your house clean.

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.

Purchase or Check your house fire detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.

Watch out for dryer lint. We know you clean the little trap inside the door, but most people neglect to clean the vents and ducts behind the dryer. Lint may seem innocent, but it’s highly combustible, according to the U.S. Fire Administration, accounting for more than 15,000 building fires a year.

The first thing you should do is develop and then implement a maintenance plan.”A homeowner who makes the necessary yearly investment will end up saving in the long run because routine maintenance can help avoid larger, more expensive repairs that can add up to the tens of thousands of dollars or more,” said Mike Kuhn, director of technical services for Housemaster, a New Jersey-based home inspection company. “It is just like giving your home its annual physical.”