Resolutions for the New Year

I know, I know, this time each year most of us make some sort of “resolution” that we are going to be better, do better, and make changes starting at the beginning of the year.   I don’t know about you, but my “resolution” usually wanes about mid February.  I can’t tell you why, but maybe I’m just not a once a year kind of gal.  Before I get into resolutions, January should be the month you pick one part of your home you are least happy with and decide how you will tackle it.   Does it need to be remodeled or just updated?  Decide on what it needs, do some research on costs and start saving.   We’ll get to the “what for” towards the end of this article.  

Since the focus of this article is about homes, I thought I would share with you some ideas for your own resolutions – improvement you can make throughout the year.   First, just to get it out of the way, here’s where the momma in me comes out.   A home can be decorated beautifully, but if it’s dirty and poorly maintained, then you just have beautiful dirt.    I liken this to wearing great duds but not taking a bath or brushing your teeth.   Just isn’t right!

So, whether you have a cleaning crew or you do it yourself, let’s start with just making a resolution to dust and vacuum and clean the bathrooms at least once a week.   You wouldn’t believe a few of the homes we go to where the dust is so bad, we could easily make a dustman. (get it, like a snowman, but dust).    Usually the dust is behind televisions, furniture or just scurries across the floor.   So, the first resolution – light cleaning, at least once a week.    

Second “momma says” resolution – mechanical maintenance.  The HVAC (air conditioning and heating), power washing, plumbing and all the other innerds as well as pest control.   There are at least two maintenance programs every home needs – pest control and HVAC.   You wouldn’t believe some of the things that live amongst us and just get worse, not to mention jeopardize health and home, if we do not control the critters.   This service, as well as HVAC costs about $85 per quarter, depending on where you live.    If you haven’t signed up with a service provider to come out at least twice a year to check the HVAC system, you should.  Have the freon levels maintained, make sure the system is operating at it’s optimum levels, make sure there are no leaks and all that fun stuff.    Not to mention, it kind of gets you to focus on changing the filters just so the maintenance guy doesn’t make you feel bad when he pulls out the wooly filter.      HVAC checkups usually occur in the fall in preparation for winter months and in the spring in preparation for summer.   

Okay, now that I have the basic “must do’s” out of the way, let’s look at some resolutions for the year.    Soon, if you haven’t already, you’ll be taking down the holiday decorations and getting them ready for storage.  If you live in my house, it’s about a week and a half kind of a job.  Which then leads to the empty, less sparkly, blah kind of house.   Sigh.   Maybe January is a good month to rearrange two rooms.   Why two?  Well, you can rearrange them all, but two is the minimum amount since you’ll be taking a chair or two out of one room and trying it in another room.   Try a side table too…. then a piece of art.   If this isn’t your cup of tea, then clean out the kitchen cabinets to re-sort and re-stack the dishes… if you’re up to it, pull out the refrigerator and vacuum up that fun stuff.  Or, if you just don’t want to deal with organization and redesign, just give us a call.

For February focus on the master bedroom.   Yes, that place where you and perhaps a loved one share some space.    Take the curtains and bedding to the dry cleaner.   Not worth the dry cleaner?  Try new bedding.  Put your money into a nice set with coordinating window treatments.  Yes, it’s an investment, but great bedding should last for years.   My favorite splurge is www.EasternAccents.com   If you are prone to changing your bedding during the seasons or just keeping up with design trends, use a neutral or tone on tone duvet or comforter and add the punch of color with accent pillows and a throw.    Add at least one “statement” to the room.  It can be a gitchy pillow (I like the word “gitchy”) a crazy leopard print ottoman at the foot of the bed, or a pair of awesome lamps.   If this isn’t your thing, then clean out the bathroom cabinets and linen closets… and if you have kids, check the bathroom drawers.  Drink some wine, and then clean out the gobs of toothpaste.  Drink more wine and replace the toilet lid, or watch your husband do it.

