When is the last time you set a new year’s resolution for your house? While we often use the start of a new year to focus on personal and professional goals, it’s an equally good time for homeowners to think about what they want for their homes. If you’re hoping to capture some of this early 2021 energy and channel that into a great year for your home as well, here are some tips to get you started:

List Your Goals

Just like you might have a handful of goals for yourself this year, why not extend that to some goals for your home. What are some of those projects you’ve been wanting to accomplish for months? Or those few repairs that keep moving down the to-do list? Now is a great opportunity for homeowners to pause and check in. What would you like to accomplish with your home this year? Create a list so you have these all in one place.

List Your Maintenance Tasks

As a homeowner, regular maintenance is important. While they might not be the most exciting tasks, things like getting the chimney inspected and the gutters cleaned are a must. Take some time to run through all the different maintenance needs for your home in a given year. It might be a long list, but it’s better to have them written down than floating in your head.

Grab a Calendar

Now that you have a list of goals and a list of maintenance tasks, you’re ready to fill in the details. Looking at a 12-month calendar can really help homeowners make the most of the next year. So often, our projects at home don’t get accomplished because we feel busy and assume we’ll get to them another time. When you use a calendar, you can break down the work that needs to be done and block off some specific days for home projects. This way, you can stay on track and complete the projects you want to this year. It’s also a great way to make your maintenance less overwhelming. Dividing up your maintenance tasks by season and including them on your calendar will keep them from getting overwhelming or slipping your mind.

Be Realistic

Finally, it’s important to be realistic when planning for your home. Just like our goals for ourselves, when we aim much too high, we can get frustrated and lose motivation. So, as you're planning out 2021 for your home, check in. Consider how much time you have to spend on house projects, what your budget is, and which things are most important for you to accomplish. This way, you’ll create a plan you can stick with.

Do you have any goals for your home in the new year? How do you stay on track with your home maintenance tasks? I’d love to hear your thoughts!