The Smart Homeowner's New Year's Resolution Checklist

The Smart Homeowner’s New Year’s Resolution Checklist

Posted by : Moneek

Happy New Year! Now is a great time to make some resolutions to help you and your family improve your financial security and physical safety while decreasing your carbon footprint. Simply follow this smart homeowner’s resolution checklist to get started on a productive new year.

Financial Resolutions

  • Review Your Home Insurance – Most people only think about their insurance when they need it. A recent survey by insurance.com showed that 48% didn’t understand what liability home insurance covers. Protect your investment by taking the time to thoroughly read your home insurance policy, understand what it covers, and make sure you aren’t underinsured.
  • Consider A Home Warranty – Nothing busts a budget like costly home repairs. Replacing a heating unit or a damaged floor can set you back thousands of dollars. Investing a few hundred dollars a year into a home warranty can give you peace of mind that you’re protected from those unforeseen expenses.
  • Get an Energy Efficiency Audit – Help the environment and your bank account by resolving to cut your energy use. Getting an energy efficiency audit can cut your usage by anywhere from 5 to 30 percent. Invest in proper insulation and install a programmable thermostat that decreases the temperature when no one is home.
  • Make a Plan to Build Equity – Imagine life without a mortgage payment. Like it? Once your emergency fund is in place, resolve to start paying a bit extra each month on your mortgage. Making even small principal-only payments can save you thousands on interest fees and wipe your mortgage out years sooner.

Home Safety and Environmentally Friendly Resolutions

  • Create a Home Disaster Kit – Don’t assume the only people who need to prepare for disasters live near the coast or in tornado-prone areas. In the last decade, multiple instances of super-storms, forest fires, and earthquakes have left communities devastated. Build a disaster kit that would keep you and your family safe and well-fed for at least seven days, when emergency services are likely to arrive.
  • Purify Indoor Air – Your home’s air could be making you sick. Indoor air is estimated to be 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Resolve to clean your home’s air by first banning indoor smoking, no exceptions. Then make a calendar appointment to change your heating and air unit’s air filter every month. Finally, purchase an air purifier to clean up to 99% of indoor pollutants.
  • Waste Less Water – Saving water is one of the easiest and most earth-friendly actions possible, not to mention lowering your utility bill. Start by taking shorter showers, turning off the water while brushing your teeth, washing full loads of laundry instead of partial loads, and catching rainwater to water your indoor plants. These actions don’t cost a dime. If you want to go further, invest in low-flush toilets. All these small things add up to hundreds of gallons of water saved every year.
  • De-Clutter Your Closets – Make a list of each area of your home that is cluttered and set a timeline to organize them, one at a time. Make three piles: keep, donate, and throw away. If you haven’t used it recently, toss it. You’ll be surprised how much more room your home will have and how much more comfortable you feel once you get rid of the junk. Plus, the donation may help on your taxes.
  • Create a Weekly Cleaning Routine – Set up a list of who does what, and when. Take ten minutes before bed and straighten up the living room and kitchen. Resolve to not leave dishes in the sink, clothes in the dryer, or toiletries on the sink. Deeper cleaning is easier without stuff sitting everywhere.
  • Danger-Proof Your House – According to ASecureLife.com, 18,000 Americans die from injuries that take place in their homes. Test your smoke detectors every month. Purchase carbon monoxide monitors, and remove dryer lint after every load. Avoid slips by placing bath mats in every shower, and add secure railing to all steps.

Herald in your New Year as a homeowner by resolving to make your financial life, and your actual life, more safe, secure, and energy-conscious. May this year be the best one yet!