AHHHH March… some of us are so ready for spring, but sometimes it’s not quite ready for us, so we’re  still indoors focused on a few things we can do to make our homes even more loveable.  March is one of those months where the weather is a bit more mild, and if you are like me, sweat doesn’t look good on you.  So make this the month when the garage gets a good overhaul.  It’s a great time to clear out the storage areas, clean up the spilled ice-melt and take note of the yard and gardening tools.   Which ones need replacing and which ones need repairing?   My best friend for this task is the wet/dry vac.  Creepy crud beware, you’re gonna get vacuumed up along with all the dirt, leaf particles and random critter carcasses which find their way into the garage.    If this isn’t your idea of fun, clear out the laundry room, have the dryer vent professionally cleaned, check your washer hose and connections (especially if they are smelly) and clean them out.   Apparently the makers of front load washers were so good at making sure the washers didn’t leak that they forgot about stinky washer syndrome.   It’s where deposits, debris and water gets trapped somewhere in washers and gets all stinky.  I did some reading about this, since my washer suffers from stinky washer syndrome, and two solutions stood out.  One is to leave the door open, but if you’re like me, that’s not good enough.  So now there’s a company called Smelly Washer  http://smellywasher.com  and they sell a cleaning product for this issue.  You can find it at Amazon.com as well.  Who’dathunkit.

April through June…. yes, I am going to lump it all together because it’s all about getting ready for the summer.   Around here, April is one of the best months to meet with a landscaping professional if you want some work done outside the home.  I am sure they will meet with you any time of the year, but supplies, sod and trees have migrated from the farms to the nurseries and landscapers are ready to start digging.    April and May would be a great time to get ready for graduation parties if you happen to have a senior.   Meet with us to schedule a consultation so we can help you get  your home ready for guests!     These months are also great times of the year to look at power washing the exterior of your home.  I usually wait until after the pollen has subsided, but it’s really up to you to decide what you need.  If you are going to refinish your deck, meet with a professional who can schedule the job around the weather.    Also think about having the gutters cleaned out before the spring and summer storms roll in.  Trust me, there’s nothing like the sick feeling one gets while watching water pour through ceiling speakers because the gutters were backed up.   After that little “oh crap” moment, we had gutter guards put on.    So, where would one find a company who can do the power washing, gutter guards, deck cleaning and staining?  www.MediasPainting.com 

Summer.  Hot, great summer.  Cook outs and outdoor fun.   Remember in January when you were looking at the least loved room in the house?  If it happens to be the kitchen and it needs to be remodeled, then June through August is probably a great time for you and your family to tackle this endeavor.  Now, I’m not saying the remodeling job will take three months, I’m just making the recommendation for this time of the year when the kitchen is not as used as much as say,  the grill.  Or maybe you are going on vacation.  Either way, if you are looking for the least amount of inconvenience, aim for July through August for a kitchen remodel.   If you are planning a vacation, plan a bath remodel for this time as well  – again, less inconvenience. 

September is one of those months where we are mostly focused on getting back into the school schedule; yet see holiday decorations, mostly Halloween, but yikes, Christmas too.   I don’t like it, but well, it’s just the way it is.    If you haven’t spent summer months cleaning out the kids’ rooms and closets, now is a great time to move out the things that don’t fit  and make room for all the new school clothes purchased over the last few weeks or months.   Take a few moments between homework to have the kids try on their coats and boots and if the items don’t fit and can’t be handed down, please donate them to a local charity or take them to a consignment shop.  We sometimes forget that other kids need these items way before the first freeze.    If your child is entering a new age group or entering a new phase of school, i.e. from elementary school to middle school, maybe this is a great time to update their rooms to reflect their growing minds and spirits.    If you’re stuck on ideas or simply need a break from differing points of views (she wants disco pink, you want something more subtle) give us a call!  We can do awesome transformations for kids, whether themed around their favorite activity or creating a transitional room which will grow with them.  

Now that our resolutions have taken us towards the latter part of the year – you know, that part of the year that seems a fast paced, whirlwind, crazed-induced effort to get ready for relatives, holidays and ….gosh, we’re still there if you are reading this at the time of this posting.    October is the time you’ll want to meet with us to get ready for the holidays.  Yes, it seems weird talking about getting ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas when you’re busy trying to get Halloween costumes ready for the kids, but with the demanding schedules, this is the right time to meet so we can assess what items are needed and purchase items such as  table linens or place orders for trees, decorations and the like.    The holiday decorating schedule starts in November, so depending on your needs, we’ll be there for you! 

Finally, don’t forget to get your home ready for winter!  Have the HVAC checked, close the pool, have your sprinkler system prepped for winter and use the long winter days to organize your office.     Wow, this is a lot of information, but hopefully it will give you some ideas for your own resolutions.   As always, we can help provide the organization and design you need!   Happy 2011!!!  Kate